Description
A delightful salad combining fresh strawberries, baby spinach, and crunchy candied pecans, topped with a tangy poppy seed dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5–6 ounces baby spinach
- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup neutral oil (like canola or vegetable)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ of a small red onion (optional)
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Your Candied Pecans (If Making From Scratch)
Start by adding 1 tablespoon of butter or neutral oil to a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Allow the butter to melt or the oil to heat gradually. Next, sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture gently until the sugar starts to melt. Once the sugar has melted, add 1 cup of pecan halves to the pan. Stir constantly to ensure the pecans are coated evenly in the sugary mixture. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Once the pecans are well-coated and glossy, quickly spread them out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool completely. - Whisk Up the Poppy Seed Dressing
Take a medium-sized mixing bowl and add ½ cup of neutral oil. Pour in ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the bowl, along with 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper. Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients together vigorously until well combined. - Prepare Your Salad Components
Start by washing and drying 5-6 ounces of baby spinach thoroughly. Hull and slice 1 pound of fresh strawberries into bite-sized pieces. If using, thinly slice about ¼ of a small red onion. Crumble about ½ cup of feta cheese if you’d like. - Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach and sliced strawberries. If using red onion, scatter the slices over the greens. Add the crumbled feta if desired and drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad ingredients. Finally, sprinkle the cooled candied pecans on top. - Toss and Serve
Using salad tongs or two large forks, gently toss all salad ingredients together. Serve immediately for the best freshness.
Notes
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator; keep dressing separate to avoid wilting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: strawberry salad, spinach salad, candied pecans, poppy seed dressing, healthy salad