Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
This delicious spring and summer salad combines fresh strawberries, crisp smoked bacon, sweet red onions, salty feta cheese, and crunchy walnuts with an easy-to-make six-ingredient creamy poppy seed dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: salad
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients
- 12 ounces mixed salad greens including baby spinach, romaine and spring greens
- 1/4 large red onion very thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb. strawberries sliced
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 4 slices crispy cooked bacon crumbled
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, sugar, grated onion, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and mayonnaise. You can also add all the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large wide bowl, spread greens and top with red onion, strawberries, walnuts, feta cheese, and bacon.
- Drizzle dressing over the top and toss. Serve promptly.
Notes
- Use any mixture of spinach, romaine, and spring greens, as they all work well and taste delicious.
- This salad works with any fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, mandarin oranges, apples, or pears.
- If more protein is desired, add grilled chicken or grilled shrimp.
- Slice your red onions into very thin slices using a serrated knife.
- If you don’t like walnuts, try other nuts like almonds or pecans.
- For optimal flavor, use the brightest sweetest organic strawberries you can get your hands on as they are the star of the show.
- Don’t toss the salad until you are ready to serve, so everything stays crisp and fresh.
- If feta is not your thing, then try very small cubes of whole-milk mozzarella, blue cheese, or crumbly goat cheese.
- For more texture, add sunflower seeds or quinoa.
- The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.