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This summer berry salad with honey-lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe is a delicious, sweet, and savory appetizer or side dish. Great to serve at a summer BBQ, this is one crowd-pleaser salad everyone will love.

A bright & fresh salad loaded with fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries, cashews, quinoa, topped on fresh baby spinach.

Want more delicious summer recipes? Try our plum ricotta bruschetta, Thai mango salad, and our sweet & spicy pineapple pico de gallo salsa!

summer strawberry salad with blueberry cashew nuts tomatoes and quinoa sweet and savory salad recipes with fruit

Table of Contents

Summer officially starts next week, and I couldn’t wait to take advantage of sweet summer berries in this delicious salad! This summer berry salad is loaded with blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries served with savory spinach and tomatoes, in a bright and garlicky dressing.

It’s the perfect sweet & savory salad combination!

I was inspired to make this recipe after having lunch at a fantastic restaurant called The Wood on our recent trip to Canmore, Alberta! They had a wonderful quinoa berry power bowl on the menu, and it was so delicious, I had to recreate it at home. This salad is the perfect side dish for your next summer gathering. It’s elegant, fun, and tastes amazing.

This Summer Berry Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing Recipe Is

Bright
Sweet
Fresh
Savory
Satisfying
Great for Entertaining
Vegetarian & Can Easily be Made Vegan

summer berry salad with honey lemon vinaigrette dressing cranberries and cashews and quinoa over spinach greens

Fresh Summer Salad Recipes You’ll Make Again & Again

We absolutely love big bold salads, with fresh flavors and bold dressings. This strawberry salad is the perfect combination of savory with pops of sweetness from the fresh berries and dried cranberries.

There are NO boring salads here, we bring our best ingredients to each & every salad pairing. Some are light and delicate, some are hearty and satisfying. Browse through all our simple salad recipes to find your next favorite.

What’s In This Strawberry and Spinach Salad Recipe?

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Baby Spinach – which has a mild delicate flavor
Strawberries
Blueberries
Tomatoes – I used cherry tomatoes, but you can use any variety you like.
Cashews – I used lightly salted roasted cashews for this recipe, which give the salad a great crunch!
Dried Cranberries
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
White Quinoa: I used white quinoa, but you can use red or multicolored. You can cook quinoa on the stove top, make quinoa in the Instant Pot (my preferred method), or even make quinoa in the rice cooker.
Lemon Juice
Garlic
Dijon Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, this Dijon is a favorite in our pantry. Use a good quality mustard, not yellow prepared mustard.
Honey: As beekeepers, we have plenty of raw honey so I try to use it in all my recipes instead of sugar. I’d recommend trying a local farmers market to find the best raw honey in your area.
Salt & Pepper

strawberry spinach salad with blueberries, cashews, quinoa, and cranberries for a summer side salad with fruit

How Do I Make This Berry Spinach Salad Recipe?

To a large serving bowl, add the spinach, picking out any large stems.
Top the spinach with strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, cooked quinoa, cashews, and tomatoes.
Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl, or a mason jar with a lid. Mix well to combine the dressing.
Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well.

A Side Salad for Summer Entertaining Everyone Will Love

This summer strawberry spinach salad is one of my favorite Easy Entertaining Recipes – it’s a crowd-pleaser dish that is always a major hit with company. These delicious recipes are perfect to treat your guests (or treat yourself!) when you have a special occasion for dinner.

Browse through our collection of Entertaining Recipes, that we love making for friends and family. If you’re heading to a party, potluck, or BBQ, check out my list of top host gifts for dinner parties for that next-level gift they will love!

summer strawberry salad recipe with spinach and blueberry salad with nuts and a honey lemon vinaigrette dressing vegetarian summer side salads for guests gluten free side salads

Dietary Modifications for Vegan & Gluten Free Versions

This recipe is naturally vegetarian & dairy free. To make vegan, omit the honey and use agave nectar or maple syrup instead.

This summer berry salad recipe is naturally gluten free, however certify that all ingredients you are using (like the quinoa and any salad ingredients) are certified GF before adding.

Easy Summer Salads You May Enjoy

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I’m a fruit fanatic this dish was right up my alley