Spinach and Strawberry Salad

This Strawberry Spinach Salad is dressed with a sweet poppy seed vinaigrette and lots of buttery pecans. Make the dressing up to 3 days in advance and toast the pecans in butter the day before you need them. It’s a great salad option for parties and potlucks because you can easily assemble it upon arrival.

 

You’ll love this Strawberry Spinach Salad!

If your goal is to make a salad that stands out at parties and potlucks, this Strawberry Spinach Salad is knock-out success. I studied the foundations of great salad-making in culinary school, and I’m excited to pass along my wisdom to you.

The secret to salad-making is all about balance: strive to balance colors, flavors, and textures. Here, combine soft spinach leaves with juicy ripe strawberries, pecans toasted in buttery, and a sweet poppyseed dressing. It hits all the right notes, and at parties, it stands out as one of the most vibrant options on the buffet.

If you’re looking for a great lunch option, add some sliced grilled chicken and blueberries. The protein will help keep you full all day long, and it tastes great with the poppyseed dressing and fresh berries. I usually make a batch of my grilled lemon chicken if I want to meal prep this salad.

Strawberry Salad ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Olive oil: The original dressing was made with vegetable oil, so feel free to substitute that if you prefer. 
• Sugar: ¼ cup sugar makes for a super sweet vinaigrette, so feel free to add less to taste.
• Butter: Toasting the pecans in butter takes them right over the top. Substitute olive oil if you’re preparing a vegan salad or prefer that.
• Pecans: To toast the pecans, in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter or heat the olive oil. Add the pecans and toast until fragrant, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Spinach: If you prefer, substitute half the spinach for field greens.

How to make Strawberry Salad

1. In a small bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Stir or shake to combine.

2. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the pecans and toast until fragrant, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

3. In a large bowl, add spinach, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle with dressing and toss until evenly coated.

How to make Poppyseed Dressing (the Best Dressing for Strawberry Salad):

In a small bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Stir or shake to combine. Let the flavors blend at room temperature while preparing the rest of the salad, or make it up to 3 days in advance.

The original recipe used vegetable oil, but these days I always use olive oil. You can also decrease the amount of sugar if you prefer a less sweet dressing.

Natural ways to sweeten poppyseed dressing:

Even if you’re watching your sugar intake, you can still enjoy poppyseed dressing by experimenting with a natural sweetener, such as:

• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Pineapple juice
• Monk fruit

How to make Easiest Balsamic Vinaigrette

Strawberries and balsamic dressing are so good together, and this is a great option if you prefer dressings without sugar. Add a teaspoon of poppy seeds for the best of both worlds! You can make it up to 3 days in advance.

Whisk together:

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper)

Whisk everything together in a bowl, or add to a jar, cover, and shake.

Spinach Strawberry Salad Additions and Variations

Great salads like this one are endlessly adaptable. Add or swap any of the ideas below:

• Grilled chicken slices or leftover rotisserie chicken
• Crumbled feta cheese or blue cheese
• Candied pecans
• Toasted walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds
• Bite-sized pineapple chunks
• Canned mandarin orange segments
• Fresh raspberries or blueberries
• Thin slices of red onion or pickled shallots
• Sunflower seeds
• Dried cranberries or cherries

Storing Strawberry Pecan Salad

Can you make this Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe ahead of time?

Store leftover salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For lunches and meal prep, store the components separately.

• Poppy seed dressing: Make up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
• Pecans: Toast in butter 2 days in advance, drain on paper towels, cool, and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding to the salad.
• Strawberries: Ideally, slice these the day you are going to serve the salad. Keep in the refrigerator until you’re going to slice them.
• Spinach: Wash and dry one day in advance and store in the refrigerator. Use a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel to dry.

What to serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love to serve this salad at parties with lots of other options. In a line-up of potato salad, macaroni salad, and pasta salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad is a light and refreshing option that everyone will appreciate.

It’s also a fantastic summer side dish for meals. If you’ve got fresh peaches on hand, add them to the strawberries, then serve this salad with grilled pork chops, chicken kabobs, or grilled tri tip.

Round out your menu with another veggie option like corn on the cob (I love it with a compound butter), air fryer zucchini, or roasted green beans.

More salad recipes

Salad Recipes

Cobb Salad

Salad Recipes

Easy Garden Salad

Salad Recipes

California Pasta Salad

Salad Recipes

Kale Salad