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This Blueberry Salad is an easy side dish or main course salad when paired with a grilled protein. Perfect for those hot summer months when you can’t imagine turning on your oven. With just 7 ingredients, this salad is easy to assemble on a weeknight yet impressive enough for guests.
I serve this salad spring through summer because of the bright, zippy lemon vinaigrette that beautifully brings together the tender greens, fresh blueberries, shallot and creamy goat cheese. It pairs with all kinds of flavors making it a great side dish or entrée salad.
This is a frequently requested salad among friends and family and I can’t wait for you to try it. If you love a big salad, my Mexican Chopped Salad or Carrot and Cucumber Salad are two other favorites.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 7-Ingredient Salad. Easy to shop for and assemble. Anyone can make this restaurant-quality salad.
- Easy to customize to your liking. Swap the cheese, berries, greens, or dressing to customize this to anyone’s favorite flavors.
- Prep it in advance. I like to prep the ingredients ahead and stash them in the fridge for easy weekday lunches. It also works well for prepping for dinner parties.
Ingredients
- Mixed spring greens: grab a big box of your favorite mix. I like something that has arugula, baby kale and baby chard.
- Fresh blueberries: the star of the show! Look for plump, firm blueberries.
- Parsley: I like to treat herbs like lettuce greens in a salad. It’s an easy way to elevate a salad to restaurant-quality.
- Shallot: a more elegant flavor than simply sliced red onion. It also has a more nuanced flavor. Use green onion for something more mild or use red onion if you prefer that.
- Fresh goat cheese (chevre): blueberries and goat cheese pair wonderfully. As the salad gets tossed, the goat cheese will disperse and give the vinaigrette a slightly creamy quality. Delicious.
- Sliced almonds: I think most salads need a nut or seed. They add texture and warm, nutty flavor. Make sure you toast the almonds!
- Lemon vinaigrette, or your favorite vinaigrette: this vinaigrette is so simple to make and create a very vibrant salad. You can also use my Classic Vinaigrette or Dill Vinaigrette.
How to Make Blueberry Salad
- Toss greens, blueberries, parsley, shallot, goat cheese and almonds in a large bowl.
TIP: if you are prepping in advance, stop here, lay a damp paper towel over the salad, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dress with the vinaigrette right before serving.
- Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
TIP: season your salad like you would any other side dish! Once the salad is dressed, give it a taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Test Kitchen Tips
- Keep your greens fresher for longer: when I bring greens home I immediately layer dry paper towels between the layers of greens (2–3 layers depending on how big the container is). I also store the container top-side-down. This inverts the greens and redistribute weight so the bottom greens are continually packed down.
- Avoid over-dressing the salad: the difference between a good salad and a great salad often comes down to how well it’s dressed. Under-dressed is better than over-dressed. Start by drizzling a third of the dressing around the rim of the mixing bowl, then toss the greens to coat. Add more dressing to taste.
- Add tender herbs to the salad: chives, dill, parsley, basil and tarragon are all great options.
- Toast the almonds: the best way to toast nuts is on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they can go from perfectly toasted to brunt in a minute or so.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store any leftover salad (preferably not dressed) in an airtight container in the fridge for one to two days.
To make this blueberry salad in advance, you can assemble the salad ingredients in the large mixing bowl and store covered in the fridge for up to 6 hours before serving. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
If you want to keep the salad fresher for even longer, then store the toppings separately from the lettuce and assemble everything right before eating.
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What to Serve with this Blueberry Salad
My favorite way to serve this salad with blueberries and goat cheese is alongside either Chicken Souvlaki or Grilled Chicken & Zucchini Skewers.
Any salmon is also a winning pair—my Grilled Glazed Salmon is always a hit while this Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon couldn’t be easier.
Pair it all with homemade Naan or No-Knead Focaccia and you have a fabulous summer dinner!
Blueberry Salad Recipe
Description
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Ingredients
- 6 cups spring greens
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup parsley, basil, chives or cilantro
- ¼ cup thinly sliced shallot
- ¼ cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
- 3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
- 1 recipe Herby Lemon Vinaigrette or Classic Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Toss greens, blueberries, parsley, shallot, goat cheese and almonds in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
