Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
The perfect summer salad! Strawberry poppyseed salad with strawberries, blueberries, crunchy pecans, feta, and a homemade poppyseed dressing.
This spinach salad, featuring strawberries, pecans, feta, blueberries, and a homemade poppyseed dressing, is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s beautiful on the table and great for picnics, potlucks, and more.
I often cook as a response to what’s in my fridge– and, as strawberries seem to be my kids’ fruit of choice, I always have lots of strawberries in there.
This strawberry poppy seed salad is loosely inspired by my Kale, Avocado & Mango Salad and Panera’s Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad. It’s sweet and savory and perfect for summer meals.
Ingredient Notes
- Spinach: Spinach leaves are my go-to green for this strawberry poppyseed salad, as it pairs well with the creamy poppyseed dressing. You can also use kale or even arugula for a spicier salad.
- Strawberries: Strawberries add the perfect amount of sweetness to this salad, making it my go-to fruit. I also add in blueberries, but mandarin oranges or pineapple chunks can also be used.
- Feta: I like using feta as it helps to balance the sweetness of the fruit with a little tang. Goat cheese can also be used.
- Pecans: The pecans add in a little crunch to this salad, but toasted almonds and sunflower seeds also work. If you want a little more pizazz to this salad, try my candied pecans instead, which I use in my Harvest Salad.
- Dijon Mustard: I know the dijon mustard in the dressing sounds odd, but it adds both acid and helps to emulsify the dressing together. I don’t recommend subbing in yellow mustard in its place.
- Mayo: To keep this strawberry poppyseed dairy-free, you can use vegan mayo (and dairy-free feta). I usually use regular, full-fat mayo, but my favorite vegan mayo is Veganaise.
- Poppyseed: You can find poppyseeds in the spice aisle. I use a tablespoon in this recipe, but feel free to add more, depending on preference.
Tips For Success
- Use Ripe But Firm Strawberries: Slice the berries just before serving so they don’t become too juicy
- Ratios: I add a lot of strawberries to this recipe because I love lots of berries in my Strawberry Poppyseed Salad, but you can add fewer if you prefer.
- Dress Just Before: Add the dressing just before serving, as it will quickly wilt the spinach salad and make the greens too wet if added too far ahead of time.
- Serve Chilled: Keep ingredients cold until just before serving for a more refreshing salad.
How to Serve
I like to serve this strawberry poppyseed salad as a side dish, but if you want more protein or fiber, you can add in cooked tofu nuggets, tempeh bacon, white beans, chickpeas, or even chicken, like the Panera version.
It’s also great alongside a sandwich, like my Italian Panini, Vegan BLT, or Smoky Miso Tofu Sandwich.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to make this strawberry poppyseed salad ahead of time, I recommend slicing the strawberries in advance, and storing separately. Then, add the spinach, blueberries, and pecans to a large salad bowl and store in the fridge.
The dressing can be made ahead of time, a day or two in advance, and stored in the fridge.
Then, right before serving, add the strawberries to the salad bowl along with the feta and dressing, toss well, and serve.
More Strawberry Recipes
- Creamy Strawberry Overnight Oats
- Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Scones
- Best Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
- Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
- Macerated Strawberries
- Fresh Berry Trifle
If you make this strawberry poppyseed salad, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Equipment
IngredientsÂ
Poppyseed Dressing:
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or more apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Strawberry Salad
- 6 ounces fresh spinach leaves
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing: the shallot, mayo, mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, milk and poppyseeds. I usually start with 3 tablespoons of milk and add another if the dressing is too thick. Taste, adjusting seasoning as needed– I find that the mayo is salty enough, but you can add a little salt as desired.
Make the Salad
- In a large bowl, toss together the spinach leaves, strawberries, blueberries, pecan and feta.
- Add the dressing and toss well, taste, adjust seasonings, and serve immedietly.