A Classic Spring Salad!

This Strawberry Spinach Salad feels like a celebration in a bowl!

A recipe like this is meant for these beautiful months when you can let fresh spring ingredients do all the talking. Consider this our hard-earned reward for cooking with the seasons.

Crafted with simple ingredients like fresh berries, local spinach, fragrant mint, briny feta, and crunchy walnuts brought together with delicious honey balsamic poppy seed dressing, it’s a salad you will crave again and again.

Although this recipe is loaded with flavor, it’s also super simple to make, prep ahead friendly and incredibly versatile.

Enjoy the weekend, friends!

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves 6

For the Strawberry Spinach Salad:

• ¾ cup toasted walnuts
• ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 10 ounces fresh baby spinach (I also love a 50/50 arugula and spinach blend)
• 1 quart strawberries hulled and quartered (about 1 pound)
• ¾ cup block-style feta cheese, crumbled (not pre-crumbled; the texture is much better!)
• 5-6 fresh mint leaves, chopped

For the Poppy Seed Dressing:

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the sliced onions in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad (this keeps their flavor but removes the harsh onion bite).

Prepare the dressing: In small mixing bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients—vinegar, oil, poppy seeds, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper—until well combined. (Alternatively, you can shake the ingredients together in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid).

Assemble the salad: Place the spinach in a great big serving bowl. Add the strawberries.

Drain the red onion and add it as well. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat the leaves. Assess the amount of dressing. You want the spinach leaves to be nicely moistened but not swimming in dressing. Add a little more if needed to suit your preferences.

Add the feta, walnuts and mint. Toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side as desired.