Strawberry Spinach Salad with White Wine Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Strawberry season calls for a salad that tastes like spring. This strawberry spinach salad combines sweet berries, fresh spinach, toasted pecans, salty feta, and a white wine poppy seed vinaigrette that ties everything together.

I have made this salad a few times every spring for years. It is always a family favorite.

Blue bowl filled with strawberry spinach salad.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with White Wine Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

This salad works just as well for a simple weeknight dinner as it does for brunches, Mother’s Day lunches, baby showers, wedding showers, or early summer gatherings.

2 bowls filled with salad. You can see spinach, strawberries, feta cheese, pecans, and thinly sliced red onion. There is a mason jar of dressing in the background. This is strawberry spinach salad.

Ingredients

Salad
  • 5 oz fresh baby spinach (5 – 6 cups)
  • 1½–2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ⅓ cup pecans, lightly toasted
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
A large blue bowl containing spinach and sliced strawberries.
White Wine Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp honey, or to taste
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1–2 tsp poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Taste and adjust as needed:

  • add a little more honey if your strawberries are tart
  • add a splash more vinegar for extra brightness
2 blue bowls filled with a salad that contains spinach, strawberries, red onion, pecans, and feta cheese. There is a red tea towel in the bottom right corner and you can see a mason jar with white wine poppy seed vinaigrette.
2. Assemble the salad

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, red onion, pecans, and feta.

Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat.

3. Finish and serve

Serve immediately.

Notes & Tips

  • Don’t overdress the salad — start with a small amount and add more as needed.
  • Toast the pecans for the best flavor. A few minutes in a dry skillet makes a big difference.
  • Make it a meal by adding grilled chicken, salmon, or even sliced steak.
  • Make ahead tip: Keep the dressing separate until just before serving so the spinach stays fresh.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with White Wine Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

A light and bright salad with spinach, strawberries, and toasted pecans finished with a white wine and poppy seed vinaigrette.
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Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 5 – 6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1½–2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
  • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup pecans, lightly toasted
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp honey, or to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Make the Dressing

  • In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and garlic
  • Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Stir in the poppy seeds.
  • Taste and adjust as needed. Add a little more honey if your strawberries are tart. Add a splash more vinegar for extra brightness.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste

Assemble the salad

  • In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, red onion, pecans, and feta.
  • Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat.