Spinach Almond and Berries Salad
A Spinach Almond and Berries Salad is the perfect way to showcase the best of summer’s bounty! Plus the Spinach Salad Dressing pairs perfectly with berries.
With the crunch of nuts, the sweetness of berries plus refreshing greens, this amped-up Strawberry Spinach Salad is divine!
Why You Must Make
I spotted this recipe in a cookbook (affiliate link) I bought over a decade ago in Colorado. It featured a bed of greens with a sprinkling of colorful berries. The sweet vinaigrette paired delightfully with the fruit-laden salad. That was my inspiration for this Spinach, Almond, and Berries Salad.
- Growing up in central Iowa, my mom’s salads were pretty basic. When my aunt shared her Strawberry Spinach Salad, we were instant fans.
- All the sugar in the vinaigrette didn’t hurt!
- This version has FOUR kinds of berries, lettuce in addition to the spinach, green onions, a touch of fresh dill, and slivered almonds.
- The delicious salad dressing is a little more complex with garlic, Worcestershire, dry mustard, and onion powder in addition to a good dose of sugar, oil, and vinegar.
How to Make
Growing up, my mom would try to shake up the ordinary tossed salad. We expected tomatoes, cucumbers, and other raw ingredients. My sisters and I weren’t thrilled when she tossed in some leftover steamed green beans and were appalled if fruit was involved. But the first strawberry spinach salad recipe changed our minds. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of berries in salads.
- To make this lovely version, spinach and bib lettuce were tossed together to form a bed for the other ingredients.
- The greens were then topped with perfectly ripe strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
- Next, the toasted slivered almonds, green onions, and a few delicate tendrils of fresh dill were sprinkled over and around the berries.
- PRO-Tip: Even if the fresh dill sounds a bit odd, give it a try. I typically don’t use much fresh dill, but it was another delicious nuance added to this out-of-the-ordinary berry salad.
- All the dressing ingredients except the oil were whisked together before slowly whisking in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing.
- Either toss the salad with some of the dressing right before serving or pass the dressing along with the salad. This delicious twist on a spinach salad is ideal for a picnic, barbecue, or just a weeknight dinner at home.
- This recipe is very adaptable. Omit or switch out the nuts to your favorite. Use just one berry or just two or three!
Frequently Asked Questions
Use your sense of sight and smell. They should have a sweet aroma and look plump, and vibrant with no bruises, soft or moldy spots, or areas of green. If at the supermarket, look at all sides of the plastic container during your inspection.
If it wasn’t emulsified properly, it will separate. Emulsification is the process where you slowly drizzle in the oil as you whisk. If this is not done or done too quickly, the dressing can separate. But even if this happens, just whisk the dressing again or shake the container well before serving and it will be fine.
You May Also Like
- Summer Caprese Salad from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Goat Cheese Salad with Raspberry Dressing – Creative Culinary
- Spinach Pear Salad with Cranberries and Blue Cheese
- Citrus Spinach Salad with Avocados and Oranges
- Peach and Beet Salad
- Plus More of the Best Salad Recipes
Spinach, Almond and Berries Salad
A refreshing salad with fresh strawberries and spinach plus crunchy almonds.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
Salad:
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 8 ounces baby spinach
- 8 ounces butter lettuce
- 4 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients except oil. Slowly drizzle in oil while whisking constantly. Set aside.
- Toss all salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Before serving, add the vinaigrette and toss.
Notes
Feel free to leave out the nuts or substitute with pecans or walnuts.
Use all 4 berries, or just one or two. This recipe is very flexible!
Adapted from Colorado Colore.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 413Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 8gSugar: 34gProtein: 6g
60 Comments on “Spinach Almond and Berries Salad”
I love spinach salads but I never would have thought to add berries! Yum!
I’m not a cooked spinach fan so this salad definitely works for me. It’s so pretty and looks like each piece has been perfectly placed.
The dill is such a unique addition — sounds good! And that dressing!
Excellent salad; it’s simply the best epitome to summer. I usually go even without any dressing (Just a few drizzles of oil or lemon juice), but this dressing is lovely, too. The salad is so well-balanced to my taste that I wouldn’t skip / add anything – maybe just a little of parmesan or crumbled feta.
Thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s a beautiful salad and I bet that it tastes amazing too!
Really beautiful. But mostly I’m intrigued about this dressing. W sauce in a salad dressing?!! I’m excited to try it!
Looks delicious! Beautiful and bright. So quick and easy too.. Yum!
This really is an unusual salad. I love to throw the occasional piece of fruit into a salad, but this is truly the mid-ground between a fruit salad, and a vegetable salad! My husband can’t go a week without “needing” spinach (no, I didn’t marry Popeye) so I definitely see this salad making an appearance in my kitchen sometime soon.
This is a lovely take on the ordinary spinach salad, the use of berries add some beautiful pops of colour. A cool little trivia: spinach needs to be paired with something that has vitamin C for its vitamin D to be absorbed by the body, hence the usual mandarin orange in a typical spinach salad!
This salad looks beautiful!! I love the fresh berries in the salad. Absolutely delicious!
This is gorgeous, Liz! I love adding berries to salad greens, and the dressing sounds fabulous!
What a beautiful salad Liz – so delicious and healthy! The berries up here are gorgeous and will make a lovely addition to our salad course!
I’m especially fond of fruits in salad; I no longer even try using tomatoes out of season…I know I would love this mixture and it’s pretty to boot!
This is a gorgeous salad with all of the color. Love your childhood story too.
Dear Lizzy this salad looks beautiful.and delicious !
Send you hugs and love
Gloria
This salad has a perfect mix of flavors and textures. The dressing really takes it to the next level, I am in love!
Yes please! This is one of my favorite salads! My husband and I love this! Can’t wait to make this again!
Yummy in my tummy!
Love this salad! The idea of all of those berries in a salad is just irresistible. I was surprised to see such a large amount of Worchestershire sauce in the dressing. That’s an ingredient that I use in moderation because it’s so strong, but when I think about it – it’s not as powerful as balsamic. I can definitely see how it could work with all those berries. This is a keeper!
Beautiful and colorful salad. I have never tried strawberries in savory style salad, but you are tempting me. 🙂