Super colorful and light Berry Spinach Salad drizzled with a Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette. Loaded with berries, pecans, and goat cheese. Takes less than 15 minutes to throw together and is perfect for lunch or dinner!
Do you love fruity salads? Check out my Peach, Feta, and Blackberry Salad and my Watermelon Feta Salad for more refreshing healthy meal ideas!
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Berry Spinach Salad
One of my favorite things about this season is the fresh produce. I seriously can’t get enough of all the fresh Summer fruit! I put the fruit to good use with this Berry Spinach Salad. It has berries in the salad AND the dressing. This is the perfect salad for summer!
I topped the salad with fresh berries, goat cheese, and pecans. It makes the perfect lunch or light dinner. It’s super easy to toss together or make ahead for a quick work lunch.
The best part of this salad is that it is totally customizable. Use any fresh fruit or nuts you have on hand. Pine nuts or pistachios would go great in this salad.
The Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette takes this berry spinach salad to a whole new level. With only 4 ingredients, it’s sweet, tart, and thick. I could seriously drink this dressing. The combination of the sweet berries and the tart balsamic vinegar makes the perfect combination for this salad dressing. I like to store the extra in the fridge to use throughout the week. You can substitute frozen berries if you don’t have any fresh on hand.
What you’ll need for this recipe
- Spinach: Rich in antioxidants and a good source of vitamins. This salad has double the amount of spinach you need in a day! Feel free to substitute other fresh leafy greens like arugula.
- Berries: Berries are loaded with antioxidants, great for memory and brain health, and are high in vitamin C. I added strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, but you can substitute your favorites!
- Pecans: Great for your skin and hair and are also loaded with vitamins and minerals. Pistachios and walnuts would also be perfect for this recipe.
- Cheese: Goat cheese is rich in calcium and is easier to digest than regular cow cheese. I sprinkled some goat cheese at the end to add a little creaminess. Feta would also be a great option in this berry spinach salad.
Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Berries: Half a cup of any fresh berries will be great. I used a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
- Cherry Juice: Simultaneously tart and sweet, cherry juice is delicious in this recipe. If you can’t find cherry juice, pomegranate or blueberry juice are good substitutes.
- Oil: I used canola oil as it is very mild tasting. Any oil will be fine, however. Try olive oil or avocado oil for some healthier options.
- Balsamic Vinegar: My favorite vinegar! Balsamic is deliciously tart and aromatic. I don’t recommend using another vinegar for this recipe.
How to make Berry Spinach Salad
Just 3 easy steps:
- Fill a large bowl with spinach.
- Top the spinach with berries, pecans, and goat cheese.
- Drizzle Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette on top and enjoy!
How to make Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
All of the ingredients get added to a blender and pureed. If the seeds from the berries bother you just strain out the seeds with a sieve.
Tips for Success
- Add any berries: This Berry Spinach Salad recipe tastes delicious with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and even grapes (which are technically berries too!).
- Double the vinaigrette to have it on hand all week. It’s so much easier to eat healthily if the food tastes amazing!
- Store any extra vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Any extra salad should be stored separately from the vinaigrette, and ideally, the ingredients themselves will be stored separately as well to keep them fresher for longer.
Are berry salads healthy?
Absolutely! Fresh berries with spinach make up a raw meal of healthy fruits and greens. This Berry Spinach Salad is the best way to eat these foods as you get the most nutrition out of them.
Can you use frozen berries in a salad?
Yes! All you need to do is thaw them and then add them to the salad. I usually thaw them in the fridge overnight and then toss the salad together the next day when I’m ready to eat. I must admit, I do prefer fresh berries when they are in season!
Can you use frozen spinach in a salad?
I’d advise against this one! Frozen spinach when thawed is mushy and great for cooking with, however, for a Berry Spinach Salad, you need to have crisp, leafy greens so fresh spinach (or another leafy green) is really the only option.
Here are some more salad recipes to try!
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing
- Easy Berry Fruit Salad
- Mexican Salmon Salad
- Easy Mexican Kale Salad
Berry Spinach Salad with Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Berry Spinach Salad
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 whole strawberries, sliced
- 1 tablespoon blueberries
- 1 tablespoon blackberries
- 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped
- 2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup fresh berries, I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries
- 1 tablespoon cherry juice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Berry Spinach Salad
- Fill a large bowl with spinach. Top with berries, pecans and goat cheese.
- Drizzle with prepared vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Pulse until combined and the dressing is thick and smooth. If the seeds bother you strain through a sieve before serving. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
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Sonali- The Foodie Physician
GORGEOUS! And that dressing sounds amazing! Way to embrace summer berries- I can’t get enough of them!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
This looks so refreshing! I love fruit in salads and I love the berries in the salad AND the dressing 🙂
Beth B
I make a similar dressing but add a small container of fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt . Leftover dressing keeps well in the fridge. I don’t add cherry juice but will try this recipe. It sounds like a nice addition.
Kelley
Great idea on the greek yogurt Beth! Sounds amazing!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice
Oh what a gorgeous salad, Kelley! I crave spinach salads in the summer, especially when berries are ripe. Love this berry vinaigrette, sounds delicious!
Jen and Emily @ Layers of Happiness
I’m obsessed with all things berry in the summer time… this salad looks so fresh and delicious!!
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
Yum! I absolutely love berry spinach salads…it’s my favorite thing to order at a restaurant. The pecans, strawberries, and goat cheese…delicious! I will definitely be trying to version at home. Thanks, Kelley!
Manali @ CookWithManali
such a colorful salad! love it!
Izzy
I haven’t been eating nearly enough yummy salads this summer! I gotta fix that asap! I love putting fresh berries in my salad and topping it with a berry balsamic vinaigrette sounds ever better! This looks gorgeous 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
Such a colourful salad and berries and balsamic go so well together.
Liz London
This is so yummy. I didn’t see how many servings come out this recipe.
Kelley Simmons
Hi Liz,
So glad you enjoyed it!
The serving size is for one salad. The dressing makes enough to have some leftover.
Thanks!
Kelley