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By Melissa
on Jan 28, 2015, Updated Oct 28, 2022
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Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing is bursting with flavor and made with blueberries, feta cheese, almonds, and bacon! This colorful salad recipe with homemade dressing makes an awesome lunch!
Table of Contents
- Healthy and Simple Spinach Salad Recipe
- Homemade Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing
- Tips and Tricks on Making Candied Almonds:
- How Long Does the Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing Last?
- How Do I Mix the Dressing Back Together After Storing in the Fridge?
- Can I Store the Leftover Salad?
- Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
Healthy and Simple Spinach Salad Recipe
Be still my salad loving heart. Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing is a keeper, friends. I call this salad “girl food,” which means it’s just the perfect dish to make when you are having your best friend over for a playdate. Feed the kids quesadillas or PB&J, send them out to play or get out the train tracks, and then hide in the kitchen to scarf this down with your favorite free therapist. That’s what best friends are, right?!
Homemade Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing
And let’s talk a second about how quick but delicious the homemade dressing is! This citrus poppy seed dressing is awesome, and I’m sad it’s all gone. All you do is measure some things into a jar, add a lid, and give it a shake. WIN! It’s such an easy process, but I know lots of people are a little intimidated by it. Have no fear, it’s easy and tastes so much better than anything you can buy.
Tips and Tricks on Making Candied Almonds:
Here’s a little tip on the candied almonds. Just buy a bag of slivered almonds that has about a cup in it. Add that and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Keep an eye on it and stir it occasionally until the sugar in the very center of the pan starts to melt, then stir constantly. Stir until all of the sugar melts and it just starts to look like the almonds are toasting. This should happen quickly once the sugar starts to melt, maybe one minute to 30 seconds. You can’t walk away or you’ll burn your nuts, but once you make it a time or two, you’ll make them all the time! It’s easy. Eat whatever nuts you didn’t put on the salad later for a snack. So good!
How Long Does the Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing Last?
This dressing should be stored in the fridge and will last up to two weeks if you don’t eat it all right away!
How Do I Mix the Dressing Back Together After Storing in the Fridge?
The oil in the dressing can separate out when it is stored. Simply shake the jar to recombine the dressing. Sometimes I have to let it sit on the counter while I make dinner because my oil gets thick in the fridge. This is totally normal!
Can I Store the Leftover Salad?
Of course! Leftover salad can be stored in the fridge, but if you already have everything mixed together, the spinach will lose its crispness quickly. It’s best if you store the ingredients separately, or follow my storing method with my Salad in a Jar recipe.
Video of how to make berry spinach salad:
Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing
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- Author: Melissa Griffiths – Bless This Mess
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 as a side or 2–3 as a main dish 1x
Description
Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing is bursting with flavor and made with blueberries, feta cheese, almonds, and bacon! This colorful salad recipe with homemade dressing makes an awesome lunch!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Berry Spinach Salad
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 8–10 strawberries stems removed and sliced
- 3/4 cup candied almond slices
- 3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing, recipe follows
For the Citrus Poppy seed Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- Fresh orange juice from one orange
- Fresh lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- For the salad: Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine. Or you can add the spinach to a shallow bowl and then line the toppings on top (this is what I did), toss before serving.
- For the dressing: Add everything to a mason jar, add the lid, shake to combine. Shake well before using.
- You can dress the salad right before serving (the recipe makes more than you will need) or you can let everyone dress their own, pouring the dressing right out of your mason jar. I like to let everyone add their own dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
More Delicious Salad Recipes:
- Thai Chopped Salad with the Best Peanut Dressing
- Barbecue Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad
- 6 Simple Salad in a Jar Recipes
- Easy Apple Spinach Salad with an Apple Vinaigrette
- Midwestern Creamy Cucumber and Vinegar Salad
- The BEST Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad of Summer
- Salad in a Jar – How to
- How to Make Homemade Salad Dressing: 9 Easy Recipes
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in July 2019.
Put together this easyBerry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressingfor a filling and flavorful lunch, with tart fruits and robust cheese and bacon.
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