Ultimate Summer Berry Spinach Salad with Zesty Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing

Welcome to the quintessential summer salad that promises to elevate your taste buds and energize your body. This vibrant Berry Spinach Salad isn’t just a meal; it’s a celebration of fresh, wholesome ingredients coming together in a symphony of flavors and textures. Imagine a medley of sweet, juicy strawberries, plump, bursting blueberries, crunchy almonds, and creamy avocado, all nestled on a bed of delicate baby spinach. What truly sets this salad apart is its light yet incredibly flavorful homemade citrus poppy seed dressing, a concoction that perfectly complements every bite. It’s more than just a salad; it’s a healthy, satisfying, and utterly delicious experience designed for those long, sun-drenched days.

Why This Berry Spinach Salad is Your Go-To Summer Dish

When the temperatures rise, heavy meals often lose their appeal. That’s where this Berry Spinach Salad steps in, offering a refreshing and light alternative without sacrificing an ounce of flavor or satiety. We believe a truly great salad should engage all your senses, offering a delightful interplay of crunchy, creamy, juicy, sweet, and tart elements. This recipe delivers precisely that, ensuring every forkful is exciting. It’s not just a collection of ingredients; it’s a carefully curated blend designed to keep you feeling full, energized, and utterly content, making it perfect for a quick desk lunch, a picnic, or a light dinner.

A Closer Look at the Star Ingredients

This salad is a testament to the power of fresh, quality produce. Each component plays a vital role in creating a harmonious and unforgettable dish:

• Delicate Baby Spinach: Far from just a base, baby spinach provides a tender, slightly sweet foundation that is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Its mild flavor allows the other ingredients to shine.
• Sweet & Bursting Berries: We feature vibrant strawberries, known for their juicy sweetness and rich antioxidant content, alongside plump blueberries, which burst with a delightful tart-sweet flavor. These berries aren’t just for taste; they infuse the salad with brilliant color and incredible health benefits. Feel free to incorporate raspberries or blackberries for an even more diverse berry experience.
• Creamy Diced Avocado: Adding a luxurious creaminess, avocado contributes healthy monounsaturated fats, making the salad more satisfying and helping to keep you full longer. Its smooth texture is a beautiful contrast to the crunchier elements.
• Crunchy Sliced Almonds: For that essential textural contrast, sliced almonds provide a satisfying crunch and a dose of healthy fats and protein. They add an earthy note that grounds the sweetness of the berries.
• Tangy Crumbled Feta Cheese: A sprinkle of crumbled feta introduces a delightful salty and tangy kick, balancing the sweetness of the fruit and adding depth to the overall flavor profile. If you’re a fan of sharper flavors, blue cheese makes an excellent alternative.
• Subtly Sliced Red Onions: Thinly sliced red onions provide a mild pungency and a touch of crispness, adding an extra layer of complexity without overpowering the delicate flavors. They also contribute a beautiful pop of color.

The Star Player: Homemade Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing

While the salad ingredients are exceptional, the homemade citrus poppy seed dressing is truly the secret weapon that ties everything together. Forget store-bought options; this dressing is remarkably easy to make and offers a fresh, vibrant flavor that simply cannot be replicated. It’s light, healthy, and incredibly flavorful, making it a game-changer for your salad experience.

What Makes This Dressing So Special?

1. Triple Citrus Power: Our dressing harnesses the bright, zesty notes of three distinct citrus fruits: lemon, lime, and orange. This trifecta creates a complex, refreshing acidity that perfectly complements the sweetness of the berries.
2. Creamy Base with a Healthy Twist: A couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise (we recommend olive oil mayo for a healthier alternative) provide a subtle creaminess that emulsifies the dressing beautifully without making it heavy.
3. Natural Sweetness: Honey (or agave nectar for a vegan option) balances the tartness of the citrus, adding just the right amount of sweetness to enhance the fruit in the salad.
4. Flavor Enhancers: Dijon mustard adds a touch of tang and helps emulsify the dressing, while poppy seeds provide a delightful visual appeal and a subtle, pleasant crunch. Salt and freshly ground black pepper tie all the flavors together.
5. Light & Healthy: Made with extra virgin olive oil, this homemade dressing is significantly lower in calories and free from the artificial preservatives often found in store-bought varieties. You control the quality of ingredients, ensuring a wholesome addition to your meal.
6. Effortlessly Superior: With just 5 minutes of your time, you can whip up this dressing and elevate your salad from good to extraordinary. Once you try it, you’ll likely never go back to store-bought poppy seed dressing again!

Making Your Salad Even More Satisfying

While this Berry Spinach Salad is incredibly satisfying on its own, thanks to the healthy fats from avocado and almonds, you can easily customize it to fit your dietary needs or preferences. For those looking to boost the protein content, shredded chicken is an excellent addition. Cooked, store-bought rotisserie chicken offers a quick and easy solution, saving you precious time in the kitchen. Alternatively, crispy turkey bacon would introduce a savory, smoky element that pairs wonderfully with the sweet berries and tangy dressing. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other ingredients like a diced green apple for an extra crisp and tart dimension, or even different types of nuts like pecans or walnuts.

Serving and Storage Tips

This fresh and flavorful salad is an ideal choice when the weather warms up, requiring minimal effort for maximum reward. Simply toss a few ingredients in a bowl for the salad and whisk together the dressing ingredients – that’s all it takes! This recipe is perfect for approximately four side salads, but it can easily serve two as a generous main dish, especially when enjoyed after a refreshing day at the beach or as a revitalizing desk lunch.

To maintain the salad’s freshness, especially if preparing it ahead of time, it’s best to keep the dressing separate from the greens and other ingredients until just before serving. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. The spinach, berries, almonds, and avocado can be prepped and stored separately in the fridge. To prevent the avocado from browning, toss it with a little extra lemon or lime juice just before adding it to the salad. Assemble the salad and dress it right before you plan to enjoy it to ensure all ingredients remain crisp and vibrant.

Yield: 2 large or 4 side salads

Berry Spinach Salad + Citrus Poppyseed Dressing

Prep Time
10 minutes

Total Time
10 minutes

This healthy, colorful berry spinach salad is jam packed with flavor! Sweet, juicy strawberries, bursting blueberries, crunchy almonds, and creamy avocado. Tossed in light citrus poppy seed dressing that’s healthy. The most delicious summer berry spinach salad!

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (fresh or store-bought)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons regular mayonnaise (or olive oil mayo)
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon honey (or agave nectar)
• 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or canola oil)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
• Salt + pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 5 cups of baby spinach
• 8 – 10 strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup (1 oz) sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled (blue cheese would be good too)
• 1 large haas avocado, diced

Instructions

For the dressing:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon, lime, and orange juices along with the dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and honey. Continue to whisk as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Add the poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salad:

1. Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl, until combined. Pour desired amount of dressing overtop and serve immediately.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I’d love to see what you made!

In conclusion, this Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing is more than just a recipe; it’s an invitation to savor the simplicity and beauty of fresh, wholesome food. Its vibrant colors, diverse textures, and refreshing flavors make it an undeniable showstopper for any summer occasion. Whether you’re looking for a quick and healthy lunch, a light dinner, or a stunning side dish, this salad delivers on all fronts. Give it a try, and prepare to fall in love with your new favorite summer salad!

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