Strawberry Spinach Balsamic Poppy Seed (Printable Version)

Sweet strawberries and baby spinach tossed with tangy balsamic poppy seed dressing, topped with feta and toasted almonds.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
06 - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

→ Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, toasted almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small mixing bowl or jar, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey or maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until fully emulsified. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with additional strawberries or almonds.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet-tangy dressing makes you want to eat salad every single day
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes but looks like something from a restaurant
  • Every bite has that perfect crunch-creamy-crunch texture going on
02 -
  • The dressing emulsifies best at room temperature, so don't use cold ingredients
  • Spinach holds dressing better than delicate greens, which is why this salad actually keeps well for lunch the next day
  • Feta varies wildly in saltiness, so taste the salad before adding extra salt to the dressing
03 -
  • Dry your spinach completely—water clinging to the leaves prevents the dressing from coating properly
  • Room temperature strawberries have more flavor than cold ones straight from the fridge

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