Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta, Avocado, and Poppy Seed Dressing

A colorful strawberry spinach salad with fresh strawberries, avocado slices, spinach leaves, pecans, crumbled feta cheese, and herbs in a dark wooden bowl on a wooden table.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta, Avocado, and Poppy Seed Dressing

This strawberry spinach salad combines fresh strawberries, avocado, feta, toasted nuts, and a sweet-tangy poppy seed dressing. Easy, elegant, and ready in just 15 minutes. Perfect for summer lunches, cookouts, or holiday gatherings.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword strawberry salad, strawberry spinach salad

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 505kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the Salad

4 cups baby spinach loosely packed
2 cups mixed salad greens spring mix or arugula work well
½ small red onion very thinly sliced
1 large avocado ripe, peeled, and cubed
½ cup crumbled feta
2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
⅓ cup pecan halves roughly chopped
⅓ cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
fresh mint finely chopped

For the Poppy Seed Dressing

⅓ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl or jar, whisk olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, Dijon, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as needed. Set aside.
Wash and thoroughly dry the greens.
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and pistachios and toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool slightly.
In a large serving bowl, add baby spinach and mixed greens. Top with red onion, avocado, feta cheese, strawberries, pecans, and pistachios, then scatter over some chopped mint.
Drizzle with poppy seed dressing just before serving, or serve dressing on the side so guests can add their desired amount.
Toss gently and plate immediately to prevent bruising the greens and avocado.

Notes

Lightly toasting the nuts is a small step that makes a big difference. It enhances their flavor and adds warmth to the salad without weighing it down. Be sure to remove them from the pan as soon as they are fragrant, as they can burn quickly.
Storage: Store undressed salad components separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Shake or whisk well before using.

Nutrition