A Blueberry Spinach Salad That Actually Belongs at Brunch

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Some brunch dishes are heavy enough to require a nap afterwards. This isn’t one of them. With sweet blueberries, salty feta, toasted nuts, and a sharp and maple balsamic dressing, this blueberry spinach salad is the sort of thing that quietly disappears first at the table.

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Spinach Salad

• Bright and fresh beside rich brunch dishes
• Comes together in about 15 minutes
• Sweet, salty, crunchy, and sharp all at once
• Easy to adapt depending on the season
• Looks impressive with very little effort
• Works equally well for brunch or a light summer supper

The Perfect Sunday Brunch Blueberry Spinach Salad

There’s a very specific role a brunch salad is supposed to play.

It isn’t meant to be the star of the table. Nobody arrives at brunch hoping for spinach. What it is supposed to do is cut through everything else — the buttery pastries, the smoked salmon, the second helping of quiche someone absolutely did not need but took anyway.

That’s where this blueberry spinach salad earns its keep.

The blueberries bring sweetness, the feta adds just enough salt, and the toasted almonds give the whole thing some proper crunch instead of that sad, apologetic texture too many salads seem committed to. Then everything gets tossed in a sharp maple balsamic dressing that feels bright enough for summer without turning the whole thing into dessert.

I first started making versions of this for long summer brunches when the table already looked dangerously full. You need something fresh in amongst all the richer dishes. Frankly, I suspect that’s why mimosas were invented too.

The best part is that it looks far more elaborate than it actually is. Most of the work involves slicing a red onion, toasting a handful of nuts, and trying not to eat all the blueberries before they make it into the bowl.

Serve it alongside quiche, grilled salmon, smoked meats, or a loaf of warm bread and it quietly becomes the thing everybody goes back for “just a little more” of before lunch somehow stretches into late afternoon.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make this blueberry spinach salad, you’ll need:

• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or almonds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional – but great)

Maple Balsamic Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Blueberry Spinach Salad

1. Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the spinach and blueberries. Slice the red onion and avocado (if using).
2. Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, blueberries, feta cheese, red onion, nuts, and dried cranberries.
3. Make the dressing: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Dress the salad: Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss gently to combine.
5. Serve and enjoy: Garnish with avocado slices and fresh mint if desired and serve immediately.

A Few Small Tips Before You Start

• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
• Toast the nuts for extra crunch and a deeper flavor.
• Use fresh berries—frozen blueberries release too much moisture.
• Serve with crusty bread or a side of quiche for the ultimate salad for brunch experience.

What Else Works Here

• Goat cheese works beautifully in place of feta if you want something softer and creamier.
• Strawberries or raspberries can replace the blueberries later in the summer when they’re at their best.
• Toasted hazelnuts are excellent here if you want something slightly richer and more earthy than almonds.
• Arugula gives the salad a sharper, peppery edge if you prefer something with a little more bite than spinach.
• Grilled salmon turns this into an excellent light summer supper rather than just a brunch side.
• In winter, blood orange works surprisingly well alongside the maple balsamic dressing.
• Honey can replace the maple syrup, though the maple gives the dressing a flavour that feels far more at home on an East Coast table.

What to Serve with Blueberry Spinach Salad

This salad works best beside richer brunch dishes where you need something fresh and sharp to balance the table.

Serve it with:

• quiche or savoury tarts
• baked eggs
• smoked salmon
• grilled chicken
• eggs Benedict
• seafood chowder for a lighter summer supper
• or thick slices of oatcake and salted butter if you’re leaning fully into the East Coast table approach

It also pairs suspiciously well with a second mimosa.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store undressed salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Then serve is a good salad bowl (Affiliate link)
• Dressing: Keep dressing separate in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Shake well before using.
• Make ahead: Prep ingredients ahead of time and assemble just before serving to keep everything fresh.

More Fog & Feast Salad Recipes

• Roasted butternut squash salad – earthy and fresh salad
• Scandinavian slaw – vibrant crunchy and tangy salad
• Farro and Roasted beetroot salad – hearty and filling