This berry spinach salad is loaded with juicy strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, creamy goat cheese, and roasted pecans, all tossed in a homemade raspberry vinaigrette.
It all comes together in about 30 minutes, and I find myself making it again and again all summer long.
Recipe Highlights
- Servings: makes 4 servings as a side dish
- Time Commitment: About 30 minutes (prep your ingredients while the shallots marinate in the dressing)
- Effort Required: Easy, this recipe only involves preparing raw ingredients
- Special Equipment: A wide-mouth mason jar and an immersion blender to make the dressing (or a food processor)
- Dietary Notes: Contains dairy (goat cheese) and honey
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Ingredients and Substitutions
This easy spinach salad uses simple, fresh ingredients that you can pick up at any grocery store or farmer's market.
- Baby Spinach: The base of this salad. Look for spinach that's bright green with no wilted or slimy leaves.
- Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries: A mix of berries gives the best texture and flavour, but feel free to use whichever berries look best at the store.
- Goat Cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy bite. I bought pre-crumbled goat cheese for this recipe, but you could buy a small block and crumble it yourself. Feta is a good substitute if you prefer a saltier cheese.
- Pecans (Roasted): I love adding pecans for crunch. Buy pre-roasted pecans to save time if you can find them. Sliced almonds or walnuts also work well here, or substitute sunflower seeds to make this salad nut-free (I did that in my summer kale salad).
For the Raspberry Vinaigrette:
A simple balsamic and olive oil dressing would work well on this baby spinach salad, but this raspberry vinaigrette takes it up a notch, adding even more of that fresh raspberry flavour throughout the salad.
- Raspberries: These get blended right into the dressing for a bright berry flavour.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, since it makes up most of the dressing.
- Balsamic Vinegar & Red Wine Vinegar: This combination adds tang and a touch of natural sweetness to the dressing.
- Shallot: Milder and sweeter than a regular onion. A small amount of finely diced red onion will also work.
- Honey: Balances out the acidity from the vinegar. This is optional if you prefer a more tart dressing.
This recipe has not been tested with all possible substitutions or variations. Making changes may alter the taste, texture, or overall outcome. If you try a different ingredient, please share in the comments!
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
Variations
This baby spinach salad is easy to customize depending on what you have on hand or what you're craving.
- Add Red Onion: Soak sliced red onion in cold water for about 10 minutes before adding it to the salad. I use this same method in my Greek Salad recipe.
- Add Protein: Grilled chicken, salmon, or crispy chickpeas turn this side salad into a full meal.
- Swap the Fruit: Try other fruits instead of berries. For example, I use pears in the fall to make a spinach pear salad.
Why I Make This Recipe
This spinach berry salad recipe is an updated version of a spinach salad with raspberries that I published years ago.
Originally, it was just baby spinach with pecans and raspberries. That version was popular with readers for a long time, but I always felt there was room to make it even better.
So I added blueberries and strawberries for more juicy flavour and fibre, goat cheese for a bit of creaminess, and a raspberry vinaigrette to really bring out the berry flavour in every bite.
It's now one of the salad recipes I make most often once berries are in season, and I think it's a big improvement on the original.
One note on the dressing: if you make the raspberry vinaigrette with just red wine vinegar, it can turn out very pink!
I didn't find the colour very appetizing when I tested it that way, so I added balsamic vinegar to tone the colour down and bring in a bit of extra sweetness.
How to Make a Berry Spinach Salad
This salad comes together in two parts: the raspberry vinaigrette and the salad itself.
Make the Raspberry Vinaigrette
Fresh raspberries level up your typical basic balsamic dressing.
This is a great salad dressing for spinach salad because it adds much-needed acidity to the mild baby spinach leaves.
Step 1: Combine the shallots, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard in a mason jar. Season with salt and pepper, shake well, and let it sit for 15 minutes so the shallots mellow out.
Step 2: Add the honey, raspberries and olive oil to the jar. Use an immersion blender to blend the dressing until well combined. For a smooth texture, strain the dressing to remove the raspberry seeds.
This salad dressing recipe makes more than you'll need for one batch of salad and will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Be sure to give it a good shake before the leftovers.
Time-saving Tip: Wash and prep your spinach and berries while the shallots sit in the vinegar.
Assemble the Salad
Step 3: Add the baby spinach to a large bowl. Scatter the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, goat cheese crumbles and pecans over top.
Step 4: Serve the salad with the dressing on the side.
This salad looks best before it's tossed, so I like to let everyone dress their own bowl at the table.
Tips for Success
- Strain the vinaigrette to remove the raspberry seeds if you prefer a smoother dressing.
- Wait to add the dressing until you're ready to serve, so the spinach doesn't wilt.
- Toast your pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes before adding them to the salad. It brings out a lot more flavour.
- Make the dressing a day ahead. It gives the shallots more time to mellow, and the flavour only gets better.
Serve With
This salad is filling enough to enjoy on its own, but it also makes a lovely side dish alongside grilled chicken, salmon, or a simple roast for a summer dinner.
And you can never go wrong with a slice of crusty bread on the side, too.
Common Questions
Fresh berries work best for the salad itself, since frozen berries tend to release too much liquid once thawed. Frozen raspberries can work in the dressing, since they get blended anyway.
No. It does give the dressing a smoother texture, but since there are whole raspberries in the salad anyway, I usually don't bother.
More Salad Recipes You'll Love
If you make this berry spinach salad recipe, let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Recipe Card
Berry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon finely diced shallots
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup raspberries
- ½ cup olive oil
For the Salad:
- 5 cups baby spinach, (one 142 g/5 oz package)
- ½ cup strawberries, sliced
- ½ cup raspberries
- ½ cup blueberries
- ⅓ cup goat cheese crumbles, or a small block of goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup roasted pecans, roughly chopped
Equipment
- Mason Jar
- Immersion Blender, (or a food processor)
- Large Bowl
Instructions
To Make the Raspberry Vinaigrette:
- Combine the shallots, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and mustard in a mason jar. Season with salt and pepper, shake well, and let sit for 15 minutes to mellow the shallots. While you wait, wash and prep your baby spinach and berries so everything's ready to go.
- Add the honey, raspberries and olive oil. Then use an immersion blender to blend the dressing until well combined. If you want a smoother texture, strain the dressing to remove the raspberry seeds. Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, giving it a good shake before each use.
To Assemble the Salad:
- Add the baby spinach to a large bowl. Scatter the berries, goat cheese crumbles, and pecans over the spinach. Serve with the dressing on the side.
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Notes
- Always wash your fruits and vegetables before using them.
- Buy roasted pecans at the grocery store to save time. Or toast raw pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes before adding them to the salad.
- For the best flavour, make the dressing the day before so the shallots can mellow out even more.
- This recipe makes more dressing than you'll need for one batch of salad. Save the extra in the fridge (it should last for 3-5 days) and enjoy it on other salads.
- Variations: try adding grilled chicken or crispy chickpeas to make it a more filling meal
Please read the full blog post for all of my tips, variations, and recommendations for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy and will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For exact values, use your preferred nutritional calculator with the products you're using.
Private Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out in the comments!About Shareba
Shareba Abdul is a recipe developer and food photographer with a Culinary Arts certificate from George Brown College and 15+ years of experience creating and testing recipes for home cooks. She is also a member of the International Association for Culinary Professionals. All recipes on this website are tested in her home kitchen. Learn more →
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