This sweet and savory berry salad combines all the delicious flavors of summer together in one bowl….the perfect side dish for your next party, picnic, or Memorial Day celebration!
I will never forget the time, several years ago, when Jorden told me I really needed to cut back on all the fruit I was buying. Too expensive! he said. And I just laughed at him. Because I am CRAZY about fruit….and it’s insanely good for you….and if there’s anything I’m going to cut back on, it’s not going to be fruit! (Sorry, Jorden.)
Living in the Midwest, good fruit can often be hard to come by. For much of the year, we are limited to apples, oranges, bananas, and pears (oh – and strawberries – if you want to spend $5 a pound and have them taste like nothing!) So when summer rolls around, and all the fruits come out of hiding, I’m like a little kid in a candy shop. And so are my kids! We usually just enjoy it “as is” or dump it all into a big bowl and call it fruit salad….but this time around I decided to take a more sophisticated approach.
I imagined all the things I would want in a sweet & savory spinach salad….and then just left out the spinach. Strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, feta cheese, homemade balsamic vinaigrette…..can you get any more sophisticated (or any more delicious!) than that? I dare you.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that my 6 year old daughter and our 9 year old neighbor, though skeptical, both tried the salad and really liked it! But when Jorden tried it, he wasn’t a huge fan. I actually knew that would be the case – he’s not a big sweet & savory kind of guy. And/or I’m starting to think he might really have something against fruit. Or…. maybe….just the cost of fruit! (Yes, Jorden…..I am laughing at you. And, for the record, this salad is amazing!)
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 c. fresh blueberries
- 2 c. fresh strawberries cut into eighths
- 1 c. chopped walnuts
- 4 oz. feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 c. balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3/4 c. olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. minced red onion
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- *Adapted from The America's Test kitchen Family Cookbook: Basic Vinaigrette recipe
Instructions
- Combine salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately.
- Add 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette to salad and mix to combine.
Looking for another delicious recipe using fresh summer ingredients? Check out my Red, White & Basil Dip!
Betty Daniels says
This salad IS amazing to see and to eat. Thanks for sharing. ☺
PapaLos - The Man, The Chef, The Dad says
Wow, that looks great. The fruit with the balsamic dressing sound like an amazing combination. And then the walnuts and feta.. fuhgettaboudit! Perfect for Memorial Day!
And who doesn’t like fruit?? That’s like not liking cookies. Or pizza! It’s just not right..
Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.com says
I think balsamic vinegar was MEANT for fruit! So good together. I spend way too much on fruit too, I think half my cart is filled with fruit each week! Love this salad!
Meaghan Voigt says
Yum! You’re genius and Jorden IS crazy! I will be eating this salad this weekend.
Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says
I love how your recipes introduced me to balsamic on fruit. This looks so good again. I swear, I’m going to gain 1000 pounds reading your blog – so much goodness! We go through TONS of fruit and like you, most of our year is spent eating bananas, oranges and the “non dirty dozen” (kiwi, cantaloupe, etc). We love when we can get fresh, local berries! It’s coming!!! Yay!
Aimee Hi says
There is nothing that says summer more than a berry salad! Yum!
I am your newest follower, found you via the linkup.
http://www.captivatingcorner.com
Julie Corbisiero says
Hi, this sounds so good and I am always making berry salad but never thought to make it like that.
Julie from julieslifestyle.blogspot.com
Angel Allen says
Hi Cathy.
Wow this looks amazing. I love blueberries in anything. I saw your salad on Manic Mondays
Also May is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I’m inviting everyone to drop by and read about prevention and early detection. I hope you will take a couple of minutes to visit. Women have to support women in the fight for the cure. Please stop by if you can.
All my best
Angel @ sewcraftyangel.blogspot.com
creativedominican says
Yum! Found over at The Flamingo’s Linky party and pined ya.
Reduce, Reuse, Renewed says
I had to click on this because your picture made it look so delicious! Bet that was yummy and gets eaten up fast!
Melissa Whitcher says
These looks amazing, Cathy! Love it!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
This sounds delish!! I think I take for granted how easy and cheap it is to get good fruit year round in CA. And I still complain about it in winter, lol.
Jeni IGOTTHISMARTHA says
Yummy! All of your recipes look so good today!!
Alyssa says
Yummy yummy yummy who doesn’t love a good salad in the summer time?
Rachel Pereira says
oh my gosh, this is a terrible thing to look at past midnight! Now I’m hungry! Looks delicious, thanks for sharing! I’m gonna have to try it! I popped over from Make it Pretty Monday!
HandJ Cobb says
Oh my gosh I love fruit too! I think I’m going to try this with goat cheese instead of feta, mostly because I would eat goat cheese straight if it wasn’t so fatty! I’m pinning this! Also, have you tried other fruits yet? Like oranges/pineapple?
http://www.domesticblisssquared.com
Desiree @ The 36th AVENUE says
Oh my! Cathy I want to have breakfast, dinner and lunch at your house! Yummy!
Wanda Ann Olsen says
Cathy,
This looks delicious. I love blueberries and I feta is my favorite cheese. I’ll have to try it. I’m pinning to make soon!
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
Linda @ With A Blast says
Love all the berries combined with nuts and cheese! Pinned to make as soon as our Spring start in September 🙂 Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe at the WEDNESDAYS ADORNED FROM ABOVE Blog Hop !
Christie Daruwalla says
Your salad sounds divine. I love the sweet and savory mix. This is the perfect summer salad. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures.
Karla Harms says
Yet another yummy dish! Thanks again for sharing on Much Ado About Monday!
Karla
http://www.huckleberrylove.com
Bevin says
Yum! Thanks for sharing.
Bevin @ WhoNeedsaCape.com
Jamie Sherman says
Wow! What a great salad! Thanks so much for sharing at last week’s All My Bloggy Friends! I can’t wait to see what you share this week 🙂
Katie Adams says
This salad looks oh so delish! Thank you for sharing on Blog Stalking Thursday! I have featured your project on Blog Stalking Thursday Features YOU! The post is going live later tonight. I would love for you to stop by and grab a feature button. Thanks again for sharing!
Ginger@gingersnapcrafts.com says
Featured YOU on my blog this week in my 25+ Berry Recipe round up. Thank you so much for sharing at {wow me} wednesday! 🙂
Ginger @ GingerSnapCrafts.com
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2013/06/over-25-berry-recipes-linkparty-feature.html
Corina Plesa says
These are by far the most appetising food imagery I’ve seen in a long time on a recipes blog. Be sure I’ll try some of these summer salads with unusual and interesting combinations.
Marissa @ Life is Fantasmic says
YUM!!! I’d love for you to share this at my Saturday Dishes Link Party this weekend! It’s a themed link up & this week’s theme is Memorial Day & Grilling! Feel free to share other posts that fit the theme as well if you have them! (:
http://lifeisfantasmic.blogspot.com/2014/05/saturday-dishes-memorial-day-grilling.html
Kelly @ Mostly Homemade Mom says
This looks delicious and so refreshing for summer, Cathy!