Looking for a new way to enjoy a spring mix salad? This delicious blueberry spring mix salad recipe is loaded with flavor and freshness. Made with a package of store-bough spring mix, this salad can be served as a side dish or as a lunch entrée salad with chicken. Healthy, easy and delicious!
Do you have a bag of spring mix in your refrigerator right now? Do you need a new idea of what to do with it? This healthy, easy blueberry salad is a great option!
You can make this blueberry salad two ways – as a side salad for a meal, or add chicken, shrimp or salmon to it for a lunch option. Either way, this salad is fresh, colorful and a great way to enjoy that package of spring mix!
What do I need to make a spring mix salad recipe?
- Bag/Package of spring mix – found in your produce section, spring mix typically includes a mixture of lettuce, including baby spinach, arugula, chard, radicchio, endive, red and green romaine or other heirloom lettuces.
- Celery – this will add some great color and crunch to your salad.
- Avocado – wonderfully nutritious, avocado will provide your salad with some good fats, and keep you full and satiated throughout the day.
- Cucumber – a great option to add to any salad, I like to use English cucumber, as it does not need to be peeled.
- Red onions – feel free to use fresh red onion or use my recipe for pickled red onions.
- Blueberries – fresh blueberries are best for this blueberry spring mix salad.
- Goat cheese crumbles – these can be found in the cheese or deli section of your grocery store.
- Walnuts – like the avocado, these also add some good fats to your salad, and also add some great texture and crunch.
- Chicken (or an entrée or lunch salad) – I’ve listed some good chicken options below.
- Dressing – a great pairing for this salad is my Honey Balsamic Dressing.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
What does spring mix salad consist of?
Spring mix typically includes a mixture of lettuce, including baby spinach, arugula, chard, radicchio, endive, red and green romaine or other heirloom lettuces. It’s is a great choice for making a salad, as it offers a variety of color and texture.
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations for a spring mix salad:
- Pickled red onions instead of fresh red onion. Occasionally, fresh red onion can be a bit strong. Try my pickled red onions – they are fantastic in a salad! Still crisp, yet slightly sweet, without the overwhelming strong onion flavor. I also use pickled red onions in my Roast Brussels Sprouts Salad.
- Feta or Blue Cheese crumbles instead of goat cheese. If you like a stronger cheese, give feta or blue cheese a try.
- Sliced or chopped almonds, pecans or pistachios instead of walnuts. All of these nut options are great and will give you a nice crunch to every bite of your salad.
How do I make blueberry spring mix salad?
To make this salad, start by placing the spring mix into a large salad bowl. Add in the sliced celery, red onions, avocado, cucumber, blueberries, goat cheese crumbles and walnuts. If you are making this salad an entrée salad, also add in the chicken.
Top the salad with the dressing and toss together to dress. Enjoy right away.
Note: if you are prepping this salad for later, hold off on adding the dressing. Store the dressing in a separate container and dress just before serving. Dressing your salad and then refrigerating it will cause the salad to become limp and soggy.
What other fruits could I add to a spring mix salad?
If you’re not much of a blueberry person, try substituting fresh raspberries, strawberries or blackberries to this salad. Other fruits that would work well in any spring mix salad would include sliced apples, peeled mandarin oranges or tangerines, pears, grapefruit segments, fresh cherries, mango and peaches.
Start with fruits you enjoy and what may be in season at the moment. A great place to start would be your local farmers market, as they will have the freshest picks of the season.
What nuts are good in a salad?
The best nuts for a salad are walnuts, pecans, almonds and pistachios. Nuts add some great texture and crunch to a salad and also provide some healthy fats. An average serving of nuts to add to a salad would be approximately 2 tablespoons.
Adding chicken to your blueberry salad:
The addition of grilled chicken is a great way to add extra protein to your salad and make it into an entrée. This salad is perfect for lunch. Here are some options of grilled chicken that are great in this salad:
- Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
- Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
- Store bought options – Costco has several pre-portioned, grilled chicken options that are perfect for salads. Check out my post on 15 Things I Buy at Costco for Healthy Meals and Snacks.
What meats can I add to a salad?
In addition to grilled, shredded or rotisserie chicken, you could also add grilled salmon, shrimp or even grilled steak to a salad. These are all excellent sources of protein and will help you stay fuller for longer.
Have leftovers? Try adding your leftover steak, shrimp, salmon or chicken to a salad. This is a great way to use leftovers in a different way.
How can I add extra protein to my salad?
A quick way to add extra protein to your salad is by adding meats, like chicken, salmon, shrimp or steak. In addition, you can add extra protein by adding hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, or using a Greek yogurt based dressing. Topping your salad with nuts will also add a few more grams of protein to your salad.
What can I put in my salad to make it taste better?
Add ingredients like fresh berries, sweet apples or pears, creamy avocado or sweet tart cherries will enhance the flavor of your salad. Additionally, roasted vegetables are also another great way to add sweeter, caramelized flavors to any salad mix.
Also consider adding a homemade salad dressing that will compliment the flavor of the salad, like a honey balsamic dressing or a lemon olive oil dressing.
The best dressing for a spring mix salad recipe:
I’ve paired this salad with my Honey Balsamic Dressing. This dressing is slightly sweet, yet has a nice vinaigrette flavor, which goes great with the berries, avocado and greens. I also use this dressing in my Chicken and Mango Salad.
Here are some other homemade salad dressing recipes that would be great with this salad:
- Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
- Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
- Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
- Healthy Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe
- Healthy Caesar Dressing
- Avocado Lime Dressing
- Dill and Yogurt Salad Dressing
How can I make my salad healthier?
Make your salad healthier by limiting the calorie-dense ingredients, like nuts, seeds, cheeses, oil-packed ingredients (like sun-dried tomatoes or olive tapenade) and heavy dressings. Instead of a store-bought dressing, consider making your own dressing which can save on calories and fat. Using a homemade dressing also allows you to control the ingredients that go into the dressing.
Additionally, keep an eye on portions. A serving of dressing is 2 tablespoons, whereas a heavy-handed pour of dressing can be upwards of 1/3 cup, which is nearly triple the serving size.
Frequently asked questions about spring mix salad:
Depending on the package you purchase (ingredients are listed on the front label), spring mix contains lettuce, baby spinach, chard, arugula, radicchio, endive, red and green romaine and other heirloom lettuces.
Yes, spring mix is a healthy option for any salad. It contains folate, calcium, and is a good source of Vitamins A, C and K.
Yes, leafy greens that are included in spring mix are very nutritionally dense. These greens offer a good source of Vitamins K, A and C are are rich in calcium, folate and fiber.
Romaine, spinach, kale, arugula and and other deep leafy greens are the best option for a salad. These all contain folate, calcium, fiber and are rich in Vitamins A, C and K.
If you loved this spring mix salad recipe, check out some of our other salad ideas:
Here are some other salad ideas that are great for lunch:
- Kale Apple Salad
- Italian Chicken Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Roasted Carrot Salad with Apples and Pistachios
- Harvest Salad with Pears
- Chicken Taco Salad Recipe
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Video
Blueberry Spring Mix Salad with Avocado and Cucumber
Equipment
- Cutting Boards This 3-Pack of non-slip cutting boards are a fantastic tool for every home cook.
Ingredients
- 1 (5 oz. pkg) Spring Mix
- 3/4 cup blueberries fresh, rinsed
- 1/2 cup celery sliced
- 1/2 cup avocado diced into chunks
- 1/2 cup cucumber sliced
- 1/3 cup red onion diced
- 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup Honey Balsamic Dressing
Instructions
- To a large salad bowl, add the package of spring mix.
- Add in the blueberries, celery, avocado, cucumber, red onions, walnuts and goat cheese crumbles.
- If serving the salad right away, dress the salad with the honey balsamic dressing and toss together to coat all the ingredients. (If making the salad in advance, store the dressing in a separate container. Dress the salad just before serving.)
- Serve right away after dressing the salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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