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Summer Side Salad

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Step into summer with this delicious, fruity Summer Side Salad. This easy-to-make salad comes together in minutes and makes for a great side dish or a tasty meal on any hot day.

 Summer-Side-Salad-Complete

Summertime is full of so many nostalgic flavors, including fruit! With so many fruits being in season there is a plethora of dishes, sides, and desserts you can make. This delicious, simple summer salad is a great way to utilize those classic summer flavors. The bitterness from the spinach is beautifully complemented by the sweetness from the strawberries and blueberries while the cucumbers add a perfect note of freshness. With so many ways to top and customize this salad, your family will keep coming back over and over again.

Our favorite part about this salad is how easy it is to make. With just a handful of cheap, readily available ingredients you can throw this salad together in minutes. If you want something more filling, we love to serve this salad topped with our homemade Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing and our easy-to-make Fried Herb Goat Cheese bites. Together the three dishes form a hearty, delicious meal that will be gone as soon as it hits the table.

Summer-Salad-with-Fried-Herbed-Goat-Cheese-Ingredients

Ingredients:

3 cups of spinach

½ cup of blueberries

½ cup of strawberries

¼ cup of diced cucumbers

¼ cup of chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1 TBSP of fresh thyme

1 TBSP of fresh parsley

Drizzled and tossed with our Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Topped with our Fried Herb Goat Cheese

What Makes Summer Salads Different?

The most notable difference between summer salads and their cohorts is the use of fresh fruit to add flavor to the dish. With so many fruits being in season, a summer salad is much sweeter than your average salad. This salad can be prepared with a variety of fruits to add fun pops of color and flavor to an already incredible salad. In addition to being delicious and low-calorie, this salad is a great option for people looking for a tasty gluten-free dish.

Side-salad-mixed-together

How to Make Summer Salad

  • Place your walnuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 for 5 minutes. This brings out an even nuttier flavor and crunch to the salad. 
  • Combine all of your salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle our Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing over your salad and toss to combine. Top with our Fried Herb Goat Cheese or any toppings of your choice and enjoy. 
 Dressing-being-poured

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen fruit in this recipe?

While frozen fruit can be used in this recipe, we like to stick to fresh fruit whenever we can. Fresh fruit brings so much more flavor to the salad. That being said, if you would like to use frozen fruit just make sure you let the fruit thaw in the fridge before adding to the salad.

What other toppings go well on summer salads?

If you are looking for some new flavor combinations in your summer salad, new fruit is the best place to start. Adding mandarin oranges adds a delicious punch of citrus flavor that pairs wonderfully with the chopped walnuts. You can also top this salad with our fried herb goat cheese bites and lemon vinaigrette to make it a hearty, more flavorful dish.

How do you keep salad ingredients fresh?

Lining the bottom of your storage container with a few paper towels will help keep your ingredients fresh and crisp. The paper towels will soak up any excess moisture. It is also important to remember not to pack your container too full. This will create more moisture and cause the ingredients to wilt quicker.

How to Store Leftover Salad
We recommend storing your salad in an airtight plastic container. You can store your salad prepped or you can store all the ingredients separately. When the ingredients are stored separately, your salad can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge. Fully prepped salads will last 1-2 days in the fridge before the greens begin to wilt.

 Salad-on-a-fork

Serving Ideas

This summer salad is great for barbecues and large gatherings. The simple, cost-effective ingredients make this salad an easy dish to make in bulk ahead of time. The fresh, fruity flavors in this dish go wonderfully with a variety of dishes, making it a great side or entrée. If you are looking for a fun party side, try serving this as a salad bar and let your guests build their own fresh summer salads!

 Fruit-and-lettace-enlarge-pic-in-a-bowl

Expert Tips and Tricks 

  • If your salad is your main course, try adding a cup of diced grilled chicken to give the dish some protein.
  • Toast your walnuts in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes to draw out a nuttier flavor. This also gives the walnuts a delicious, toasty crunch.
  • Consider adding fresh lemon slices as a garnish on top to add some citrusy flavor to the dish.
Summer-Side-Salad-Pin-1

More Recipes:

Yield: 2

Summer Side Salad

Summer-Side-Salad-Recipe-Card

    Step into summer with this delicious, fruity Summer Side Salad. This easy-to-make salad comes together in minutes and makes for a great side dish or a tasty meal on any hot day.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of spinach
  • ½ cup of blueberries
  • ½ cup of strawberries
  • ¼ cup of diced cucumbers
  • ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)
  • 1 TBSP of fresh thyme
  • 1 TBSP of fresh parsley
  • Drizzled and tossed with our lemon vinaigrette
  • Topped with our fried herb goat cheese
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Spinach—Fresh or baby spinach.
  • Fresh Fruit—A delicious blend of strawberries and blueberries.
  • Cucumbers—Diced into small pieces.
  • Chopped Walnuts—Or you can use chopped pecans.
  • Thyme—To add a fresh, minty flavor.
  • Parsley—To add a hint of peppery flavor.

Instructions

  1. Place your walnuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 for 5 minutes. This brings out an even nuttier flavor and crunch to the salad. 
  2. Combine all of your salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle our lemon vinaigrette over your salad and toss to combine. Top with our fried goat cheese and enjoy. 

Notes

  • If your salad is your main course, try adding a cup of diced grilled chicken to give the dish some protein.
  • Toast your walnuts in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes to draw out a nuttier flavor. This also gives the walnuts a delicious, toasty crunch.
  • Consider adding fresh lemon slices as a garnish on top to add some citrusy flavor to the dish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

2

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 697Total Fat 60gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 50gCholesterol 7mgSodium 396mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 16gSugar 12gProtein 20g

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