Springtime Strawberry Spinach Salad

Springtime Strawberry Spinach Salad

A vibrant and refreshing salad featuring tender spinach, sweet strawberries, creamy goat cheese, crunchy pecans, and a delicate poppy seed dressing. Perfect as a light main course or an elegant side.

Basil Rouxby Basil Roux
0.0 · 0 ratings
25 min (20m prep, 5m cook)
4 servings
AmericanMain CourseVegetarianPescatarianGluten-FreeEgg-FreeSoy-FreeShellfish-FreeFish-FreeSesame-Free

Ingredients

Servings:
4
  • 8 oz fresh baby spinach
  • 2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • 0.5 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • 0.3 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped pecans and toast, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

  2. 2

    Prepare the poppy seed dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified. If using a jar, you can simply shake it vigorously.

  3. 3

    In a large salad bowl, combine the fresh baby spinach, sliced strawberries, cooled toasted pecans, and thinly sliced red onion.

  4. 4

    Just before serving, drizzle about half of the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss to coat everything evenly. Add more dressing to taste, if desired.

  5. 5

    Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the top of the salad. Serve immediately as a refreshing main course or a substantial side dish.

Chef's Tips

  • 💡For an added protein boost, grill or pan-sear chicken breast or salmon, slice, and add it to the salad.
  • 💡To save time, you can prepare the dressing up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
  • 💡If you don't have goat cheese, crumbled feta cheese or blue cheese can be a delicious alternative, though it will change the flavor profile slightly.
  • 💡For extra crunch, consider adding a handful of croutons or sunflower seeds.
  • 💡Always dress the salad just before serving to prevent the spinach from wilting and becoming soggy.

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