Summery Strawberry Salad – With A Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

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Summer-time salads are a great way to bring a bright pop of fun and whimsy to your table, and the inclusion of fruit is going to be an element of surprise that will end up being the star!

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Salad with FRUIT?!

Now,  I know you might be thinking that fruit, specifically strawberries, in a salad (aka one that’s not a fruit salad) is a bit weird. Actually a lot of the feedback I get about this salad is almost exactly that; initial skepticism that turns into mild surprise as they can’t help but go in for another bite, and another one, and another despite their minds telling them that this is weird and shouldn’t taste as good as it does. But both the simplicity and the food science of this unlikely salad pairing speaks for itself. Let me explain…

Here’s Why This Salad Works

The combination of these 5 simple ingredients is what makes this salad so phenomenal from both a flavor and textural element because it hits almost all points and balances beautifully.

Flavor: We have the neutral base of the earthy, slightly bitter salad greens, the savory creamy bites of cheese, and the slightly sweet/slightly tart nature of the strawberries that not only complements the cheese but bridges the gap between both the acidic vinaigrette and the sweet nuttiness of the pecans.

Texture: There’s no shortage of textual elements in this salad. From the mouth coating smoothness of the oil-based vinaigrette, to the creaminess of the cheese and the soft bite of fruit, juxtaposed by the subtle crunch of the fresh greens, the poppy seeds and even the strawberry seeds, to the more pronounced crunch of the toasted pecans.

For me the homemade vinaigrette is perhaps the most important element of this dish as it is the uniting factor that is in itself a flavor and texture bomb. The great news is that making it is so incredibly simple and I’ll show you how to do it in two minutes flat so read on!

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Gather The Following Ingredients

• Salad Greens: I’m using a store-bought blend of mixed salad greens.
• Mozzarella: I’m using fresh mozzarella that I’ve cut into cubes. (It’s the same pre-sliced log mozzarella that I love to use for my fried mozzarella medallions that are cheesy and crunchy and SO SO GOOD.) the creaminess and softness and flavor of this cheese works best for me.
• Sliced Strawberries: Fresh, ripe strawberries get sliced into pieces for this recipe. Opt to use fresh, not frozen strawberries for the best quality and texture.
• Chopped Pecans: You’ll want to be sure you’ve lightly toasted your pecans so that they’re both crunchy and nutty.
• Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette: This easy homemade dressing is absolutely divine and can be thrown together in just a few minutes. I’ll show you how to make it in a moment.

Now this particular combination of ingredients is what I think work best and are the most complementary once paired together. However as with any salad, there is a great degree of flexibility.

Substitutions

Feel free to swap any of the following elements out depending on your preference and what you have on hand:

• Greens: You can use any of your favorite salad greens including lettuce, spring mix, mesclun, kale, arugula, spinach etc.
• Cheese: If you don’t have fresh mozzarella you can use regular block mozzarella, feta, haloumi, paneer, goat cheese, gouda or even harder cheese like shavings of parmesan or pecorino Romano.
• Fruit: While strawberries really are the best option, you can also use kiwis, dark cherries, raspberries, clementine segments, diced apples or even dried fruit like dried cranberries. Any fruit that gives you a sweet/tart balance can work.
• Toasted Nuts: walnuts, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pine nuts.

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How To Make the Lemon-Poppy Seed Vinaigrette 

This dressing hits ALL the flavor notes from savory, sweet, sour/acid, spice, and umami. Complex and rich it’s SO easy to make. We’ll need the following ingredients (with substitutions):

• Vinegar: I’m using white distilled vinegar.
  • Substitution: If you like you can also use apple cider vinegar.
• Olive Oil: I’m using extra light olive oil.
  • Substitution: You can also use light olive oil or even mild olive oil if preferred.
• Raw Honey: A touch of sweetness from the honey perfectly complements the acidity of the vinegar and lemon.
  • Substitution: If preferred you can use finely blended raw cane sugar instead.
• Salt: A touch of salt perfectly seasons our dressing. I’m using a pink Himalayan but sea salt also works great.
• Pepper: Fresh or pre-ground, I like using a slightly coarse black pepper grind but you can use any kind you prefer.
• Poppy Seeds: Adding a wonderfully nutty flavor, these little powerhouse seeds also pack a lot of nutrients and benefits in addition to working well with the lemon juice. If you don’t have any on hand that’s okay, you can omit them without any significant change to the flavor of this vinaigrette.
• Mustard: A small amount of Dijon mustard adds not only a sharp almost spicy tang, but it also serves as a great emulsifying agent that will keep our vinaigrette blended and keep it from separating.
  • Substitution: You can also use stone ground mustard if preferred.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice works great in this vinaigrette by adding a fresh and bright citrus flavor as well as plays nicely with the other ingredients.
  • Substitution: Freshly squeezed lime juice can be used as a replacement.
• Chinese Black Vinegar: I love using a small splash of Chinese black vinegar in my dressing because it’s uniquely complex flavors adds so much depth of umami to round out all other flavors.
  • Substitution: Though it won’t be as complex in flavor, you can also use rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar. If using balsamic, opt to use one that isn’t overly sweet or syrupy. Alternatively you can simply omit this ingredient.

Making your vinaigrette is honestly as simple as putting all ingredients into a jar or bowl and shaking or whisking it all together. If you have an immersion blender, you can also use that to quickly combine all ingredients in a more thorough emulsion that will be less likely to have separation – which is normal, if you experience it you just need to shake your jar once more to combine before use. Once mixed, that’s it, your vinaigrette is done! Now it’s time to…

Assemble your Summery Strawberry Salad

Start by placing your salad greens as the base layer, then, top with your strawberry pieces, bites of cheese and finally your chopped and toasty pecans. Now note that these are the order and ingredients that I’ve personally found to work best and you may be wondering…

What Else Can I Add To This Salad?

Some other elements that pair great with this salad include:

• Avocado – ripe avocado diced or sliced adds a rich fatty element to your salad.
• Red Onion – raw or pickled.
• Cucumber – diced or sliced.
• Green Bell Peppers.
• Black Olives.
• Cooked/Canned Chickpeas.
• Broccoli Slaw.
• Cooked Protein – You can round out this dish and make it a meal by adding in any cooked protein you enjoy such as diced or shredded chicken, sliced steak, etc.

Open to interpretation you can add any salad element you like or enjoy or think would pair well with the flavors!

Can I Make This Salad Vegan-Friendly?

Absolutely! To do so simply swap the honey in the vinaigrette for either agave syrup or raw cane sugar, and swap the cheese for a similar textural cheese alternative such as a nut or tofu-based cheese.

The final step is to drizzle that delicious lemon poppy seed vinaigrette all over your salad. As it soaks into the ingredients, it will help bring all the flavors together while still allowing each ingredient to retain their individual flavor and texture making each bite unique depending on what element sits on your fork.

Simple, delicious and summer-ready, this addictive salad is so well balanced yet so open to interpretation and customization. Even better, it hits ALL of the taste elements that it will leave you feeling both full and satiated while simultaneously wanting more.