Description
A fresh and vibrant Strawberry Spinach Salad featuring toasted pecans, crumbled feta, and a tangy poppy seed dressing. This salad combines sweet, savory, and crunchy elements for a perfect light meal or side dish, ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw pecans
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach (or a 50/50 blend of arugula and spinach)
- 1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 1 pound)
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese (preferably block-style, crumbled by hand)
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the Pecans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the raw pecans evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, watching carefully near the end to prevent burning. The pecans are done when fragrant and the inside of a broken pecan turns tan. Remove from oven and roughly chop on a cutting board.
- Prepare the Onions: Place the very thinly sliced red onions into a bowl of cold water. Soak while preparing the rest of the salad to mellow their sharpness but keep crunch and color.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, poppy seeds, honey, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until emulsified. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a mason jar, seal, and shake vigorously to blend.
- Assemble the Salad Base: In a large serving bowl, add the fresh baby spinach or spinach-arugula blend followed by the hulled and quartered strawberries.
- Drain Onions and Dress the Salad: Drain the soaked onions well and add them to the bowl. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat leaves and fruit evenly. Add more dressing gradually while tossing until desired moistness is achieved.
- Add Cheese and Nuts: Sprinkle the crumbled feta and toasted chopped pecans over the salad. Toss lightly once more to combine flavors and textures. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side if desired.
Notes
- Toast the pecans carefully and monitor closely to avoid burning for best flavor.
- Soaking onions in cold water reduces sharpness while maintaining crunch and color.
- Adjust the dressing quantity to your taste preference for moist but not soggy salad.
- The salad is best served fresh, but dressing and nuts can be prepared ahead and stored separately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Strawberry Spinach Salad, Poppy Seed Dressing, Toasted Pecans, Fresh Salad, Healthy Salad, Vegetarian Salad
