Avocado Blueberry Salad: a refreshing summer salad complete with berries, nuts, avocado & a lightly sweetened lemon poppy seed dressing.

This recipe was originally published on July 19, 2019. It was updated on July 19, 2021.

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Article summary:

In this blog post we will be making a favorite summer salad: avocado blueberry salad. This salad is light, satisfying, and full of summer flavor. Serve it as a main dish or side dish salad with almost any summer dinner. Below, I share illustrated instructions on how to make this recipe, common substitutions, serving suggestions, and more.

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If I were to make a list of my top summer dinner party recipes of 2021 (because, you know, we can do that again!), this blueberry avocado salad would easily top it.

It has all the elements: salty, sweet, buttery, crunchy, and creamy. It's gluten-free, can easily be made vegan, and satisfies almost any dinner guest. Including kids.

And not only that, but it's easily put together in under 15 minutes, leaving you time and energy to focus on the other aspects of entertaining.

You know -- grilling your favorite chicken, making a classic summer dessert, or enjoying your favorite beverage with your guests!

Or you can make it any 'ole weeknight. After all, Mondays and Wednesdays need more than their share of victories, too.

Because this summer salad recipe is a recipe that Chris still talked about the day after I first made it. And though he's usually the most entirely supportive of my cooking, we've usually moved on to talking about and preparing other dishes. Yes, we love food that much in this house. 😬

But, even though we'd moved onto our next adventure, he still mentioned this past salad. With this, I knew I needed to get it on the blog and onto other get-together menus in the near future. I hope it ends up on your menu soon as well.

This avocado blueberry salad is...

• Fresh
• Creamy
• Crunchy
• Sweet

Enjoy the season's bounty with a fresh and simple to make main or side dish salad!

Recipe ingredients:

• Blueberries
• Avocado
• Baby spinach
• Sliced almonds - slivered almonds also work
• Golden raisins
• Crumbled goat cheese
• Lemon juice - fresh or bottled
• Honey
• Olive oil
• Poppy seeds

Substitutions:

• Berries - any kind of berry will work in place of the blueberries, as can nectarines, peaches, or plums
• Greens - baby kale, mixed baby greens, or baby chard can substitute for the baby spinach
• Raisins - traditional purple raisins can replace the golden raisins in a pinch; so can diced dried apricots
• Liquid sweetener - maple syrup or agave syrup can work in place of the honey
• Olive oil - avocado oil can substitute for the olive oil

How to make this blueberry spinach salad:

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or small food processor. Run until smooth and blended. Stir the poppy seeds into the dressing until combined.
2. Layer the salad ingredients into a large serving bowl or onto a large serving platter.
3. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss until combined. Serve immediately!

Recipe pro-tips:

• Substitute lemon poppy seed dressing for the homemade dressing to save on time or on hassle (though the dressing is very simple to make!).
• Double or halve this recipe by increasing or decreasing the ingredients and following the directions as listed.
• To make this recipe ahead of time, assemble the salad as directed, reserving preparing or adding the avocado or dressing the salad until just before serving.
• To make the dressing without a blender or food processor, just whisk them together vigorously in a medium-size mixing bowl.

Recipe FAQs:

Dietary adaptations:

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, processed sugar-free, and vegetarian. To make it dairy-free, simply omit the goat cheese from the recipe; to make it vegan, omit the chese and use maple syrup or agave syrup in place of the honey.

Storage directions:

Leftover salad will easily wilt if stored in the dressing. So, for best results, refrigerate leftover salad undressed in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

If you anticipate having leftovers, dress only the portion of the salad you plan on eating or dress individual salad servings to keep the greens from wilting. Cut up only the portion of the avocado that you anticipate eating, too (cut up the rest immediately before tossing the leftover salad).

Serving directions:

This salad is delicious served on it's own for a light vegetarian lunch or summer dinner. Give the salad more staying power by serving it with grilled chicken, salmon, or tofu.

You can also serve this salad as a side salad along with many grilled entrees:

• Grilled chicken thighs
• Salmon
• BBQ Pork Sandwiches
• Curried Grilled Chicken
• Hamburgers
• Chicken or vegetable kabobs
• Pork or chicken sausage

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Blender or food processor
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large serving bowl
• Salad tongs

More healthy salad recipes:

• 5 Bean Salad (Vegan + Gluten-Free!)
• Roasted Tomato Salad with Burrata
• Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower & Cabbage Salad
• Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Greek Quinoa Salad

Or, check out my list of the 31 BEST Healthy Salad Recipes!

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