This delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe combines crisp smoked bacon, sun-ripened strawberries, sweet red onions, salty feta cheese, and crunchy walnuts with a homemade sweet, creamy Poppy Seed Dressing. You are going to absolutely love it.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Are you looking for a delicious and nutritious salad recipe? This Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing combines sweet and savory flavors perfectly. Follow our step-by-step guide to create the perfect salad for any occasion. This is one of our all-time favorite spring and summer side dishes. We love to serve this salad for Easter and Mother’s Day. This incredibly simple and delicious salad will indeed become one of your favorites. If you like this recipe, try pear salad, mandarin orange salad, kale salad, and Christmas salad.
Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients
For the poppy seed dressing, you need cider vinegar, granulated sugar, grated onions, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper.
For the salad, you need mixed salad greens, red onion, strawberries, chopped walnuts, feta cheese, and cooked bacon.
How to make Strawberry Spinach Salad
Let’s start by mixing the dressing. Whisk together the cider vinegar, sugar, grated onion, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and mayo. Next, fill a large bowl with the greens and add the bacon, strawberries, red onions, feta cheese, and walnuts. Finally, toss to coat with the poppy seed dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Use any mixture of spinach, romaine, and spring greens, as they all work well and taste delicious.
- This salad works with any fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, or mandarin oranges, apples, or pears.
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon if more protein is desired.
- Slice your red onions into very thin slices using a serrated knife.
- If you dislike walnuts, try nuts like almonds or pecans.
- For optimal flavor, use the brightest, sweetest organic strawberries you can get your hands on, as they are the star of the show.
- Don’t toss the salad until ready to serve, so everything stays crisp and fresh.
- If feta is not your thing, try small cubes of whole-milk mozzarella, blue cheese, or crumbly goat cheese.
- For more texture, add sunflower seeds or quinoa.
- The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
What to serve with Spinach Strawberry Salad?
- Grilled chicken
- London broil
- Parmesan pasta
- Roasted chicken
- Grilled shrimp skewers
- New York strip steak
- Grilled pork tenderloin
- Tortellini soup
- Chicken alfredo
- Italian sausage soup
More strawberry recipes to try!
Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients
- 12 ounces mixed salad greens including baby spinach romaine and spring greens
- 1/4 large red onion very thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb. strawberries sliced
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 4 slices crispy cooked bacon crumbled
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, sugar, grated onion, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and mayonnaise. You can also add all the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large wide bowl, spread greens and top with red onion, strawberries, walnuts, feta cheese, and bacon.
- Drizzle dressing over the top and toss. Serve promptly.
Notes
- Use any mixture of spinach, romaine, and spring greens, as they all work well and taste delicious.
- This salad works with any fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, mandarin oranges, apples, or pears.
- If more protein is desired, add grilled chicken or grilled shrimp.
- Slice your red onions into very thin slices using a serrated knife.
- If you don't like walnuts, try other nuts like almonds or pecans.
- For optimal flavor, use the brightest sweetest organic strawberries you can get your hands on as they are the star of the show.
- Don't toss the salad until you are ready to serve, so everything stays crisp and fresh.
- If feta is not your thing, then try very small cubes of whole-milk mozzarella, blue cheese, or crumbly goat cheese.
- For more texture, add sunflower seeds or quinoa.
- The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
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Cathlyn
I tried your Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe for a family BBQ, and it was a refreshing hit!
Laurel
One of my favorite salads! So fresh and delicious, but that homemade vinaigrette absolutely takes the whole thing over the top.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Laurel! I agree!
Katie Pearson
We tried this Strawberry Spinach Salad and loved it! The strawberries and spinach were a great match, and the dressing was fantastic. Will make again!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Katie!
Sandee Webb
This salad is so refreshing and really flavorful! Perfect for lunch or light dinner! The dressing is amazing too!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Sandee! We think it is delicious too!
Erren Knight
Such a great salad! Even my picky teenagers liked it! I will make it again.
Mandy K
Such a refreshing salad that is both easy to make and healthy! We loved it.
Gigi Anderson
We absolutely loved all the flavors and textures altogether in this salad. The crunch of the nuts, the sweet berries, the feta – it was so tasty.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Gigi! We love the strawberry salad too!
Lise
I just made the dressing, delicious!!! and I know the salad will be a hit also… thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Lise! So glad that you like it!
Destiny
What type of onion is used for the dressing? It mentions a red onion for the salad but nothing specific for the dressing. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Beth Pierce
Just a yellow onion.
Renee Muench
One word….YUM
Chefmimi
Mmmmmm I love everything about this salad! The strawberries, spinach, bacon, walnuts, dressing…. Perfect for spring! Thanks!
Whitney Zamiar
Homemade dressings are the best, I am excited to try this! It looks like the perfect spring meal!
Laura
This was wonderfully fresh and tasty! The poppy seed dressing was the perfect addition!
Sally
Wow – this looks amazing! I usually just make a simple spinach salad with just strawberries and maybe feta. Yours takes it over the top! Not to mention (but I HAVE to mention 😉 ) that everything’s better with bacon in my opinion! Thanks for the delicious inspiration!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Sally! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Krissy Allori
This is my favorite salad. Strawberries and spinach are so good together. Loved it!
Emily
I’m so happy it is strawberry season again! This salad is so delicious, love the strawberry and bacon combo!