This vibrant Spinach Berry Salad is perfect for a special occasion. It’s easy to prepare and makes a beautiful centerpiece to serve at brunch, lunch, or any spring or summer gathering. Topped with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, the sweet and savory ingredients are a match made in salad heaven!
If you love cooking with fresh berries, don’t miss my Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Berries and Fontina, Berry Cobbler with Cornbread Biscuit Topping, and Roasted Strawberry Baked Brie.
What You’ll Love About This Spinach Berry Salad
- Easy to Make. This salad is simple to assemble and doesn’t require cooking. You can (and should) prep the poppy seed dressing in advance, making it convenient for busy days and stress-free entertaining.
- It’s Gorgeous. Just look at this salad! It’s a showstopper for spring and summer gatherings. With the vibrantly colored berries, creamy dressing, and cheese, it naturally sports a red, white, and blue theme–perfect for celebrations like the Fourth of July or Memorial Day.
- Menu Versatility. You can serve this salad from brunch to lunch and dinner as an elegant starter, refreshing side, or enhanced with extras to make it an entrée salad. It pairs well with a variety of proteins like grilled chicken, steak, salmon, and even BBQ!
Ingredient Notes
- Baby Spinach. Fresh baby spinach is more tender and milder than mature spinach. Wash and dry it thoroughly before adding it to the platter. I like to use a salad spinner {affiliate link}.
- Red Onion. The sharp bite of red onion adds a nice contrast to the sweetness of the berries. Slice it thinly so that it distributes evenly throughout the salad.
- Fresh Berries. Use any of your favorite berries that look fresh, ripe, and beautiful at the market. Using a few different varieties–such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries–adds color to the salad and a mix of juicy, sweet-tart flavors.
- Blue Cheese. Adds a robust, piquant flavor. Some of my favorite varieties to use here are gorgonzola, Danish Blue (Danablu), Rogue River Creamery Oregon Blue, or Point Reys Original Blue.
- Sliced Almonds. For a nice crunch that contrasts the juicy fruits and creamy cheese. For the best flavor, lightly toast the nuts in a dry pan for a couple of minutes until they’re golden and fragrant.
- Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing. Adds a rich, sweet-tart, lightly nutty flavor to the salad. You’ll probably only need half of the dressing in my linked recipe, but I recommend making the whole thing–it lasts for 5 days in the fridge!
About Edible Flowers: We garnished this salad with tiny edible chrysanthemums. While organically grown flowers add beauty and a unique herbal flavor to dishes, not all varieties are safe to eat. For a comprehensive list, this Edible Flowers Guide from Thompson & Morgan is a great resource. If you or any of your guests have hay fever, asthma, or allergies, be cautious or consider skipping the flowers. Some edible flowers can trigger adverse reactions in sensitive individuals.
How to Assemble The Salad
This salad is a breeze to prepare, taking only minutes to assemble on a large serving platter. I recommend building it in layers for an impressive presentation.
Start with a base of baby spinach, then add red onions, followed by the berries, blue cheese, and almonds. To avoid crushing or bruising the delicate berries, I suggest not tossing the salad. If you do want to toss everything together, do so very gently.
After layering the ingredients, drizzle the Creamy Poppyseed Dressing over the top—there’s no right or wrong quantity, whether you prefer a light drizzle or a more generous pour.
When entertaining, I usually go light-handed with the dressing on the platter, pouring extra into a cruet or small pitcher to serve on the side. This keeps the salad fresher as it’s served and lets each guest decide how much dressing they want to add to their individual plates.
Make-Ahead Tip
This salad is best served immediately after dressing. The acid in the vinaigrette can begin to wilt the spinach and soften the berries when left to sit. If you need to prepare the salad a few hours in advance, assemble the layers without the cheese and dressing, cover the platter with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Just before serving, add the cheese and dressing to keep everything crisp and fresh.
What to Serve with Berry Spinach Salad
I often serve this salad for brunch or lunch, alongside quiche or omelets and warm, crusty artisan bread. Here are a few more ways to incorporate it into your spring and summer menus:
- Grilled Chicken or Steak. Serve the salad as a refreshing side to grilled meats, or elevate it to an entrée salad by topping it with strips of grilled chicken breast or steak.
- Salmon. Both grilled and pan-seared salmon pair well with the flavors in this salad. Like chicken and steak, you can serve the salmon on the side, or flake the salmon into chunks and sprinkle them over the salad.
- Barbecued Ribs, Chicken Thighs, or Pulled Pork: The light, fresh flavors of the spinach berry salad provide a nice balance to the rich, smoky taste of barbecued meats. The sweetness of the berries and the tangy dressing help cut through fattier meats. I like to use goat cheese when serving this salad with BBQ.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cheese Alternatives: If blue cheese isn’t your favorite, try substituting it with crumbled goat cheese or feta. I especially love this type of salad with French-style “feta”, which is milder and creamier than Greek feta.
- Nut Options: No almonds? No problem. Consider using roasted pistachios or toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts instead.
- Greens Swap: If you want a sharper, peppery flavor in your salad, replace baby spinach with baby arugula, or use a mixture of the two.
- Spinach Swap: Substitute baby arugula for a more peppery bite.
- Lighter Dressing: Prefer an oil-based dressing? This salad pairs wonderfully with my homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s a lighter alternative that still delivers great flavor.
- Grain Add-Ins: Cooked wheat berries (similar to my Wheat Berry Salad with Mixed Berry Vinaigrette), quinoa, or farro are a great way to add extra protein and texture to the salad. Mix 1-2 cups of your favorite cooked, cooled grains with the spinach, depending on how hearty you want to make it.
- Make it a Pasta Salad: For a heartier meal, gently mix the salad ingredients with 2 cups of your favorite cooked pasta, such as rotini, penne, or farfalle. I recommend reducing the greens by half when adding pasta. Dress it with either the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing or the lighter Balsamic Vinaigrette mentioned earlier.
More Spring and Summer Salads
Spinach Berry Salad
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves , packed (10 ounce package)
- 1/2 large red onion , thinly sliced
- 1 cup strawberries (see note)
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (see note)
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds (see note)
- 1/2 cup Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing , or more, to taste (click link for recipe)
- edible flowers , for garnish (optional–see important note below)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the spinach (I like to use a salad spinner) and then spread it over a large serving platter. Top with the sliced red onion and cleaned/prepped berries.
- Sprinkle the salad with crumbled blue cheese and sliced almonds.
- Drizzle as much poppy seed dressing as you'd like over the salad and garnish with edible flowers, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Berries: Use any mix of berries that you love and are fresh at the market. Gently but thoroughly wash and dry them before adding them to the salad. Trim or hull the strawberries; if they’re small, they can be added whole. Halve or quarter larger strawberries. Add blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries to the salad whole.
- Blue Cheese: I always recommend crumbling the cheese yourself from a wedge. Just like pre-shredded cheese, crumbled containers usually contain anti-caking starches.
- Almonds: For extra flavor, I like to toast the sliced almonds. Add them to a small, dry skillet and toast them over medium heat on the stove for 4-5 minutes, until they’re light golden and aromatic. Be sure to frequently stir the almonds to ensure they toast evenly and don’t burn.
- Dressing: The times listed do not include making and chilling the dressing, which should be prepped in advance of making this salad. The linked recipe makes more than you’ll need. Save the rest in the fridge for up to 5 days for another use, or serve extra dressing on the side of the salad.
- Edible Flowers: Be sure any flowers that you’re using are, indeed, edible varieties and free from pesticides before adding them to the salad. People with asthma, allergies, or hay fever can have an adverse reaction to edible flowers–take care or omit if you have any concerns or are unsure of your or your guests’ sensitivities.
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
