Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing — Perfect Summer Picnic Recipe
My kids used to pick strawberries out of everything, but this salad they ate without complaint, which is its own kind of victory.
The dressing takes 5 minutes to shake together, the rest is slicing and tossing. Bring it to a picnic in a cooler and dress it on-site so nothing wilts before anyone gets a plate.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing — Perfect Summer Picnic Recipe
Fresh baby spinach, ripe strawberries, and a sweet tangy poppy seed dressing that comes together in 15 minutes flat.
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 cups baby spinach , packed
- 2 cups fresh strawberries , hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion , thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup candied pecans , store-bought or homemade
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Poppy Seed Dressing
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup neutral oil , avocado or light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
Tips & Notes
- Dress the salad at the last possible moment, no more than 10 minutes before serving, or the spinach will start to wilt and release water into the bowl.
- If you are making this for a picnic, pack the salad components in one container and the dressing in the jar separately. Shake and dress on-site.
- Slice the onion as thin as you can. If the pieces are too thick, they overpower every other flavor in the bowl.
- Leftover dressing keeps in the sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Shake it again before using because it will separate.
- Swap feta for goat cheese if you want something creamier and milder.
Nutrition per serving · estimated
Why This Dressing Actually Works
A lot of poppy seed dressings are either too sweet or too sharp. The dijon acts as an emulsifier here, which means the oil and vinegar stay combined instead of splitting the second you stop shaking the jar.
The honey rounds out the vinegar without making the whole thing taste like candy. Start with the amounts listed and then taste before you pour. Your strawberries will change the balance depending on how ripe they are.
Making It Work for a Crowd
This recipe scales up without any problems. Double everything for 8 servings and use your largest bowl so you have room to actually toss it without sending spinach onto the counter.
For a potluck or backyard gathering, lay out the components separately and let people build their own plates. It stays fresher longer that way and the people who do not like onions or feta will appreciate having the choice.
