This Strawberry Spinach Salad is crisp, fresh, and delicious. The homemade poppy seed dressing is the perfect way to toss it all together!

For more fresh salad recipes, be sure to check out my Caprese Chickpea Salad, Cucumber Greek Salad, and Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad.

a white plate with a spinach salad topped with strawberries

How do you feel about fruit in your salad? Is it a go or is it a no? I love fruit in mine; strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, avocado – all are perfect tossed onto a big pile of leafy greens.

a salad bowl of strawberry spinach salad

The first time I made this Strawberry Spinach Salad, my husband kind of gave me a one-eyed stare and asked me what in the world strawberries were doing mixed in his salad.

a white plate with a spinach salad topped with strawberries and a fork

He wasn’t so sure about the fruit, but after a few bites, his frown turned around, and now he loves it when we have this for dinner! Which is good, because we have it pretty often. 

a strawberry spinach salad in a bowl with nuts

It makes a great side dish for almost any meal, and is even great by itself as a main dish if you add a little grilled chicken.

Ingredients for Strawberry Spinach Salad

  • sesame seeds
  • poppy seeds
  • granulated sugar
  • olive oil
  • white vinegar
  • paprika
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • onion
  • spinach
  • strawberries
  • pecans

ingredients in bowls on a counter top

How to Make Strawberry Spinach Salad – Step by Step

Step 1: Make the dressing
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
poppy seed dressing in a glass bowl
 
Step 2: Make the salad
 
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, and pecans.
 
a salad in a glass bowl
 
Step 3: Serve
 
Pour the dressing over the strawberry spinach salad and toss. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
 
a sald in a glass bowl

Tips and Notes

  • Other fruit options: While strawberries work beautifully with the fresh spinach and poppy seed dressing, blueberries, raspberries, or grapes could easily be used instead.
  • Add some feta: To add some creaminess to your strawberry spinach salad, crumbled feta or goat cheese would be delicious additions.
  • Nuts are optional. I love adding some homemade cinnamon and sugar roasted pecans to this salad, but you could easily use roasted or regular pecans or walnuts. Feel free to leave the nuts out altogether, too. 
  • Add some protein. I love to make this salad into a full meal by adding sliced grilled chicken!

a white plate with a spinach salad topped with strawberries

Make ahead and Storage Options

To make your strawberry spinach salad in advance, prepare the dressing and salad separately, then store them separately, too. Place each into an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to three days. Only add dressing to the salad right before you are ready to serve it, otherwise it can get soggy. I like to store my dressing in a glass mason jar with a lid. Shake the jar really well to mix the dressing ingredients together before dressing your salad. 

spinach and strawberries mixed with nuts

What to Serve with Your Strawberry Spinach Salad

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a white plate with a spinach salad topped with strawberries and a fork
5 from 57 ratings

Recipe: Strawberry Spinach Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
This Strawberry Spinach Salad is crisp, fresh, and delicious. The homemade poppy seed dressing is the perfect way to toss it all together!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled, and sliced
  • 1/4 cup roasted pecans, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
  • In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, and pecans. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Other fruit options: While strawberries work beautifully with the fresh spinach and poppy seed dressing, blueberries, raspberries, or grapes could easily be used instead.
  • Add some feta: To add some creaminess to your salad, crumbled feta or goat cheese would be delicious additions.
  • Nuts are optional. I love adding some homemade cinnamon and sugar roasted pecans to this salad, but you could easily use roasted or regular pecans or walnuts. Feel free to leave the nuts out altogether, too. 
  • Add some protein. I love to make this salad into a full meal by adding sliced grilled chicken!
  • Make ahead and Storage Options:To make your strawberry spinach salad in advance, prepare the dressing and salad separately, then store them separately, too.  Place each into an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to three days. Only add dressing to the salad right before you are ready to serve it, otherwise it can get soggy. I like to store my dressing in a glass mason jar with a lid. Shake the jar really well to mix the dressing ingredients together before dressing your salad. 
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 42mg, Potassium: 545mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 4490IU, Vitamin C: 106mg, Calcium: 122mg, Iron: 2.7mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know! Mention @TheBelleoftheKitchen on Instagram or tag #BelleoftheKitchen.