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Easy Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Easy Spinach and Strawberry Salad – which can be made with scratch with as little as just 6 ingredients! Includes tender baby spinach, fresh strawberries, a creamy, sweet poppyseed dressing, and finished with crunchy almonds and tangy feta.

Tossed together and ready in only 10 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleasing summer recipe! 

Homemade strawberry spinach salad with easy poppy seed dressing.

Easy Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Strawberries are one of my favorite summer fruits, and while I love sweet treats like strawberry shortcake trifles and a freshly baked strawberry rhubarb crumb bars, one of the best ways to put them to use is in this strawberry and spinach salad.

It’s made with a base of fresh spinach and strawberries tossed in a homemade poppyseed dressing, and you may love to include almonds and feta cheese, too. 

You’ll find it comes together in minutes and makes a large batch perfect for feeding a crowd. Whether you need a quick side dish or a nutritious meal (with added rotisserie chicken), this salad always has your back. Plus, the dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge so you can make this salad on repeat. 

This may quickly become a go-to summer recipe for you! It’s a breeze to throw together, has such a refreshing satisfying flavor, and you can easily modify the recipe using ingredients you have on hand (think spring salad blend, or blueberries or raspberries work well too).

So much to love about this super fresh salad!

Strawberry spinach salad ingredients.

Spinach Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Ingredients

Poppyseed Dressing

  • Mayonnaise – This forms the base of the dressing, making it creamy and hearty. 
  • Honey – Used to sweeten the mixture and enhance the natural flavor of the strawberries. 
  • Apple cider vinegar – This creates the zesty taste we want in a poppyseed dressing! If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use lemon juice or white wine vinegar instead. However, the flavor will be a bit different. 
  • Poppy seeds – You can typically find these in the spice section at your local grocery store. Or, order them online. 

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

  • Baby spinach – You’ll find that baby spinach has a sweeter flavor and a more tender texture than more mature spinach. 
  • Fresh strawberries – I don’t recommend using frozen varieties for this recipe, as they will become soggy. 
  • Optional ingredients – Personally, I love to include sliced almonds and crumbled feta cheese for extra texture and satiating fats, but the salad still tastes great without them. 

Steps of making strawberry spinach salad.

How to Make a Quick Spinach and Strawberry Salad

  1. Prepare the dressing: Add the dressing ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, and whisk until they’re well combined and smooth. 
  2. Layer the salad: Place half the spinach in a salad bowl followed by half the strawberries. Add the almonds and feta, if using. Repeat this step, layering the remaining ingredients on top. 
  3. Toss: Pour the dressing over individual servings or the entire salad, if you’re planning on serving it right away. Then, toss to combine before serving. 

Helpful Tips

  • Wash the strawberries. Strawberries are known for being on the list of dirty dozen ingredients, meaning they often contain high amounts of dirt and pesticides. So, be sure to thoroughly wash and dry your strawberries before adding them to the salad. And don’t forget to remove the tops! 
  • Taste test the dressing. Add the honey a little bit at a time, and adjust the amount used to suit your flavor preferences. In addition, you can also add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor and tone down some of the sweetness. 
  • Omit the mix-ins. If you aren’t planning on eating your strawberry and spinach salad right away, I recommend leaving out the strawberries and feta until just before serving. Otherwise, they may become slightly soggy. 

Quick and easy strawberry spinach salad from scratch.

Recipe Variations 

  • Vegetables: If you want to add even more nutrients, try incorporating a variety of fresh vegetables like baby kale, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrot, avocado, or sliced red onion
  • Grains: Add bulk to this strawberry and spinach salad, making it extra filling with grains like brown rice, quinoa, farro, or bulgur wheat. 
  • Toppings: Any number of toppings will taste great in this recipe. Try including bacon bits, more fresh or dried fruit, or plain croutons for extra flavor and crunch. 

Serving Suggestions 

This easy strawberry and spinach salad can be served as a wonderful side dish alongside all your favorite entrees. Some delicious pairings include lemon garlic herb grilled salmon, grilled steak, and grilled honey lime chicken. However, no matter what you serve it with, you really can’t go wrong! 

If you want to really impress your guests with a restaurant-worthy meal, add warm homemade bread or Dutchess potatoes to the table, too. 

Close up photo of strawberry spinach salad with almonds.

Can I Make This Strawberry and Spinach Salad in Advance? 

  • Prepare the poppyseed dressing up to 1 week in advance, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. 
  • The salad without the sliced strawberries can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days
  • For the best results, leave out the strawberries and feta until just before serving. 
  • To serve, toss everything together, and enjoy! 

More Salad Recipes To Try 

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Homemade strawberry spinach salad with easy poppy seed dressing.

Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad

A refreshing nutritious salad that can be made with scratch with as little as 6 ingredients! Includes tender baby spinach, fresh strawberries, a creamy, sweet poppyseed dressing, and finished with crunchy almonds and tangy feta.

Servings: 8

Prep10 minutes

Ready in: 10 minutes

  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar and poppy seeds. Optionally you can season lightly to taste with salt if desired.

  • Add half the spinach to a salad bowl topped with strawberries and if using the almonds or the feta. Top with remaining half of the spinach, strawberries and optional almonds or feta.

  • Pour dressing over each serving or you can toss with entire salad if desired if you are serving it right away.

  • Store dressing in the fridge up to 1 week.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 336
Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.04g

Polyunsaturated Fat 12g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 26mg9%

Sodium 377mg16%

Potassium 421mg12%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 3423IU68%

Vitamin C 43mg52%

Calcium 194mg19%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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