Strawberry Spinach Salad

Method

1. Make the poppy seed dressing by whisking together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and a pinch of salt. The Dijon acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar stay combined. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds until the dressing looks creamy and unified. Set aside.

2. Candy the pecans by placing them in a dry skillet over medium heat with the sugar. Stir constantly as the sugar melts and coats the nuts, about 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully — sugar goes from caramelized to burnt in seconds. Transfer immediately to parchment paper and separate with a fork. Let cool completely.

3. Prepare the spinach by washing and drying it thoroughly in a salad spinner. Wet greens dilute dressing and create a soggy salad. Baby spinach is ideal because it's tender enough to eat raw and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with fruit.

4. Slice the strawberries uniformly, about 1/4-inch thick. Consistent cuts ensure even distribution throughout the salad and a more polished presentation. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons — soaking them in ice water for 5 minutes tames their bite.

5. Build the salad in a large bowl. Start with the spinach base, then scatter strawberries and drained red onion slices over the top. The key is even distribution so every forkful gets a bit of everything.

6. Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad and toss gently with your hands or salad tongs. Dress lightly — you can always add more, but you can't take it away. The dressing should lightly coat the leaves, not pool at the bottom of the bowl.

7. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Top with crumbled goat cheese and the cooled candied pecans. Add these last so the cheese stays in distinct crumbles and the pecans stay crunchy.

Equipment

• Large skillet (12-inch) Also good: Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Non Stick Frying Pan
• Parchment paper Recommended: Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper Roll
• Whisk Recommended: OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk
• Bowl of ice water

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Add oil or butter slowly — a thin stream, not a pour. Rushing the emulsion causes it to break. Patience is the technique.
• This comes together in 20 minutes — have everything prepped before you start cooking. Speed is the technique here.
• Taste as you go and adjust seasoning at the end. Salt levels change as liquids reduce and flavors concentrate.
• If you're unsure about doneness, use an instant-read thermometer. It removes all guesswork and costs less than one ruined dinner.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Olive oil	Avocado oil or grapeseed oil	Avocado oil has higher smoke point. Grapeseed is neutral.
Honey	Maple syrup or agave nectar	Maple adds distinct flavor. Agave is most neutral.
Sugar	Coconut sugar or maple syrup	Coconut sugar is 1:1. Maple: reduce liquid slightly.

What You're Practicing

This salad teaches you the art of balancing flavors and textures in a composed salad: sweet (strawberries, honey, candied pecans), tangy (vinegar, goat cheese), bitter (spinach), and savory (onion). Every great salad hits multiple flavor notes and textural contrasts — creamy, crunchy, juicy, and leafy.

Candying nuts is a quick technique that adds a professional touch to salads, desserts, and cheese boards. You're practicing direct sugar caramelization and learning to work with sugar at high temperatures — skills that scale up to making caramel sauces and brittles.