Categories: SaladsStartersVegetarian

Strawberry Spinach Salad
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This Strawberry Spinach Salad makes a colorful, delicious, and healthy lunch or first course. With a homemade sweet and sour poppy seed dressing, even your pickiest eater will love this tasty salad.

I serve this salad as a starter, followed by Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp or Spicy Sweet Chicken Kabobs, Vinegar Based Coleslaw, and a Southern Cornbread Salad for a summery meal that is full of flavor and fresh produce.

Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients

  • Granulated sugar – you could use honey, agave syrup, or whatever sweetener you like.
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • White wine vinegar – red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or any lightly flavored vinegar would also work in the dressing. Apple cider vinegar is too strong of a flavor for this delicate dressing.
  • Sesame seeds and poppy seeds – for texture, fiber, and a bit of flavor.
  • Red onion
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Fresh strawberries – use very ripe berries for the best flavor.
  • Spinach – I like using baby spinach leaves because they’re more tender.
  • Toasted nuts – use whatever nuts you have on hand. I used walnuts, but pecans, macadamias, and almonds would all be delicious.
  • Parmesan cheese – buy a block of cheese and either grate or pick off tiny chunks yourself.

Steps To Make This Recipe

There aren’t many recipes easier than this one.

  1. Make the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously to combine.
  2. Toss the salad ingredients together in a large bowl and divide among four salad plates.
  3. Lightly drizzle the tops of the salad with some of the dressing and serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Variations

  • Make this a dinner salad by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.
  • Sprinkle canned Northern white beans for a vegetarian main meal.
  • Toss in a few blueberries, red onion slices, sliced radishes, or cucumbers for additional flavor, texture, and nutrition.
  • Cook bacon until it’s crispy and crumble into the salad. Then use the bacon grease to replace some of the olive oil in the dressing.
  • Goat cheese, brie cheese, or mild blue cheese would work well in the salad.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

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This Strawberry Spinach Salad makes a colorful, delicious, and healthy lunch or first course.  With a homemade sweet and sour poppy seed dressing, even your pickiest eater will love this tasty salad.

  • Author: Millie Brinkley
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Starters - Salads
  • Method: Toss
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing:

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the salad:

  • 1 quart fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and sliced
  • 10-ounce bag fresh baby spinach leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • 1 cup fresh Parmesan pieces

Instructions

Make the dressing.

In a mason jar, combine the sugar, oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, and Worcestershire sauce.  Shake well to combine.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Make the salad.

In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, spinach, and nuts.  Set aside.

Use a cheese pick or small knife to pick off very small, bite-size chunks.  Add to the salad bowl.

Divide the salad among 4 serving plates.

Drizzle the dressing over the salads or serve the dressing on the side.

Serve immediately.

Millie Johnson

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Millie Johnson
4 years ago

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