Summer Berry Salad

This summer berry salad with spinach and arugula is paired with a maple dijon vinaigrette that gives you the best of both salad worlds, fruits, and greens! An assortment of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries brings bright summer flavors to this simple salad!

This simple vegan salad recipe is best enjoyed in the summer months when fresh seasonal produce is in abundance. Summer salads are the best because all of the ingredients are fresh and in season.

Berries are in season during the months of June and July. During this time, I find myself grabbing every kind of berry I can get my hands on. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries crowd my refrigerator. With some extra arugula and spinach on hand, I pulled together this beautiful salad as an accompaniment to a chickpea pasta dish I made for the family. Funny thing, this summer berry salad was more popular than the pasta!

The salad dressing I made to pair with this berry salad has a hint of sweetness from maple syrup with a bite from the dijon mustard. It’s oil-free and quick and easy to make with ingredients you will find in your fridge!

💗 Why You’ll Love This Berry Salad

• Sweet Berries
• Spicy Arugula
• Sweet and Spicy Dressing
• Quick and Easy to Make
• Easy Side Dish
• Fresh Ingredients
• Healthy and Nutritious
• Oil-Free

🥣 Ingredients and Notes

Salad Ingredients

Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are sweet, and tart. Use organic if possible. You could also add blackberries if you choose.

Arugula and Baby Spinach: Berries pair nicely with leafy greens. I choose to use a combination of spicy arugula and milk spinach. You could also use a fresh spring mix if you choose.

Chopped Almonds: The almonds bring crunch and add some protein and healthy fat to this salad.

Cucumbers: Adds some nice crunch to the salad.

Maple Dijon Dressing

Fresh Lemon Juice: Adds needed acidity to the dressing.

Pure Maple Syrup: Brings natural sweetness to the dressing that pairs nicely with the berries.

Dijon Mustard: Adds a nice bite and spiciness to the dressing.

Garlic and Ginger: Minced garlic brings a bit of bite. Fresh ginger is spicy and also has a warm flavor.

📋 Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the greens. Wash greens and get rid of excess water using a salad spinner. On a serving platter or large bowl spread the fresh spinach and arugula evenly.

Step 2: Prepare the berries. Wash the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Quarter the strawberries. Top the fresh greens with quartered strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chopped almonds, and cucumber.

Step 3: Prepare the dressing. For the dressing, squeeze about half a lemon in a small bowl, and whisk in the maple syrup, water, and Dijon mustard. Using a garlic press, mince two cloves of garlic, and finely grate the fresh ginger using a lemon zester or cheese grater. Whisk everything together until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

❓ Recipe FAQS

💭 Expert Tips

• Use organic produce if possible. Especially organic spinach and strawberries as they are on the dirty dozen list from the EWG.
• Wash your greens thoroughly. Use a salad spinner to remove water from the greens so that you have a crispy salad.
• Don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve the salad to avoid the salad becoming soggy.

💭Variations and Substitutions

Use Different Berries or Fruit: If berries are out of season, feel free to use dried berries. You could also add blackberries or dried cranberries.

Dressing Variations: For some variations on the maple dijon dressing you can substitute lemon juice for vinegar if you don’t have a fresh lemon. You can also add more dijon or maple syrup until you get a balance of flavors that you like. More dijon dressing will give it more of a kick, while more maple syrup will make it sweeter.

Add More Vegetables and Fruit: Fresh diced green apple is a nice addition, or creamy diced avocado. You could also add some cherry tomatoes or grated carrots.

More Protein: If you’d like to add more protein to your salad consider vegan grilled chicken or vegan goat cheese crumbles.

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