Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Candied Pecans
This Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is festive in color, fresh, and balanced with sweet candied pecans and savory a dressing.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- 2 Small Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Candied Pecans
- 1 Egg White frothed
- 1½ Cup Pecan Halves
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Water
Poppyseed Dressing
- ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ⅓ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds toasted (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Salad Assembly
- 6 Cups Baby Spinach 6 oz by weight
- 2 Cup Strawberries sliced
- ¾ Cup Red Onion sliced
- ½ Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Whisk an egg white until frothy. Add vanilla, sugar and 1 tablespoon of water to the frothy egg white. Stir in pecans.
- Spread the mixture on a baking sheer lined with parchment paper. Bake for 1 hour on 200°F turning the pecans every 15 minutes. Then, allow them to cool completely so they finish crisping.
- Optional: If you'd like to enhance the flavor of the poppy seeds, toast them for 3-4 minutes in a skillet on medium heat. Stir every 20-30 seconds.
- In a bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, poppy seeds, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk ingredients together and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble salad.
- Serve as a salad bar with toppings and dressing separated into bowls or serve as a premixed salad by lightly tossing spinach, strawberries, red onion and blue cheese crumbles in dressing. Then, top with candied pecans and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Pro Tip: If you have time to make your candied pecans the day before, they will have plenty of time to crunch up!
You can store the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge. Just be aware that the oil may solidify as the dressing chills. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before topping the salad.
Unused leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note....Once the salad is dressed, it is best eaten within just a few hours.
Need to save time? Skip the toasted pecans and use sliced almonds, walnuts or plain pecans
Calories are based on consuming all candied pecans and using all the dressing, but you should have left over toppings.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 7gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 5gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 2920IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 2mg
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