Description
This easy and delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad combines fresh baby spinach, juicy strawberry slices, crunchy homemade candied pecans, and salty feta cheese. Tossed with a zesty lemon poppyseed dressing, it's a perfect crowd-pleaser that even picky eaters will love. Ideal as a light lunch or side dish, this salad offers a delightful balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors in just minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Candied Nuts
- 3/4 cup 84 g chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 tbsp 24 g brown sugar
- 2 tsp 9 g unsalted butter
Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/4 cup 60 mL light olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tsp 4 g honey, optional
- 1/2 tsp 4 g poppy seeds
- 1/2 tsp 4 g dijon mustard
- Zest of half lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp 4 g kosher salt
Salad
- 8 oz 240 g fresh baby spinach, washed
- 8 oz 240 g fresh strawberries, sliced
- 5 oz 130 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 3/4 cup candied pecans or nuts (from above)
Instructions
- Candied Nuts Preparation: Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and set aside. Melt the unsalted butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped walnuts or pecans and brown sugar, stirring continuously with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the nuts. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar caramelizes, about 4 minutes. Spread the candied nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet to cool completely and allow them to harden for easy separation.
- Make Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing: In a medium bowl, combine light olive oil, honey (if using), poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well combined and emulsified. Let the dressing rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, gently toss together the washed baby spinach, sliced strawberries, cooled candied nuts, and crumbled feta cheese until combined evenly.
- Serve: Serve the salad with the lemon poppy seed dressing on the side and dress just before serving to keep the salad fresh and crisp.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts for pecans according to preference or availability.
- For a lighter option, omit the butter and use a small amount of oil when making candied nuts.
- The honey in the dressing is optional; add it if you prefer a slightly sweeter dressing.
- The salad is best served immediately after dressing to maintain freshness and texture.
- To save time, pre-make the candied nuts and dressing and store separately until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 183 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 268 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
