Spinach Berry Salad

This colorful Spinach Berry Salad is a real showstopper! With tender baby spinach, a medley of juicy berries, crumbled blue cheese, crunchy almonds, and a creamy poppy seed dressing, this salad is perfect for spring and summer entertaining.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baby spinach, blackberries, blue cheese, blueberries, raspberries, spring, strawberry, summer

Servings: servings

Author: Amanda Biddle

Ingredients

5-6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves , packed (10 ounce package)
½ large red onion , thinly sliced
1 cup strawberries (see note)
1 cup blackberries
1 cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese (see note)
2 tbsp sliced almonds (see note)
½ 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

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