Our copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad boasts the vibrant taste of fresh strawberries complemented with the crunchy texture from a homemade poppy seed dressing. Enjoy all flavor without having to pay restaurant prices by making this salad at home!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Shake up your routine with this delicious copycat Strawberry Poppyseed Salad! This classic will elevate any table, from family BBQ's to gatherings with friends.
Featuring juicy strawberries and the perfect poppyseed dressing, you'll want to make it often for friends and family to enjoy.
- Easy to replicate. The ingredients are simple it's very easy to replicate this popular Panera salad classic.
- Healthy. The salad is packed with fruits, vegetables, and nuts, making it a great source of fiber and nutrition.
- Economical. This copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed salad recipe is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. Making this copycat at home is mush less expensive than restaurant prices also!
- Versatile. You can customize this salad by adding or omitting ingredients. Make a larger version in a big salad bowl, and it's the pride of any holiday or picnic table!
- Delicious. The combination of sweet strawberries, crunchy nuts, and creamy poppyseed dressing is simply irresistible.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Ingredients
- How to Make The Panera Poppyseed Salad
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage Options
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Ingredients
The Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is a classic for a reason. It's a refreshing and delicious combination of sweet strawberries, crunchy nuts, and creamy poppy seed dressing.
For the Salad
- Romaine lettuce - Washed and chopped.
- Spinach - Baby spinach, coarsely chopped.
- Pineapple chunks - Fresh or canned.
- Strawberries - Fresh, washed, hulled and quartered.
- Mandarin oranges - Canned, drained well.
- Blueberries - Fresh, washed and drained.
- Chicken - Cooked, grilled, rotisserie, sliced.
- Pecans - Roasted pecans, coarsely chopped.
- Poppy seeds
- Panera Poppyseed Salad Dressing - Use our copycat poppyseed dressing recipe below, or simply purchase storebought poppy seed salad dressing.
For Panera Poppyseed Salad Dressing
- Mayonnaise - Use real mayonnaise, not the sandwich spread salad dressing.
- Cider vinegar - You can also use white vinegar or rice vinegar.
- Sugar - Or, honey!
- Poppy seeds - Whole, Dutch Blue poppy seeds.
- Salt
- Black pepper - Freshly ground.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make The Panera Poppyseed Salad
Now you don't have to go to Panera to enjoy this delicious salad. With this easy copycat recipe, you can make it at home in just minutes.
Prepare The Salad Greens
- Toss the washed and chopped romaine lettuce and baby spinach to blend them together and place in individual bowls, or into a large, wide serving bowl.
- Slice the previously roasted chicken and lay it to one side on the salad greens.
PRO TIP: A cold rotisserie chicken is ideal for this salad!
Add The Fruit and Nuts
- Top the salad greens with piles of strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and the pecans. Sprinkle the fruit with some poppy seeds.
- Prepare the Panera poppyseed dressing by combing the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper together with a whisk.
- Serve the poppy seed dressing along side for self serve, or pour over the salad before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This Panera strawberry salad is best served chilled. You can serve it on it in individual bowls as part of a larger meal, or pile it all in a wide, low serving bowl for a potluck or picnic salad centerpiece.
Some great meals this delicious salad goes well with is:
- Panera's Summer Corn Chowder
- Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt (Panera)
- Panera's Autumn Squash Soup
- Twisted Garlic Herb Bread
- Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations using this Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad recipe:
- Instead of romaine lettuce, you can use any type of lettuce you like.
- If you don't have pecans, you can use another type of nut, such as walnuts or almonds.
- Make this a vegetarian or vegan salad by omitting the chicken. The Panera poppyseed salad dressing recipe is naturally vegan, unless you use the honey instead of the sugar.
- Garnish the salad with fresh herbs, such as mint or basil.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this Panera Strawberry Poppy seed Salad.
- Large, shallow Salad Bowl - Great for entertaining!
- Salad Spoon and Fork Set
Storage Options
- This copycat Panera strawberry poppy seed salad should be made no more than 24 hours ahead of time for freshness.
- Do not freeze, lettuce and salad will become soft and mushy when frozen.
Tips for Success
- This salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- For the best flavor, use fresh strawberries and lettuce.
- Don't overdress the salad. A little bit of dressing goes a long way.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use a different type of salad dressing, such as ranch, vinaigrette, or balsamic vinegar.
Store undressed leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 3 days. Dressed leftovers will wilt rapidly, so refrigerate and eat within 4 to 12 hours.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (Panera)
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 2 heads romaine washed and chopped
- 3 cup spinach washed and chopped
- 4 chicken breast previously grilled and slice
- 16 oz strawberries fresh, washed, hulled, and quartered
- 1¼ cup pineapple chunks, fresh, or a 20 oz can
- 15 oz mandarin oranges slices, canned
- 1 cup blueberries fresh, washed
- ½ cup pecans roasted, chopped
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Copycat Panera Poppyseed Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise real mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the washed and chopped romaine lettuce and baby spinach to blend them together and place in individual bowls, or into a large, wide serving bowl.2 heads romaine, 3 cup spinach
- Slice the previously roasted chicken and lay it to one side on the salad greens.PRO TIP: A cold rotisserie chicken is ideal for this salad!4 chicken breast
- Top the salad greens with piles of strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and the pecans. Add a sprinkle of poppy seeds over the fruit.16 oz strawberries, 1¼ cup pineapple, 15 oz mandarin oranges, 1 cup blueberries, ½ cup pecans
Make Panera Poppyseed Dressing
- Prepare the Panera poppyseed dressing by combing the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper together with a whisk until smooth and creamy.½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Serve the poppy seed dressing along side for self serve, or pour over the salad before serving.
Notes
- This salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- For the best flavor, use fresh strawberries and lettuce.
- Don't overdress the salad. A little bit of dressing goes a long way.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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