Prepare yourself for a seriously delicious and easy summer berry salad that is everything! Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and salty.
Summer Berry Salad – What’s to love about this recipe?
I almost get overwhelmed by the options when making summer salads! But, one thing for sure, summer is the time to take advantage of fresh, seasonal berries and fruits and make your salads more interesting!
Summer salads are so versatile and can be made to accommodate what you have available.
You can make this salad into a main dish by adding grilled chicken or flank steak.
The beautifully flavored lemon vinaigrette has just four ingredients and packs a tart and slightly sweet punch!
By the way, see those little balls of avocado? Scroll down to the recipe tips below to see how!
A quick look at this recipe.
Find a nice sized bowl or plate for preparing and serving the salad. Spread lettuce on plate or add to the serving bowl.
Once you’ve washed the berries and dried them, toss on top of your lettuce along with the sliced onions, zucchini ribbons, and avocado. Then top with the feta, toasted almonds, and chopped bacon.
Mix up the vinaigrette and add to individual salads just before serving.
Summer Berry Salad Recipe Tips
Avocado Balls!!! Say what?
Sometimes things just pop into my head. Why not use a melon baller (small version of an ice cream scooper) instead of slicing the avocado. Well, let me tell you, this was so much easier than trying to get perfect little slices of avocado! I hate when my avocados are ripe and smoosh when I try to take them out of the shell. This was so much easier and very pretty! Try it.
Bacon, Bacon! Goes So Well on Summer Berry Salads
A quick way to prepare a few pieces of bacon is in your microwave in just 3-6 minutes and without the mess.
Line a microwave safe dish with two paper towels on top of each other. Add one layer of bacon and cover with two more paper towels. Microwave until done to your liking—anywhere from 3-5 minutes. Check on the bacon frequently after the 3-minute mark.
Crispy prosciutto can be used as a substitute for the bacon. Add the prosciutto slices to a microwave safe dish on top of a paper towel and microwave until crunchy about 2-4 minutes. Again, check frequently after 2 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop. Cooked prosciutto can be very salty, so be careful when adding to your salad.
Please feel free to make this summer salad recipe a main meal by adding grilled chicken or flank steak.
Zucchini Ribbons
The easiest way to create strips of zucchini for this recipe (or any vegetable, for that matter) is to use a Y peeler.
This hand held tool has a “Y” shape with a horizontal, rotating blade (swivel). Glide the peeler horizontally, starting at one end of the zucchini and towards your body. Turn over to other side after cutting several strips from one side.
Toasting Almonds
Toasting almonds adds so much flavor and crunch which really enhances this salad. It takes just a few minutes.
Heat stove top burner to medium heat. Place the nuts, single layer, in a large, dry skillet without oil. Stir often, watching carefully, and until nuts are fragrant and brown, about 4 – 5 minutes. Immediately remove to a plate to cool.
About the Lettuce
A serving is usually 2 cups of lettuce per person. If you buy a package or bag, look at serving size. Three ounces of spring mix is about 2 cups. This recipe is for a larger sized serving of salad at two cups per person.
If you prefer spinach or arugula, go ahead!
Summer Berry Salad with Feta, Bacon, and Almonds
An easy summer berry salad that is everything! Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and salty.
4
servings10
minutes5
minutes15
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
8 cups of spring mix (see recipe tips)
1 6 oz . package of blackberries
1 6 oz . package of raspberries
1 medium sized red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium sized zucchini, shaved into ribbons (see tips)
1 ripe avocado, sliced or use melon baller (see tips)
1/2 cup toasted almonds (see tips)
1/2 cup feta cheese
4 slices of cooked bacon, chopped (see tips)
- Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 c . fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
1/3 c . olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2-3 teaspoons honey (to taste)
pinch each of salt, pepper, dried thyme (optional)
Directions
- Wash berries in strainer and place on a paper towel to dry.
- Place pre-washed lettuce on serving plate or add to a bowl.
- Add sliced red onion, zucchini ribbons, berries and scoops of avocado on top of the lettuce (see recipe tips).
- Sprinkle the chopped bacon, feta cheese, and toasted almonds on top of lettuce mixture.
- Serve with lemon vinaigrette.
- Make the lemon vinaigrette
- Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake vigorously. A small, deep bowl would work well too, using a fork to thoroughly combine the vinaigrette.
Notes
- I prefer to dress salads individually rather than pour on top of the salad to control the amount of dressing. For dressing the full bowl of salad ingredients, add the dressing to the bottom of the salad serving bowl, then add the salad ingredients as in the recipe, and toss.
- Storing leftover salad: While this is best eaten right away, I have refrigerated leftovers, without dressing, in a covered bowl for up to 1 day.
- Storing leftover vinaigrette: Store in refrigerator for up to one week. If the vinaigrette solidifies, let it sit out at room temperature for about 5 minutes prior to using.
- Serving suggestion: Add grilled chicken or flank steak to this salad for a light summer meal.
Try out Crispy Goat Cheese Medallions which would be great in place of the feta on this salad!
- healthier main dish recipes
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