Berry Spinach Salad with Raspberry Dressing

This Berry Spinach Salad with a creamy vegan strawberry raspberry dressing is light, refreshing and makes for the perfect summer side dish.

I could not be more psyched for BERRY SEASON! Growing up, I’d eat entire containers of blueberries and strawberries just as a snack. Now that I think back, my parents probably weren’t too thrilled about that (berries can be so expensive!!), but they probably didn’t want to discourage healthy eating.

Blueberries and raspberries are tied as my favorite – I just can’t get enough! A few years ago, I was visiting one of my best friends at her house in Vermont right before I moved back to Michigan (from New York). I picked a literal TON of blueberries and took them back home to my apartment in New York. I had to eat every single blueberry within a 3 day span before we moved, so I had some in every meal. It was a bit much – I think I took about a week-long hiatus from blueberry eating, but I’d do it all over again for fresh, Vermont-grown berries!

If you’ve never had berries in a salad with greens, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. They’re especially great with spinach, which can be pretty bland and leafy.

To balance the sweetness of the berries, we also added a handful of vegan feta-style cheese, toasted walnuts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and diced cucumber. If you’d like to make this nut free, substitute walnuts with sunflower seeds.

The salad is tossed in a tangy raspberry dressing. It’s good enough to eat straight from the jar! It’s incredibly easy to make – just add everything to a blender and let it do its thing.

This berry spinach salad is perfect for Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, or any other summer festivities. Look at those beautiful, fresh berries – who wouldn’t want to dig in?

If your berry salad will be sitting out for an extended period of time before eating, we’d suggest serving the dressing on the side. If it sits for too long (especially in hot weather), the spinach gets soggy. As a result, the dish just doesn’t look appetizing. We prefer when everything is fresh and crisp, and your guests will, too!

Need more ideas for your summer entertaining menu? Here are a few of our favorites (all vegan + gluten free):

• Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with a White Bean Salad and Spinach Chimichurri
• Grilled Corn, Black Bean & Avocado Salad
• Frozen Watermelon Jalapeño Margaritas
• Blueberry Lavender Vegan Ice Cream
• Watermelon Peach Prosecco Popsicles
• Gluten Free Smoky Veggie Burgers

Berry Spinach Salad with Raspberry Dressing

• Author: Lexi
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6–8 1x
• Category: Salads

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Description

This Berry Spinach Salad with a creamy vegan strawberry raspberry dressing is light, refreshing and makes for the perfect summer side dish.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 8 cups spinach or arugula (or mix)
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blueberries 
• 1 cup strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1 cup diced cucumber 
• 1/3 cup vegan feta cheese (or regular feta)
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/4 cup pepitas 

Creamy Raspberry Strawberry Dressing:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil (or other neutral oil)

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Instructions

1. To make dressing, add all ingredients except oil to a blender. Slowly stream in oil until it’s smooth and creamy. 
2. Assemble all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss in dressing (or serve on the side if not eating right away). Enjoy!

 

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