Spinach Salad with Dukkah


Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

I got my first letter yesterday from the child we started sponsoring this month. She’s a 10 year old girl who lives in a small village in Togo, with her mother & brother. She drew us the cutest picture of a hen and wrote to tell us that she loves spaghetti, sewing, running, and the color pink. There was a line designated for “question for your sponsor” and she filled it in with, “What do you like to eat?” I found it incredibly heart warming/ironic that the first thing she wanted to know about me what was food related. That’s usually how I get to know a person. I love her already.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

One of my favorite things to eat is salad. I’ve always liked how it doesn’t take much to create a wonderful salad. Some salads benefit from many ingredients and some are so incredibly simple that they rely on the strength of a good dressing. As a child I remember always being excited to go to restaurants with salad bars (especially if they had croutons!). It was like walking into an art studio with all of the paints, canvases & brushes lined up on a table. Options! Choices! FUN! Salads are so incredibly personal and your favorite ingredients can tell you a lot about yourself. Salads make me feel healthy. Salads make me feel good about ordering french fries or garlic twists 😉

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

It’s taken me a very long time to embrace the olive and understand its place in a salad. I think I finally embraced it! It’s one of the essential ingredients in this salad. It adds a sharp tangy and saltiness in the same way the feta does. The red onions make it spicy, the spinach provides a tender bite and the avocados bring a much needed creamy element to the salad. The dukkah dressing creates a bit of smokiness (Casey asked if there was bacon in it!) and rounds out all flavors. I used a store bought dukkah, but can’t wait to try making my own!

So, there you have it. Salad is my favorite. Always & forever.

You best believe I’m gonna draw her a picture of a salad in my next letter.

And we’re off!

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

The dressing is seedy! This dukkah blend is heavy on the sesame seeds.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

Mix the dressing into the onions. We’re gonna let them sit in the vinaigrette for a bit.

This cuts the sharpness. Your breath will thank you later.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

Then we mix in the olives & feta.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

Really incorporate them in there!

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

Slowly we add the spinach.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

Deliciousness is happening.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

And we plate! Add the avocado on top. Sprinkle with a little extra dukkah.

Spinach Salad with Dukkah // shutterbean

It’s a hearty salad!

For more spinach salads, you might like

SPINACH SALAD W/ DATES & ALMONDS

SUPER SPINACH SALAD

SPINACH BACON SALAD

Spinach Salad with Dukkah

for the vinaigrette:

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dukkah

for the salad:

  • 6 cups baby spinach
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/3  cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, thinly sliced
  • fresh cracked pepper

 Make the dressing:

In a medium bowl or mason jar, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients  until well combined.

Make the salad:

Place the onions in a large bowl. Add the dressing and give the onions a good stir. Let them sit in the dressing for about 5-10 minutes (this cuts down the sharpness of the onions) and add the feta and olives. Mix until well combined and gently fold the spinach into the onion mixture until all leaves are coated. Season with fresh cracked pepper and serve with sliced avocados on top. Sprinkle extra dukkah on top to finish.

  • Averie @ Averie Cooks

    Ive seen TJs start carrying dukkah and I’ve seen that post of Heidi’s, too. And have not tried dukkah yet – now that you say there’s a bit of smokiness, I’m so intrigued! Great salad & pinned.

  • Rachel

    Dukkah is so good. Love Za’atar as well. Great in salads and goes really well with tahini dressing. Looking forward to trying this version!

  • Maryea {happy healthy mama}

    I am with you on the love of salad. I gotta try dukkah!

  • Abby @ The Frosted Vegan

    Ok I’m intrigued, I need this dukkah! (Is it bad that I’m pronouncing it duck-uhh in my head?! ha!)

  • jenny

    Do you remember when Wendy’s had a “Super Bar” at some of its restaurants? When I was in elementary school, I used to be so excited to go to Wendy’s and assemble a mega salad with all sorts of fun toppings. Plus, the Super Bar also had chocolate pudding!

    This salad looks a little classier than my Wendy’s concoctions, though. 🙂

  • Mallory

    Ok…so never tried dukkah, on the list to try (and find)…and this salad is full of my favorite part of any salad, the goodies that always tend to fall to the bottom.

  • Todd | HonestlyYUM

    I always love learning about a new ingredient. Thanks Tracy!

  • Jamie

    Amen for salads! I was always partial to the sunflower seeds and croutons resting in the remnants of ranch dressing at the bottom of my salad bowl. Now I’m loving the flavor of kalamata’s and ranch when I throw together a salad, and I’m so intrigued by dukkah. YUM!

  • Katrina @ WVS

    This salad looks crazy perfect Tracy!! Love it!

  • Adrienne

    This salad sounds wonderful! So tangy and delicious!

    http://www.appetitesanonymous.com

  • sandra

    I’ve been curious about dukkah. I can see how it would make this dressing really wonderful. I may need to experiment with it.

  • Jenna

    OK, so this & the garlic twists are totally happening in my house for Friday night dinner tomorrow. Going to make the dough for the twists tonight 🙂

  • Amy

    Delicious! And of course your little sponsor girl would ask you about food – doesn’t she share the same birthday as Joy? 🙂
    I love dukkah on anything and everything, especially when it is paired with hummus – flavour explosion.
    You can bet this salad will be in my lunch bag next week.

  • Heidi - Apples Under My Bed

    Perfect. I love that your sponsor child is a kindred spirit. My salads have distinctly been lacking in olives lately. And dukkah, obviously. Great idea! Salads forever and always.
    Heidi xo

  • Christina G

    I think you meant to say mix in the olives and feta, not the onions and feta. It’s pretty clear from the picture just thought I’d give you a heads up before I run out to get the stuff for this salad. Yum! And thank you!

  • Jayne @ Tenacious Tinkering

    I’ve been amassing a list of spices and blends that I want to get. Za’tar, sumac, and now dukkah! Salads are the best thing ever.. especially if there’s salty cheese (or bacon).

  • Helen

    Lovely salad! This is a bit random: I am Greek and I love the fact that you call feta “feta” and not “feta cheese”, because that’s the way we call it here. Because everyone knows that feta is a type of cheese. 🙂
    Well done!

  • Denise

    You always have great salads. Why do salads intimidate me so much; it is the one thing I hate making. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word, but maybe I just lose all sense of creativity when making them. I do love all the flavor combinations with this recipe. Dukkah is a great ingredient that I usually sprinkle over hummus or over grilled meat. Once again, you have inspired me to get over my fear of salad!

  • Sini│my blue&white kitchen

    What a great salad to have for lunch! Love the first picture. I’m wondering where the salad bowl is from?

  • My Everyday Life: Week 9 – Shutterbean

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  • G

    Eating this for lunch as I type. Delicious!

  • Charlene

    Just had this salad for lunch. Delicious! I made Heidi’s Dukkah recipe except I used almonds. Both the Dukkah and the salad are winners. I probably used half the salad amounts and I could have easily eaten twice as much. In making the Dukkah, I recommend processing the nuts separately whether using a food processor or mortar and pestle. Otherwise, it’s harder to break down the spices without over-processing the nuts. Thank you for a wonderful recipe and pointing me to Heidi’s Dukkah recipe!!!

  • Deese

    Tracy! I just realized, I may have never commented before! (For shame) but here I am very excited to try this recipe sans feta (vegan here) and just had to take a second to tell you I love your blog and your pics! I feel bad it has taken me like 5 years to stop lurking…it happens I know but it shouldn’t take that long for a fan to say “you are awesome” 🙂

  • Shash

    PSA–after discontinuing dukkah some time ago, it’s back at TJ’s! I loved making this salad but was too lazy to make my own dukkah. So happy I can get back to it!

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  • Amy

    This salad is so good! I’ve been making it a couple times a week with arugula. Thanks, Tracy.

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