By Becky Hardin
Published Jun 30, 2023
This Spinach Berry Salad is filled with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, as well as walnuts and goat cheese. It’s finished with a homemade, creamy poppy seed dressing for a tangy and fresh flavor. It’s such an easy and healthy salad to throw together for summer gatherings or light lunches!
What’s in this Salad with Berries?
Spinach, mixed berries, and goat cheese topped with a creamy poppy seed dressing makes the perfect salad for your next healthy meal.
- Spinach: The base of our salad. I like using baby spinach but regular spinach works too. You could also swap it for baby lettuces or watercress if you prefer more crunch.
- Berries: I’m using mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, but feel free to use whatever fruit you have on hand. Apples, cantaloupe, peaches, etc. all work for a quick and fruity salad.
- Greek Yogurt: Using this for a light and creamy dressing base. Make sure to use unsweetened, unflavored Greek yogurt.
- Milk: Thins the dressing so it has a pourable consistency.
- Honey: Adds just a bit of sweetness to the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a little bite to the salad dressing.
- Poppy Seeds: Add great texture to the tangy dressing.
- Goat Cheese: Adds a bit of funkiness and creaminess to the berry salad. Blue cheese would also be delicious in this recipe!
- Walnuts: Add a bit of salty crunch to finish off this spinach salad.
Pro Tip: Store the salad and dressing separately to prevent wilting!
Variations on Summer Berry Salad
There are so many easy ways to modify this spinach and berry salad. Swap the berries for whatever fruits are in season (like apples, peaches, or grapes). You can make it a bit heartier by adding in chopped red onion, cucumber, avocado, or cooked quinoa. Or, make this salad a meal by topping it with grilled chicken , air fryer salmon , or seared steak . Switch things up and serve this salad with spicy sweet dressing or Italian dressing for a change of pace!
Yes! I prefer baby spinach, as it is more tender, but you can eat any kind of spinach raw!
This salad is super healthy! Spinach is rich in vitamins A, C, and K; iron; folate; potassium; and fiber. Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber, walnuts are chock full of healthy polyunsaturated fats, and goat cheese is a great low-calorie source of protein and calcium!
Nope! While this dressing is a great healthy salad dressing, you could make the full-fat version of poppy seed dressing , or try spicy sweet dressing or Italian dressing . For a different healthy alternative, you could also dress this salad with a simple mixture of oil and balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze .
How to Make Ahead and Store
If you want to prep this dish ahead of time, I recommend waiting to toss the salad with the dressing until just before serving to preserve freshness. Store the poppy seed dressing and the spinach berry salad in separate airtight containers, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Toss just before serving!
If you have leftovers after tossing everything together, you can store that the same way. Just note that the leaves will get soggy the longer it sits, though it will still tastes delicious.
Serving Suggestions
This spinach and mixed berry salad is one of my favorite summer salads , and it’s the perfect pairing to your next healthy weeknight meal! Serve it with honey balsamic chicken , turkey meatloaf , cabbage soup , caprese stuffed salmon , air fryer shrimp , or teriyaki tofu . It also makes a great side for a hearty Air Fryer hamburger or chicken sandwich . It’s also a great salad to bring to potlucks !
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Poppy Seed Dressing
- ▢ ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ▢ ¼ cup milk
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ▢ 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
For the Salad
- ▢ 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
- ▢ ½ cup strawberries halved, diced, or quartered
- ▢ ⅓ cup roasted salted walnuts
- ▢ ¼ cup raspberries
- ▢ ¼ cup blueberries
- ▢ 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
For the Poppy Seed Dressing
- Whisk together all of the ingredients (Greek yogurt, milk, honey, dijon, and poppy seeds) together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
For the Salad
- Add the spinach, strawberries, walnuts, raspberries, blueberries, and goat cheese to a large bowl. Drizzle over as much dressing as you like (I usually use about ½-¾ of it) and toss to combine. 6 ounces fresh baby spinach, ½ cup strawberries, ⅓ cup roasted salted walnuts, ¼ cup raspberries, ¼ cup blueberries, 2 ounces goat cheese
- Serve immediately.
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Fruity Salad Recipes We Love
- Grilled Peach Salad
- Kale Salad with Apples
- Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
- Mandarin Orange Salad
- Fruit and Feta Mason Jar Salad
Spinach Berry Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Poppy Seed Dressing
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
For the Salad
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup strawberries halved, diced, or quartered
- ⅓ cup roasted salted walnuts
- ¼ cup raspberries
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
For the Poppy Seed Dressing
- Whisk together all of the ingredients (Greek yogurt, milk, honey, dijon, and poppy seeds) together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
For the Salad
- Add the spinach, strawberries, walnuts, raspberries, blueberries, and goat cheese to a large bowl. Drizzle over as much dressing as you like (I usually use about ½-¾ of it) and toss to combine. 6 ounces fresh baby spinach, ½ cup strawberries, ⅓ cup roasted salted walnuts, ¼ cup raspberries, ¼ cup blueberries, 2 ounces goat cheese
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
