Description
Fresh strawberry spinach salad with candied pecans, feta cheese, and homemade poppy seed dressing. Light, vibrant, and perfect for spring.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (170g) Baby spinach
- 2 cups, sliced Fresh strawberries
- 4 oz, crumbled Goat cheese
- ½ cup Candied pecans
- ¼, thinly sliced Red onion
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients (5 Minutes) — Wash and dry baby spinach thoroughly — wet spinach dilutes the dressing and makes the salad soggy. Use a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Hull and slice strawberries into ¼-inch slices. Thinly slice red onion. Crumble goat cheese. If making your own candied pecans, do that first and let cool.
- Make the Dressing (2 Minutes) — Whisk balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Or add everything to a mason jar, screw on the lid, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Taste and adjust — more honey if too tart, more vinegar if too sweet.
- Assemble and Toss (3 Minutes) — Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Add sliced strawberries, red onion, and half the pecans. Drizzle dressing over the salad — start with half and add more to taste. You can always add more dressing, but you can’t take it away. Toss gently with salad tongs until evenly coated. Top with crumbled goat cheese and remaining pecans. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g