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This Strawberry Spinach Salad combines crisp baby spinach, sweet strawberries, feta cheese, bacon, and a tangy poppyseed dressing. Fresh, colorful, and versatile, it’s a recipe I return to again and again. Enjoy it as a light lunch or a vibrant summer side dish.
Introducing the ultimate summer salad—at least in my kitchen. This recipe is simple, straightforward, and exceptionally delicious, delivering everything you could want in a summer meal. Made with just a handful of ingredients and a light and tangy poppy seed dressing, each bite is crisp and refreshing.
Serve it alongside your favorite summer dishes, like grilled veggie skewers, Greek chicken, and carne asada.
Heads up! You can find the full strawberry spinach salad recipe at the end of this post. Along the way, I’ll share ingredient swaps, recipe tips, and serving ideas. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do!
Table of Contents
Ingredients And Swaps
You can find the complete list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Spinach: Fresh baby spinach is ideal, but any leafy green works—darker greens like kale or arugula pair especially well.
- Strawberries: Use fresh, ripe strawberries. You can also add or substitute other berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
- Onions: Thinly sliced red onion and green onion (use both white and green parts) add sharpness and flavor. Shallots or sweet onions are great alternatives.
- Slivered almonds: Provide a subtle, earthy crunch. Swap with pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or sunflower seeds for a different texture or to accommodate allergies.
- Bacon: Crispy bacon bits add a smoky touch; try making oven-baked bacon or air fryer bacon for convenience. For a vegetarian option, use crispy chickpeas or omit entirely.
- Feta cheese: Tangy and creamy; goat cheese, blue cheese, or shaved Parmesan also work well.
- Avocado: Adds creaminess and balance.
Easy Poppy Seed Dressing
Poppy seed dressing is the perfect match for this strawberry spinach salad. It takes just five minutes to make and keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To make the dressing, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey
- Poppy seeds
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
If you prefer something different, a light homemade balsamic vinaigrette also works well.
Recipe Tip
Creamy, mayo-based dressings (including my homemade creamy poppyseed dressing recipe) are not recommended, as they can overwhelm the fresh flavors of the salad.
How to make It
Here’s how you can make this strawberry spinach salad,
- Cook the bacon: Chop and cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
- Make the poppy seed vinaigrette: Add all dressing ingredients to a jar, then whisk or shake until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: Add spinach to a large bowl. Top with red onion, green onion, bacon, strawberries, almonds, feta, and avocado. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve: Drizzle with the poppy seed vinaigrette and enjoy.
Tips: Assembling the Perfect Salad
- Add the poppy seed dressing just before serving. Spinach wilts quickly, so waiting to dress the salad helps keep it fresh and crisp.
- Choose avocados that are ripe but still firm to prevent them from becoming mushy in the salad.
- If you find red onions too strong, soak them in water for a few minutes to mellow their flavor.
Serving Ideas
There are countless ways to serve this delicious strawberry salad. It’s an ideal side dish for parties, potlucks, or casual summer meals. It also makes a delicious side dish for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch. Here are a few pairing ideas:
- Grilled steak (try this flank steak marinade or this skirt steak marinade)
- Baked salmon
- Burgers! Try this homemade beef hamburger, turkey burger recipe, or fresh salmon sliders
To make this salad a stand-alone meal, add a cooked grain like farro, pearl barley, or cooked wild rice.
Make-Ahead and Storage
This salad is best served shortly after it’s made. If you plan on having leftovers, serve the dressing on the side and store it separately from the salad.
- The dressing can be made ahead of time and will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. If the olive oil solidifies, let the dressing sit at room temperature before serving.
- The bacon can be made 3-4 days in advance. Keep stored in the refrigerator. Warm slightly before adding to the salad.
- You can prep the strawberries up to one day in advance, but they will start to dry out in the refrigerator. Be sure to store them in an airtight container.
More Summer Salad Recipes
If you enjoy this strawberry spinach salad, be sure to check out these other fresh summer salads:
If you make this strawberry spinach salad recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, chopped
- 6-8 cups fresh baby spinach
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
For the Poppyseed Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fry the bacon – Start by frying the bacon. Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is hot and sizzling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon pieces are golden and release their grease, remove the lid and allow them to cook until the desired doneness is reached. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
- Prepare the poppyseed vinaigrette – Add all ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk well to combine or seal and shake vigorously until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Assemble – Add the spinach to a large salad bowl and top with sliced red onion, green onion, cooked bacon bits, sliced strawberries, slivered almonds, crumbled feta, and sliced avocado. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve – Divide salad among individual serving bowls and drizzle with prepared poppyseed vinaigrette.
Notes
- Add the poppy seed dressing just before serving to keep the salad from getting soggy.
- Use ripe, but firm avocados to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon.
- Save time and prepare the bacon and vinaigrette in advance.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
