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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!
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
- 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
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 8-10 strawberries stems removed and sliced
- ¾ cup candied almond slices
- 3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing, recipe follows
For the Citrus Poppy seed Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- Fresh orange juice from one orange
- Fresh lemon juice from ½ of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ 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
Keywords: berry spinach salad recipe, easy spinach salad recipe, homemade salad dressing recipe, citrus poppyseed dressing recipe, spinach salad recipe with fruit
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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About Melissa
Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...
Reader Interactions
Comments
Patricia Mattocks
https://www.blessthismessplease.com/instant-pot-vegetarian-chili-6/
Spain on a Fork
I am a huge fan of salads, and this salad is off the hook! most excllent ingredients, and nothing better than feta cheese! great recipe
Rebecca
I get depressed my first trimester. The never ending sick and tired just wears a girl down. I don't have any advice, I just want you to know that you're not alone. I hope you're feeling a bit better these days.
katie w
Oh friend, I hope you start picking up soon! I wish I could come by with my boys to wrestle your boys and then eat all the salad we could. Good luck!
Rachel
Looks delicious. Prayers for your pregnancy. Sorry it's a rough go for you.
Erin
Can't wait to try this citrus poppy dressing! Hugs to you for this pregnancy. I just had my 5th and was sick for so much of it! Glad you know you get better as soon as that beautiful baby gets here. Hang in there, it will all be worth it in July!
Melissa
It mush be that 5th baby! I'm secretly hoping it's another girl and that we just have too many hormones between the two of us 🙂 I was a lot more emotional with my girl!
emily
This looks and sounds SO yummy! So sorry that this pregnancy has been so hard. I wish I could do more to help from here, but know that I'm cheering for you, friend!
cathie martinez
congrats on the pregnancy, but so sorry that you are sick. i was like this for the whole pregnancy with my first, from the moment i was told i was pregnant all the way into the delivery room for my c-section. surround yourself with uplifting scriptures and quotes, listen to your favorite music when possible, and "think on the goodness of Jesus" as the song says. and remember "this too shall pass"
Nicole
This looks divine! I have a poppy seed dressing that I usually make, but it is LOADED with sugar. The olive oil, orange, honey combo sounds like an excellent replacement 🙂 Keep your head up (unless you're puking, in which case, point it towards the toilet) 😉
Ana
Big hugs on your tough pregnancy! This salad is gorgeous--I've been taking care of a sick family member for a month now, and am introducing them to healthy delicious food, and this salad is being added to their menu!
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