If you’re wondering what dressing goes with strawberry salad, I take a little help from my poppyseed dressing recipe. A little sprinkle of cheese, a few toasted nuts, and you have a super cravable (and beautiful!) strawberry spinach poppy seed salad right before your eyes. Panera has got nothing on this one. I love it because it’s:
Meat dishes like baked bone-in chicken, meatballs and potatoes, grilled shrimp skewers, baked shrimp, Simple roasted vegetables such as roasted asparagus, baked portobello mushrooms, and baked eggplant slices. Cooked grains like quinoa, bulgur, and even black rice.
Because it is so crowd-pleasing, I always make it for Easter, summer BBQs and quiet dinner parties with friends.
Serve it with chicken on top: Add some sliced or cubed baked chicken breasts just before serving.Make it a Strawberry Balsamic Salad: Replace the vinegar with balsamic vinegar and feel free to drizzle some extra balsamic on top – juicy strawberries and balsamic are a classic flavor combo. Try this Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette to change it up. Or jazz it up with this cranberry vinaigrette during the holiday season.Change up the salad greens: Use half spinach and half arugula for a fun, peppery twist.Add one or two cubed avocados and toss gently just before serving. Or, make a batch of my creamy avocado dressing and drizzle that on top.Change it up with other sweet berries: Sprinkle some fresh blueberries or rasberries for a fruity pop of color and flavor.Use Candied Nuts: Make it a special treat around the holiday season and replace the sliced almonds with candied pecans or try my spicy candied nuts instead.Want to make it dairy-free? Omit the cheese in the salad and swap yogurt with an equal amount of vegan mayo in the dressing.
How to Make Ahead & Store
To Make Ahead: If you’d like to prepare the spinach salad a few days ahead, I would recommend storing the salad greens, sliced strawberries, crumbled cheese, toasted nuts, and poppyseed dressing in separate containers. Then simply toss the salad just before you’re ready to serve.You’ll want to eat the salad once the poppyseed dressing has been drizzled over the spinach and greens, as the dressing wilts the spinach. To Store: The composed salad will keep undressed for up to 2 days and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note, however, the nuts will lose some of their crunch factor.
