The next time you’re looking for a quick and healthy meal, make this fresh berry salad with microgreens.
Featuring bright lemon vinaigrette and creamy vegan feta cheese, this salad is bursting with flavor. Both ingredients help balance the sweetness of berries, as well as the earthy notes of microgreens and leafy greens.
If you’re new to microgreens, they’re the seedlings of vegetables or herbs. Our berry salad uses broccoli microgreens, but you’re welcome to use your favorite kind. You can usually find them at health markets or in the produce section of the grocery store.
Enjoy this summer salad as an appetizer, side dish, or as a main meal with smoky tempeh bacon. It’s also sure to be a hit at barbecues or summer pot lucks!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Leafy greens. Any leafy greens will do, including arugula, baby spinach, kale, lettuce, or spring mix.
- Microgreens. Use your favorite variety of microgreens or whatever you can find at the grocery store. Broccoli, pea, and radish sprouts are popular.
- Berries. Fresh berries add flavor, juiciness, and nutrients to the dish. Again, you have a lot of choices here—feel free to use strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, or a combination of different types.
- Vinaigrette. Both homemade and store-bought vinaigrettes will do. For our dish, we used our go-to lemon vinaigrette.
How to Make Berry Salad with Microgreens
Ready in just three steps, the instructions for making a berry salad with microgreens are deliciously easy. Simply toss the ingredients together, then drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. It’s a mouthwatering way to enjoy microgreens and fuel up on fruits, too.
For the full ingredients list and step-by-step tutorial, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. In a large bowl, toss the leafy greens, microgreens, berries, and chopped vegan feta cheese.
2. Divide between plates or bowls.
3. Drizzle with a vinaigrette of your choice. Toss well and enjoy as a side dish or entrée.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Add protein. To serve this salad as a main dish, add a plant-based protein like tempeh, tofu, chickpeas, or beans. This will make the recipe more filling and satisfying.
- Mix in nuts. For a delicious crunch, toss a handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into this salad. The texture of nuts offers a satisfying contrast against the creaminess of vegan feta and juicy berries.
- Garnish with mint. Topping the salad with fresh mint will add even more flavor to the dish. Not a fan of the herb? Try fresh basil or parsley.
- Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. If you don’t have a ready-made vinaigrette on hand (or if you simply don’t feel like making one!), you can’t go wrong with a quick drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
- Make your own vegan feta. Can’t find vegan feta cheese in stores? Make your own with our tofu feta recipe.
- Use raspberry vinaigrette. Make our naturally sweet raspberry vinaigrette to elevate the berry flavor of this dish.
How Do You Store Berry Salad?
To store leftovers, keep the salad and vinaigrette separately. This will ensure the greens don’t get soggy during storage. Both should also be stored in airtight containers. Enjoy the salad within 3 to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Coconut bacon — Sprinkle on salads for a savory twist
- Garlic bread — A classic partner for salads
- Chickpea salad — Serve with the salad to make it a complete meal
Berry Salad with Microgreens
Ingredients
Berry Salad
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup microgreens any kind
- 2 cups mixed berries plus more for garnish
- ½ cup vegan feta cheese roughly chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup or agave syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ to 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the lemon vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in bowl or jar. Whisk well and chill in the refrigerator.
- For the salad, combine the arugula, microgreens, mixed berries, and vegan feta cheese in a large bowl. Gently toss to combine.
- Divide between two large bowls or plates. Garnish with additional microgreens, mixed berries, and vegan feta cheese, if desired. Drizzle 2 tablespoons lemon vinaigrette on to each salad, toss, and serve.
Notes
- To serve this salad as a main dish, add a plant-based protein like tempeh, tofu, chickpeas, or beans. This will make the recipe more filling and satisfying.
- For a delicious crunch, toss a handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into this salad. The texture of nuts offer a satisfying contrast against the creaminess of vegan feta and juicy berries.
- Topping the salad with fresh mint will add even more flavor to the dish. Not a fan of the herb? Try fresh basil or parsley.
- If you don’t have a ready-made vinaigrette on hand (or if you simply don’t feel like making one!), you can’t go wrong with a quick drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
- Can’t find vegan feta cheese in stores? Make your own with our tofu feta recipe.
- Make our naturally sweet raspberry vinaigrette to elevate the berry flavor of this dish.
- To store leftovers, keep the salad and vinaigrette separately. This will ensure the greens don’t get soggy during storage. Both should also be stored in airtight containers. Enjoy the salad within 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
About the Author
Kirsten Nunez is a journalist who focuses on healthy food and cooking. Her vegan and plant-based recipes have appeared on VegNews, eHow, Shape, and more. When she’s not creating and photographing vegan recipes for Clean Green Simple, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen and sharing plant-based meals with friends and family. More articles by Kirsten.
