Baby Spinach Strawberry Salad (Printable Version)

A fresh blend of baby spinach, strawberries, feta, almonds, and a tangy poppy seed dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese
04 - 0.33 cup sliced almonds, toasted
05 - 0.25 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

06 - 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
11 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake until well emulsified.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, strawberries, red onion, and half the feta and almonds.
03 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat.
04 - Top with remaining feta and almonds.
05 - Serve immediately while ingredients are fresh and crisp.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can make it while everything else is happening in the kitchen.
  • The poppy seed dressing is tangy and slightly sweet in a way that makes people ask for the recipe before they've finished eating.
  • Fresh strawberries and creamy feta are a combination that somehow feels both fancy and completely effortless.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than five minutes before serving, or the spinach will begin to soften and lose that fresh crispness that makes this dish sing.
  • If you're making the dressing ahead of time, let it sit at room temperature and shake it again right before using, because the oil and vinegar naturally want to separate.
03 -
  • Toast your own almonds in a dry skillet for three minutes instead of using pre-toasted ones, and you'll taste the difference in every bite.
  • Keep the dressing jar in your refrigerator for up to a week, so you can grab it anytime you want a quick salad without the actual quick part.
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