Salade fraise épinards poppy

Last summer, my neighbor brought this salad to a backyard potluck, and I watched people go back for thirds, which almost never happens at these things. The bright red strawberries against the dark green spinach looked like a painting, and when I tasted it, that poppy seed dressing hit different—tangy, slightly sweet, with those tiny seeds adding an unexpected texture. I asked for the recipe right there on the patio, and she laughed because she said she'd thrown it together that morning without measuring anything. That's when I knew I had to master it properly.

I made this for my sister's lunch the week she moved back to town, and we sat on her new kitchen counter with our bowls, catching up while eating straight from the serving dish. The salad stayed crisp, the pecans stayed crunchy, and somehow that small moment of simplicity felt like the best welcome-home gift I could have given her.

Ingredients

• Baby spinach: Six cups washed and dried—the drying part truly matters because wet spinach dilutes the dressing and makes everything soggy within minutes.
• Fresh strawberries: A pound and a half, hulled and sliced into halves or quarters so they nestle into the leaves without overpowering the salad.
• Red onion: Half a small one, sliced paper-thin, because this salad needs that sharp bite to balance the sweetness.
• Feta cheese: One-third cup crumbled—the salty, tangy edge that makes every bite feel intentional.
• Pecans: Half a cup toasted and roughly chopped, releasing their oils and deepening their flavor beyond what raw nuts could do.
• Olive oil: Three tablespoons for the dressing base, carrying all the other flavors without drowning them.
• Apple cider vinegar: One and a half tablespoons, providing brightness without harshness like regular vinegar might deliver.
• Honey: One tablespoon to bridge the tart and the sweet, making the dressing feel whole.
• Dijon mustard: One teaspoon acts as an emulsifier, keeping the oil and vinegar from separating and adding subtle depth.
• Poppy seeds: One tablespoon—these tiny seeds are the quiet star that people ask about.
• Salt and black pepper: To taste, because every palate is different and these are your final adjustments.

Instructions

Make the dressing first:

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until everything emulsifies and the dressing looks like it actually belongs together. This takes about a minute of vigorous whisking.

Combine the salad components:

In your largest salad bowl, gently toss together the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta, and toasted pecans—everything should feel loose and balanced, not packed.

Dress it right before serving:

Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad and gently toss until every leaf catches some of that golden dressing. Serve immediately so nothing has a chance to wilt.

Épingler

My daughter once refused a salad on principle, but when I put this one in front of her, she picked out every strawberry first, then came back for the rest. It became the one salad she'd actually ask for, which meant something shifted in her mind about what salad could be.

The Story Behind Poppy Seeds

Poppy seed dressing arrived in American kitchens sometime in the 1970s, and people became obsessed with it instantly because those tiny seeds add texture and visual interest in a way that regular vinaigrettes don't. The combination with strawberries is surprisingly natural—both bring a certain sweetness, and the sharp notes of vinegar and mustard keep it from feeling dessert-like. When you make the dressing yourself instead of using bottled, you control how much sweetness happens, which changes everything about the balance.

Why Fresh Strawberries Matter Most

The salad's entire personality lives or dies with strawberry quality, which sounds dramatic but it's true. A strawberry picked yesterday tastes nothing like one that's been sitting in a warehouse for a week, and since this dish does no cooking to develop flavor, you're entirely dependent on what you start with. Hunt for strawberries that smell like strawberries—that honest, fragrant smell that means they're actually ripe—and your salad becomes something people remember.

Building Your Perfect Salad Bowl

Assembly matters more than most people think because the salad is just a collection of separate things until you layer them thoughtfully. The spinach should be the foundation, soft and welcoming, then scatter the strawberries, onion, and pecans across so every forkful contains all the elements. Feta should be distributed evenly rather than bunched in one corner, because discovering it unexpectedly in the next bite is part of the pleasure. The dressing is your final touch, the thing that unites everything from separate ingredients into an actual dish.

• If you're serving a crowd, keep the dressing in a separate bowl and let people dress their own servings to their taste.
• Cold salad bowls make a noticeable difference—chill yours for five minutes before assembling.
• Eat this salad immediately after dressing; it's meant for the moment, not for later.

Épingler

This salad has become the thing I make when I want to feel like I'm taking care of someone, because it's easy enough to be generous with but thoughtful enough to feel intentional. Every season it tastes different depending on what strawberries show up at the market, which keeps it from ever feeling boring.

Questions fréquentes sur la recette

→ Quels ingrédients principales composent cette salade ?

Elle associe fraises fraîches, jeunes feuilles d’épinards, feta émiettée, oignon rouge, noix de pécan grillées et un dressing au pavot.

→ Comment préparer le dressing au pavot ?

Mélangez huile d’olive, vinaigre de cidre, miel, moutarde de Dijon, graines de pavot, sel et poivre jusqu’à obtenir une sauce homogène.

→ Peut-on remplacer la feta ?

Oui, le fromage de chèvre émietté peut être utilisé pour une saveur alternative.

→ Comment ajouter plus de protéines à cette salade ?

Il est possible d’y ajouter du poulet grillé ou des pois chiches pour un apport protéique accru.

→ Comment conserver cette salade avant de servir ?

Conservez séparément la salade et le dressing pour éviter que les feuilles ne ramollissent avant dégustation.