If you’re looking for a salad that’s going to wow everyone, you’ve got to try this strawberry spinach salad. It’s packed with juicy strawberries, crispy bacon, creamy feta, and homemade candied pecans that add the perfect crunch. And let’s not forget the poppy seed dressing – it’s sweet, tangy, and totally addictive. This salad is a total flavor bomb and super easy to throw together. Perfect for any get-together or just a special treat for yourself!
Make it a meal by adding sliced or diced chicken made using our delicious marinade, or our quick and easy lemon chicken.
Why Our Recipe
- A crave-able salad that everyone always requests.
- The most delectable poppy seed dressing that’s ridiculously easy to make in a blender.
- We even include a quick and easy method for making your own candied pecans.
What makes this salad even better is how versatile it is. You can easily swap out the strawberries for other seasonal fruits like blueberries or peaches, and it will still be delicious. The homemade candied pecans add that perfect touch of sweetness and crunch, but you can also use store-bought if you’re in a hurry. And that poppy seed dressing? It works wonders on just about any salad. This recipe is a keeper and is sure to become one of your favorites!
Ingredient Notes
- Baby Spinach: Opt for small-leaf varieties for the best taste and texture as large spinach leaves can be too tough and chewy for a salad.
- Strawberries: Remove the stems and slice or quarter them.
- Red onion: We prefer thinly slicing your onions, or you can also dice them. Feel free to leave out if you are not a fan of red onions.
- Bacon: Opt for cooked and crumbled rather than bacon bits for the best flavor. Baking bacon in the oven is super easy.
- Candied Pecans: You can find these at your grocery store or we’ve given you the instructions to make your own too. You can swap out the pecans for almost any other nut, including almonds and walnuts.
- Feta cheese: Can replace with goat cheese. Use as much or as little as you like.
- Poppy Seed Dressing: The true star of this salad!
Candied Pecans
You can definitely buy candied pecans from the store, but if you can’t find them you can always make your own. You’ll take 1 cup of raw pecans and add them to a bowl. Next mix in 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted, salted butter, and a pinch of cinnamon. Mix them all together to evenly coat the pecans.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the coated pecans for 4-5 minutes as you constantly stir them. Watch the pecans closely as the mixture darkens. Once the coating has adhered to the pecans and candied them, transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined sheet and spread them out on one level. After they cool, they are ready to be enjoyed in this mouth-watering salad.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate salad mix (without dressing) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keeping the strawberries separate is optimal for meal prepping.
Refrigerate any leftover poppy seed dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yummo extreme
This is wonderful. I’ve made this many times for family and friends and they all loved it. The only difference is that I use Panera poppyseed dressing instead of making my own and it’s absolutely delicious.
This looks SO good. I’m trying it this weekend
This looks like a good update for my 4-ingredient Strawberry Salad, with strawberries, spinach, and red onions, with raspberry vinaigrette. Other fruits sound good, as do the pecans, feta, and dressing. A friend of mine has made my salad and subbed the little canned oranges. Lots of good options. Thanks for the versatile recipe.