This tasty salad is similar to our Strawberry Harvest Salad, with slightly different flavors. It has a homemade dressing, but it also pairs really nicely with our Strawberry Vinaigrette!
easy, quick + delicious
I love a good salad recipe, especially in the summer, and this one is quick and easy. Strawberry spinach salad delivers big on flavor and is always a crowd-pleaser. It is healthy, yet anything but dull. Pops of sweet, juicy strawberries, crunchy bites of almonds, and the earthiness of the spinach combine for a winning lunch or perfect dinner. Not to mention, the Poppy Seed Dressing is a favorite homemade dressing. It also lends itself well to substitutions and additions! Add a pop of tangy cream with some feta, or some more sweetness with a handful of blueberries. Serve it on its own, or as a side dish!
How to Make Strawberry Spinach Salad
This strawberry spinach salad recipe comes with a homemade dressing that perfectly pairs with the flavors of the salad! Start by making the dressing, as it does need to be refrigerated for at least an hour for the best flavor. DRESSING. Whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion in a medium bowl. Cover, and refrigerate strawberry spinach salad dressing for one hour. Shake before using. MIX + CHILL. In a large bowl, add the spinach, strawberries, and almonds. Add the dressing and toss. Refrigerate for another 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Variations
This salad’s ingredients are simple and delicious, but you can dress it up with additions:
Protein. Add grilled chicken or bacon bits. Fruit. Add extra berries like blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. Candied pears would also be yummy. Nuts. Include other nuts like walnuts or pecans. Add extra flavor with red onion slices, or salt and black pepper to taste. Cheese. Use Mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, or feta cheese Dressing. Try balsamic vinaigrette dressing or lemon poppy seed dressing. We also love our Strawberry Vinaigrette.
Recipe Tips
Leafy greens. Use baby spinach or full-leaf spinach. Choose leaves that are dark green and crisp without any yellowing or wilting edges. Tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Use a spring mix lettuce which includes baby spinach and other greens like romaine, red oak, chard, and radicchio.
How to hull strawberries. I recently came across a really fun way to hull strawberries (remove the leafy top).
Take a sturdy straw and insert it at the bottom of the strawberry. Continue to push the straw up through the middle of the strawberry until it pops the leafy green top right off. Of course, you can also use a paring knife to carefully cut the top off.
Storing Info
Make ahead of time. Make the components for Spinach Strawberry Salad ahead of time, but I don’t recommend mixing them up until you’re ready to serve.
Strawberries: slice and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day. Spinach can be prepped and stored in the fridge for about 3 days. Dressing can be stored for 3-5 days in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Toss together before serving. STORE. Leftover Spinach and Strawberry Salad can be covered and placed in the fridge. Use it as soon as possible as the salad will wilt and become soggy fairly quickly.
For more salad recipes, try:
Waldorf Salad Strawberry Harvest Salad Favorite Broccoli Salad Chicken Caesar Salad Strawberry Broccoli Salad Quick Caprese Salad
