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This Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is made with spring mix, fresh strawberries, creamy and tangy feta cheese, sugared almonds, and tossed with a sweet homemade poppyseed dressing.
I grew up eating different variations of this type of sweet salad almost every single Sunday. My Mom loved combining sweet sugared almonds with fresh fruits, vibrant spring mix, and a sweet homemade dressing. It was the one salad that all of the kids would eat! We would always ask for the “Sweet Strawberry Salad Recipe.”
We served it on Sundays and for baby and bridal showers or for any type of potluck. It was so popular and people would always ask for the recipe!
The good news is that it is super easy to whip up and everything is made from scratch.
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Ingredients:
- Spring Mix — Use a fresh spring mix or even baby spinach to make this salad recipe.
- Strawberries — Slice fresh strawberries and toss into the salad. May add more fresh berries such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
- Feta Cheese — Use crumbled feta cheese. If you want a more mild cheese, you can use mozzarella.
- Sliced Almonds — Make sugared almonds by tossing the almonds into sugar and cooking until the sugar coats the almonds.
- Sugar — Use granulated sugar to make sugared almonds.
- Optional: Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
- Optional: Red Onions
Sweet Poppyseed Dressing Ingredients:
It is so easy to make a homemade poppyseed dressing and you only need a few ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. This is the perfect sweet salad dressing recipe!
- Oil — You can use extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil, or any of your favorite neutral oils
- Vinegar — Use white vinegar for neutral tasting dressing or add some extra flavor by using a raspberry vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Sugar — This recipe calls for granulated sugar in this dressing. If you want it to be less sweet, you can reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup.
- Grated Onion — Use a sweet white onion or red onion and finely grate or mince.
- Mustard — Use a French dijon mustard if possible.
- Poppy Seeds — If you desire more poppy seeds, add up to 2 teaspoons.
- Salt and Pepper — This adds a pop of flavor to the dressing. Add more pepper for more flavor.
How to make Poppyseed Dressing:
It is so easy to make homemade poppyseed dressing from scratch and it is so much better than store-bought salad dressings.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and onion. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while continuously whisking. This will help emulsify the dressing, giving it a creamy and smooth consistency. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully blended
How to store Sweet Poppyseed Dressing:
- Transfer the poppyseed dressing to a jar or an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Shake or stir well before each use as the ingredients may separate over time.
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Strawberry Spring Mix Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Spring Mix
- 1 lb. Strawberries (sliced)
- 3/4 cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
- 3/4 cup Sliced Almonds
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries (optional)
Sweet Poppyseed Dressing:
- 1/3 cup Vinegar (white)
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Poppyseeds
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons Grated Onion
- 1 cup Oil
Instructions
Make Poppyseed Dressing:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and onion. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while continuously whisking. This will help emulsify the dressing, giving it a creamy and smooth consistency. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully blended.
Make Sugared Almonds:
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add almonds and sugar and stir to coat. Let the sugar melt and stir often. Watch carefully to ensure the almonds aren't becoming too brown. Once the sugar has melted and coated the almonds, remove from the heat and place on parchment paper to cool before adding to the salad.
- In a large salad bowl, add spring mix, sliced strawberries, feta cheese, and dried cranberries, if using. Add cooled sugared almonds. Toss with some of the poppyseed dressing when ready to serve. You may not need all of the dressing so you can put it on the side for your guests to add more dressing as needed.
Notes
- Transfer the poppyseed dressing to a jar or an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Shake or stir well before each use as the ingredients may separate over time.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a perfect salad recipe! I love making this one in the summer and using fresh strawberries. So good!
Another excellent recipe! I love Strawberries and make this recipe often. To save time, I use store bought Poppy Seed dressing ( Brianna’ is a great one) The combination of the sweet (strawberries) and savory (feta cheese) is what I love best about this recipe. I have switched out the cheese I use. It’s great with cheddar as well.
This is the perfect summer salad! So refreshing and light. I loved it!