Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing

Featuring tender baby spinach, juicy strawberries, sharp red onions, and crunchy pecans, it’s both refreshing and satisfying.

The real star is the homemade poppy seed dressing—a rich, emulsified blend of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, grated onion, and just the right touch of sweetness. One batch yields enough for several salads and keeps well in the fridge for a month, making it a versatile go-to for fresh greens.

Perfect for entertaining or elevating your everyday lunch, this salad serves 8–10 and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

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Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing

Perfect for entertaining or elevating your everyday lunch, this salad serves 8–10 and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Servings 9

Calories 425kcal

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cups red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons grated onion preferably yellow
• 1½ cups canola oil or vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the salad:

• 6 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• ¼ cup sliced red onion
• ½ cup toasted pecans or candied pecans

Instructions

Dressing:

• Combine egg, sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt, grated onion and any excess juice in the bowl of a food processor or an immersion blender. Process for 1 minute.
• With the motor running, pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
• Stir in the poppy seeds.
• Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This makes enough for 3 salads.

For the salad:

• In a large salad bowl, mix spinach, strawberries, red onion, and pecans.
• Pour the dressing over the salad (use enough to cover but not oversaturated).
• Serve immediately.

Notes

The dressing recipe makes approximately 2½ cups of dressing, enough for 3-4 salads. Store it covered in the refrigerator and it keeps for about 1 month. The dressing may separate but just shake it or whisk it to reincorporate the ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1905IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg

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