Fruited Spinach Salad

Fresh spinach paired with tropical fruit and a honey poppy seed dressing makes this salad feel like something from a restaurant brunch menu. Cubed papaya (or pears if papaya isn’t available) and halved seedless grapes bring bursts of sweetness against the earthy, slightly bitter spinach leaves.

The dressing is a quick shake-and-pour affair. White wine vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, poppy seeds, and dry mustard go into a jar, get a vigorous shake, and that’s your vinaigrette. The honey provides sweetness that bridges the fruit and the greens, while the dry mustard adds a subtle, sharp warmth that keeps the dressing from being cloyingly sweet.

Poppy seeds give the dressing a gentle crunch and a nutty, almost slate-like flavor that you can’t replicate with any other seed. They also look beautiful clinging to the spinach leaves, tiny black specks against the deep green.

Toss and serve immediately. The vinaigrette wilts spinach quickly, and the fruit releases juice that dilutes the dressing as it sits.

Kitchen Tips

• If using papaya, choose one that’s mostly yellow with a little green. Fully ripe papaya turns mushy when cubed and won’t hold its shape in the salad.
• If using pears, toss the cubes in a little lemon juice to prevent browning before adding to the salad.
• Shake the dressing jar vigorously right before pouring. The honey sinks to the bottom fast.

Variations

• Nutty crunch: Add toasted pecans or sliced almonds for a textural contrast the salad currently lacks.
• Berry swap: Replace the grapes with fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries for a different fruit profile.