May 25, 2016

Summer Berry Chopped Salad

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Packed with juicy strawberries and blueberries, this summer berry chopped salad is a warm weather must! With fresh spinach, bacon (or chickpea bacon!) and a honey lemon dressing, it’s satisfying and delicious. Dairy free and gluten free, with vegan option.

A white bowl filled with Summer Berry Chopped Salad with a fork in the dish.

It’s that time of the year when the grocery bill seems to creep up a bit. Largely due to the fact that I have this tendency to pile all the fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, watermelon, etc. into my cart each week.

The struggle is real.

And then I get home and realize that I may have picked up a tad too much for just the two (TWO) people who live in our house. Which means the race is on to eat it all before it goes bad.

And that little game leads to dishes like this summer berry chopped salad.

Filled with plenty of strawberries and blueberries, it has become a staple on our weekly menu. Necessitated by that little aforementioned impulse fruit buying problem of mine.

I figured today was the perfect day to share this recipe because Memorial Day weekend is practically here. And I felt all festive with this salad since it has the red and blue covered. 

It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s crunchy. That’s a perfect trifecta right there.

Plus, since we have, um, eaten this so much lately, I have options for both a version with bacon AND a meatless version that is just as fantastic. So let’s get to it.

A white bowl filled with Summer Chopped Salad with a bowl of cornbread cubes to the side.

Tips & Tricks For This Summer Chopped Salad

  1. As I mentioned above, there are two options for protein for this salad. Option #1: Regular bacon. This is the husband’s preference. Option #2: Chickpea bacon. This would be my preference and hence that’s why it is pictured. Either are awesome. Pick your poison.
  2. As with any salad, of course feel free to adjust the amounts of the components to your own taste. You could also absolutely switch up the berries and use your favorites (or whatever you happened to over-buy at the store that week).
  3. To keep this recipe dairy free, be sure to use a dairy free cornbread (such as this light and fluffy cornbread – my favorite).

Light yet filling, you just cannot go wrong. And it’s so pretty too!

A white bowl filled with Summer Berry Chopped Salad with a jar of dressing in the background.

Additional Hearty Salads You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Filled with strawberries, blueberries and spinach, this summer berry chopped salad is perfect for warm weather! Topped with bacon (or chickpea bacon!) and a honey lemon dressing!

Summer Berry Chopped Salad

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Packed with juicy strawberries and blueberries, this summer berry chopped salad is a warm weather must! With fresh spinach, bacon (or chickpea bacon!) and a honey lemon dressing, it’s satisfying and delicious. Dairy free and gluten free, with vegan option.

Ingredients

For the croutons:

  • 3 cups cubed (¾ inch pieces) your favorite cornbread*

For the dressing:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey**
  • 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • pinch of pepper

For the salad:

  • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup raw walnuts, chopped
  • ¼ cup packed fresh basil, chopped
  • 4 to 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped (see notes for meatless option)***

Instructions

For the croutons:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Spread the cornbread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or dish.
  3. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool directly on the baking sheet.

For the dressing:

  1. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk until combined.

For the salad:

  1. Add some of the lettuce, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, basil and bacon to a serving plate or bowl. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing and top with some of the croutons.
  2. Alternatively, if using all the salad at once, add everything to a large bowl (except the croutons) and toss with the dressing to combine. Top with the croutons and serve immediately.

Notes

*To keep this dairy free / gluten free / vegan - be sure to use an appropriate cornbread of choice.

**To keep this vegan - use pure maple syrup instead of the honey.

***For a vegetarian / vegan option, make one batch of the chickpea bacon from this recipe I created for Oh My Veggies. Use in place of the regular bacon.

Recipe time does not include time to either cook the bacon or make the chickpea bacon.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 650mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 7gSugar: 14gProtein: 14g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice. Nutrition info for this recipe will vary depending on what cornbread you use.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dish
Berry Season, Dairy Free, Fourth of July, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Recipes (ALL), Salad, Seasonal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Weeknight
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