You will be making this Blueberry Basil Summer Green Salad with Goat Cheese on repeat this season!
All it takes is 6 fresh ingredients to make this summery fruit salad recipe plus a super simple dressing.
This salad recipe is truly summer in a bowl!
When I make a summer green salad I’m aiming for ingredients that are a bit crunchy, tangy, sweet and creamy. I want to take the taste buds on a true adventure!
Blueberries and basil are the perfect stars of this recipe, especially when they’re so fresh in the summertime. With every bite you get sweetness from the blueberries; crunchy almonds; tangy goat cheese; creamy avocado; and, freshness from the basil and greens.
Why you’ll love this fresh summer salad recipe
- You only need 6 fresh ingredients to make this salad and one large bowl.
- It’s a quick and delicious side dish for a summer bbq!
- This blueberry basil salad is an easy summer recipe to make as a side for a summer lunch or dinner.
- Easily make this summer salad a full meal by adding a grilled chicken breast or another protein of your choice.
Ingredients needed to make this summer salad recipe
Fresh Greens: The base of this salad calls for a fresh, crisp mix of spring greens but you could easily substitute with romaine lettuce or baby kale.
Blueberries: Gotta have fresh summer blueberries for that little bit of sweetness; you’ll need 1 cup blueberries.
Avocado: Brings a little creaminess and colour to the salad.
Toasted Nuts: Toasted sliced or chopped almonds work lovely but you can absolutely substitute too with walnuts.
Cheese: Crumbled goat cheese pairs so perfectly with the fresh blueberries and crunch almonds.
Fresh Basil: fresh herbs like fragrant basil leaves add another level of flavour .
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette: This simple vinaigrette brings the whole blueberry summer salad together with honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper
How to make this blueberry basil summer salad
Step 1: Toast the sliced or chopped almonds in a small pan of medium-low heat until just golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Step 2: Add all of the honey lemon vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar, either whisk the dressing or shake in the mason jar to combine. Set aside.
Step 3: To build the salad add the greens, blueberries, fresh basil leaves and almonds to a large salad bowl. Toss the salad with half of the dressing, taste and add more if desired. Then top with crumbled goat cheese and sliced or chopped avocado. Drizzle over the rest of the dressing if desired.
Expert tips to make this summer green salad
- If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to make a dressing, use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette instead.
- This is one of my favourite summer side dishes to make. Make as a side for anything on the grill!
- If you’re looking to add in even more flavour to this summer salad, add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of thinly sliced red onion.
- A good substitute for the almonds is toasted walnuts instead.
- If you want to shake things up even further, substitute half of the blueberries with 1/2 cup diced watermelon for a serious flavour boost!
Common questions
Can I use a different cheese than goat cheese?
YES! Crumbled feta cheese would go perfectly with all of the salad flavours and is a good substitute for goat cheese.
Is there another type of salad greens I could use?
The base of this salad calls for a fresh, crisp mix of spring greens but you could easily substitute with romaine lettuce. baby kale or even spinach.
What can I use instead of almonds if I have a nut allergy?
A tasty alternative to nuts in this salad recipe is crumbled granola, toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
More fresh summer salad recipes to make from the blog
Quick Summer Green Salad Recipe
Kale & Peach Salad with Feta and Toasted Pepitas
Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto
Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad
Blueberry Basil Summer Green Salad with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 cups spring greens or greens of your choice
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
- 2/3 cup toasted, sliced or chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1 avocado, pit removed and sliced or chopped
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- juice and zest of one lemon
- 2 tbsp liquid honey
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Toast the sliced or chopped almonds in a small pan of medium-low heat until just golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Add all of the honey lemon vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar, either whisk the dressing or shake in the mason jar to combine. Set aside.
- To build the salad add the greens, blueberries, basil and almonds to a bowl. Toss the salad with half of the dressing, taste and add more if desired. Then top with crumbled goat cheese and sliced or chopped avocado and drizzle the rest of the dressing on top if desired.
Notes
- Try fresh, sliced strawberries instead of blueberries.
- If goat cheese isn't for you, try feta or parmesan cheese instead.
- Don't want to use almonds? Try toasted walnuts. A tasty alternative to nuts in this salad recipe is crumbled granola, toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- If you're in a rush and don't have time to make a dressing, use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette instead
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