Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
A light and refreshing salad that’s perfect for warm summer days, this strawberry spinach salad is full of sweet strawberries and a lemon vinaigrette and is sure to be your new favorite go-to salad.
It’s strawberry season, guys! What that means in Lancaster County is that at every roadside stand you’ll find freshly-picked strawberries that are so sweet and delicious that you want to stop every day and get another quart. If you’re the adventurous type, you can even visit local farms to pick your own. I’ve done this several years with my boys and it’s such a fun time, picking (and eating as you go 😉 ) strawberries that are so ripe and juicy. This year we chose the easy route and stopped at a stand where quarts are at-the-ready. Our first batch we ate with ice cream (yum…SO GOOD). The second round we went the healthier route and I made this salad. It’s so good, guys…my boys gobbled it up. It’s sweet with those strawberries and the lemon vinaigrette, but punchy with the addition of that red onion. Looking at these pictures, I forgot to add the sliced cucumber (I’m a busy mom, what can I say?) so that would add some texture as well. Then finished off with those toasted almond slices for some nice crunch, this salad has a lot going on.
Every time I make homemade salad dressing I wonder why I don’t do it more often. And this lemon poppy seed vinaigrette is no different. It’s light and citrus-y and the perfect addition to this summer salad. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest is the best, isn’t it? I used apple cider vinegar because that’s what I had on hand but feel free to use white wine vinegar or whatever vinegar you have. Golden Barrel Extra Virgin Olive Oil completes this dressing and provides that boost of healthy fat we all need in our diet.
Fresh, healthful, and satisfying: this salad has it all.
So whether you pick your own, stop by a roadside stand, or run to the grocery store to pick up a quart of strawberries, this strawberry spinach salad with lemon poppy seed vinaigrette is a must-make this season. Try it and let me know what you think!
- 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup Golden Barrel Raw Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Golden Barrel extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 1/4-1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered
- 6 oz bag of spinach or spring mix
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced and cut in half
- 1/4 cup small red onion, sliced thinly
- Zest one lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds in small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Toast almonds in small pan on stove until lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely.
- Place greens in large salad bowl. Add strawberries, onion, and cucumber. Whisk vinaigrette and pour over salad, tossing until evenly coated. Sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately.
Related Posts:
