Made with just a few simple, fresh ingredients, this refreshing salad, topped with clusters of candied almonds, is sure to become a family favorite.
This Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Candied Almonds is sweet, savory, crunchy, colorful and so fresh and delicious. You’ll want to serve it alongside every meal!
Of course, strawberry poppy seed salads have been around forever, but this one is a little bit unique in a few important ways.
First, this recipe calls from romaine lettuce in place of the usual spinach. I love a strawberry and spinach salad myself, but my kids, not so much.
They will, however, eat romaine lettuce, so that’s what I use in most of my salad creations. And of course we all love the strawberries and candied almonds.
Okay, I confess, the candied almonds are definitely our favorite part of this salad. I always double the amount of almonds because I eat half of them before I get this salad on the table.
What to Serve with Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad
Grilled Carne Asada
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Grilled Sesame Chicken Kabobs
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Grilled Caprese Chicken
Chicken breasts are marinated in Italian dressing, then grilled and topped with melted cheese, pesto and tomatoes in this light, delicious dish that's sure to become a summertime favorite.
Juicy Grilled Pork Chops
Pork chops are soaked in a salty brine, then seasoned with a dry rub and grilled to perfection. Unbelievably tender and juicy every time!
The homemade candied almonds are definitely what makes this salad extra special. You can always use regular sliced or slivered almonds in a pinch, but the few extra minutes it takes to candy your almonds is well worth the effort.
I usually just make a big batch of candied almonds at once, since we eat this salad so often.
Of course, when I have time, I like to serve this with my homemade Creamy Honey Poppy Seed Dressing, but lets be real, there’s not always time for that.
So feel free to use your favorite store bought poppy seed dressing if you like. I won’t tell anyone!
If you’re in search of a simple salad that is loved by both kids and adults alike, look no further than this Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Candied Almonds. Hope you love it as much as we do!
Be sure to save this Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Candied Almonds recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Choosing and Storing Strawberries
Color: Strawberries don’t ripen once they’ve been picked, so look for bright red strawberries. Strawberries with too much yellow or green won’t taste as sweet. Fresh berries will also have fresh looking, green leaves.
Size doesn’t matter: Lot’s of things can affect the size of strawberries, from the type of berry to weather and growing conditions.
Smaller strawberries are sometimes sweeter, but larger berries are delicious too.
Storing: Store strawberries in the refrigerator, unless you’ll be eating them that day. Leave the stems on as long as possible, and don’t wash berries until you’re ready to use them.
Strawberries are like little sponges–once you get them wet, they’ll get mushy and spoil fast.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Candied Almonds
- Produce: lettuce, shallot, strawberries
- Sugar
- Slivered almonds
- Poppy seed dressing
Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Candied Almonds
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 8 cups torn romaine lettuce
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh strawberries halved or quartered
- Poppy seed dressing store bought or homemade
Instructions
- Place sugar in a small, heavy skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar melts and appears caramel colored, 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the almonds and mix to coat well. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
- Meanwhile, toss together the romaine lettuce, shallots and strawberries in a large bowl.
- Just before serving, toss with desired amount of poppy seed dressings. Break the candied almonds into pieces and sprinkle over salad. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Taste of Home
1 comment
Mary Clees
Had this dish at a parry, it was great and want to know how to make it