Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable Version)

A refreshing mix of spinach, strawberries, candied pecans, and a creamy poppy seed dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup candied pecans
04 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
05 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Candied Pecans

06 - ½ cup pecan halves
07 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon honey
12 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ¼ teaspoon salt
15 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecan halves and granulated sugar, stirring constantly until pecans are evenly coated and sugar is melted, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer pecans to parchment paper and allow to cool completely before breaking apart.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until fully emulsified. Set aside.
03 - Combine baby spinach, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese (if using) in a large salad bowl. Add candied pecans and gently drizzle with poppy seed dressing immediately before serving. Toss lightly to coat ingredients evenly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The candied pecans taste like you spent way more time than five minutes getting them ready, but nobody needs to know your secret.
  • It's the kind of salad that works for a casual weeknight dinner or when you want to bring something impressive to a gathering.
02 -
  • Dressing the salad too early will wilt the spinach and make the strawberries release water, so wait until the last possible moment to add it.
  • The pecans will soften slightly if they sit in the dressing, so if you prefer maximum crunch, you can sprinkle them on individual servings instead of tossing everything together.
03 -
  • Pat your spinach completely dry after washing—any lingering water dilutes the dressing and makes the salad taste watery instead of fresh.
  • Candied pecans can be made a day or two ahead and stored in an airtight container, so you can have most of the work done before you assemble everything.
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