Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (Panera Copycat)

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is light but filling and brimming with vibrant berries and the crisp flavors of summer. Strawberries, blueberries, sweet oranges, and crunchy pecans are nestled in a bed of bright greens, and then tossed a homemade poppy seed dressing. Sweet and simple rainbow of summertime flavors.

One of my favorite things about summertime is the array of seasonal ingredients available. I get giddy filling my cart with fresh local produce while plotting all of my fun in the kitchen that week. Fresh ingredients make meal planning a breeze.

If soups are the comforting hero of fall and winter, tasty salads are spring and summertime staples. Salads are easy on-the-go lunch options for any time, but we enjoy heartier versions such as my Traditional Cobb Salad {with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette} and Strawberry Spinach Salad for dinner fare.

This Strawberry Poppyseed Salad has quickly become a new family favorite. Inspired by Panera Bread’s Strawberry Poppyseed Salad, it’s the perfect paradox of sweet yet tangy. Laden with fresh strawberries and blueberries, with juicy mandarin oranges tossed in for good measure, each bite is as fragrant as it is delicious. How can something this good, be good for me?

The crisp red onion and buttery pecans provide welcome savory contrast to the natural sweetness of the fruit. And the dressing! If you’ve tasted the Panera version, you know firsthand how addictive this stuff is. My version is just as delicious, albeit slightly creamier. The poppy seeds provide another layer of texture to further entice your taste buds.

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is a palate pleaser, and it’s a gorgeous feast for the eyes. This colorful salad is simple yet sophisticated. Serve it at your next brunch, paired with refreshing sangria.

Ingredients and Notes

What I love about salads is how open to interpretation they are, so this is just what I like in mine.

Lettuce Base. While I adore a bit of purple cabbage in all my lettuce salads, use whatever base you like. Spinach or romaine is a great base.

Fruit. The dressing is amazing with various fruits. I like to put mandarin oranges, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and a dash of red onion for crisp, sweet and spicy balance. Other ideas that would go well include avocado, pineapple, blackberries, cucumber, peach, dragonfruit, and grapes.

Nuts. I would stick to unsalted varieties. I especially love pecans, but walnuts and almonds are great. Seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower would be good as well.

Protein. I find that a simple grilled chicken is best. However, my husband doesn’t add any. Lentils and tempeh are the best bets for plant-based proteins in my opinion.

How To Make Poppyseed Dressing

A simple homemade poppyseed dressing allows the individual flavors to shine. I’ve included the recipe in the card below. It has hints of sweet onion, with a tangy, creamy base and plenty of poppyseeds for texture. It is similar to Brianna’s Rich Poppyseed dressing, but with less sugar.

It’s as easy as whisking the ingredients together and letting it sit for a few. Here is an overview of what you will need and what I use to make the salad dressing.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• This salad makes great use of rotisserie chicken breast from the grocery store if you don’t feel like grilling. I don’t care for dark meat on this salad.
• You can use a variety of dressings, French to vinaigrettes if you prefer. Just be sure to wait to add the dressing just before serving.
• Keep all of the ingredients bite sized. I love to load multiple flavors on one fork.

Serve: The beauty of this salad is that it is so colorful and makes a great lunch or light dinner. I might add a crusty loaf of bread if desired. You can also pair with soups and sandwiches Chicken salad on a Croissant, paninis, Chicken Meatball Soup, or Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.

Storage: The salad dressing will be good in a sealed container for up to10 days depending on the milk or 3 weeks if you skip the dairy. Refrigerate after opening and shake well before serving. I spin and store the lettuce, but the fruits can be store together for up to 4 days in a tightly covered container, with the dressing separate.

Make Ahead Tips: If you want to get a head start on your prep for this recipe, make some extra chicken the night before and pack up your fruits together. That way you can grab everything you need from the fridge and whip up this salad!

More Delectable Salads

PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.