Best Blueberry Salad With Black Grapes and Avocado
An easy Blueberry Salad loaded with fresh blueberries, chilled black grapes, silky avocado and a balsamic vinegar dressing that’s out of this world. Low calorie, ready in 20 minutes and delicious.
Imagine a light lunch featuring your favorite salad greens topped with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, juicy sweet blueberries, black grapes and a balsamic glaze drizzled all over it that’s out of this world.
That’s this salad.
Buy your ingredients at your local farmer’s market or grocery store. Or, if you’re like me, shop online (yes, I’m an Amazon goddess). This simple salad, like my Chopped Thai Salad and my Roasted Bell Pepper Salad, is ready in minutes and will soon be your new favorite all-season salad.
Ingredients Needed for Blueberry Salad (With Substitutions)
- Fresh Greens – think a mixture of romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, baby spinach or your favorite spring mix. You can also use baby kale and arugula.
- Fresh Berries – frozen definitely won’t do here. Fresh blueberries are one of the most important ingredients in the salad
- Grapes – I prefer using black or concord grapes in this recipe as their deep color complements the other ingredients in this fresh blueberry salad. But any grapes will do just fine.
- Cucumber – this delicious ingredient adds a lovely crunch to the green salad that gives it loads of texture.
- Avocado – choose a ripe avocado with no brown spots for best results.
- Lemon – you’ll finish with a squirt of fresh or bottle lemon juice to give this blueberry salad a touch of zesty deliciousness. Don’t like lemon? Use a drizzle of lime juice.
- Olive Oil – extra virgin is my preference, but you can use any cooking oil you have on hand.
- Vegan Blue Cheese Crumbles – Follow Your Heart is my dairy-free choice for blue cheese crumbles. You can also use vegan feta.
- Seeds – think pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and/or pine nuts.
- Balsamic Dressing – you’ll mix balsamic vinegar with a bit of brown sugar and reduce it on the stove for a simple homemade dressing, or use your own dressing of choice. Balsamic vinegar can be substituted with red wine vinegar. If you want to get fancy, add a little bit of dijon mustard to the rest of the ingredients.
How To Make Easy Blueberry Salad
Step 1: Make the balsamic glaze by mixing balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small bowl. Heat the mixture in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens. Cool for 15-20 minutes prior to serving.
Step 2: Prepare the fruits and vegetables by washing and drying your salad greens, peeling and slicing the cucumber and avocado, and washing and drying the grapes and blueberries, then cutting the grapes in half.
Step 3: Place lettuce and cucumber in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
Step 4: Add the avocado and drizzle with lemon juice. This will help prevent it from going brown.
Step 5: Top with the halved grapes, blueberries and seeds.
Step 6: Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of the balsamic glaze over the salad and add the vegan blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately with some my vegan focaccia bread or my twisted vegan garlic bread.
Best Salad Making Tips & Variations
Making this blueberry salad recipe with black or concord grapes, avocado, and vegan blue cheese crumbles is a perfect blend of freshness and bold flavors. Here are some expert chef tips to elevate your colorful salad:
- Layer Your Ingredients: Start by creating a sturdy base with leafy greens like spinach or mixed salad greens. The fresh, tender leaves will support the heavier ingredients, allowing each bite to balance nicely.
- Perfectly Ripened Avocado: Choose avocados that are ripe but not overripe. To check, gently press with your thumb—there should be a slight give, but it shouldn’t be mushy. Slice the avocado just before serving to avoid browning.
- Gently Toss the Blueberries: Fresh blueberries should be handled gently to prevent them from bursting and releasing juice all over the salad. Toss them in lightly at the end to keep them intact and vibrant.
- Add Texture with Vegan Blue Cheese: Vegan blue cheese crumbles bring an amazing savory contrast to the sweet berries. For a more intense flavor, look for crumbles with a bit of tang—if the cheese is too mild, it might get lost in the bold fruits. Sprinkle it just before serving for that creamy, rich bite.
- Perfectly Ripened Concord Grapes: Concord grapes have an intense, sweet flavor, and their juicy burst is a highlight of the salad. Slice them in half to avoid them rolling around and to let their natural sweetness mix in with the other ingredients.
- Balanced Dressing: For a tangy, well-balanced vinaigrette, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, a touch of maple syrup (to enhance the sweetness of the grapes and blueberries), and a pinch of salt and pepper. A little mustard or dijon can add depth. Avoid overpowering the salad with too much dressing—use just enough to lightly coat the ingredients.
- Add Crunch and Color: For a satisfying crunch, add toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds—they’ll also give the salad some extra texture contrast with the creamy avocado. A sprinkle of fresh herbs like basil or mint can add both flavor and color to make it look even more appetizing.
- Chill the Salad: If you’re making the salad ahead of time, chill the ingredients separately, especially the fruit. This helps maintain the integrity of the delicate blueberries and grapes. Combine the ingredients just before serving, so everything stays fresh and vibrant.
- Garnish with Fresh Basil or Arugula: A touch of fresh basil or arugula can lend a pop of flavor that cuts through the richness of the avocado and vegan cheese crumbles, enhancing the overall freshness of the salad.
- Serve Immediately: To get the best texture and flavor, serve the salad immediately after assembling. This will preserve the freshness of the fruit and the creaminess of the avocado and cheese.
What To Serve With This Salad
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Cavolo Nero Pasta
- Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
Storing Leftovers
This Blueberry Salad is best eaten immediately after preparation. For best results, store leftovers in individual containers and wait to add dressing until you’re ready to serve it.
More Healthy Blueberry Recipes
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Best Blueberry Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed greens arugula, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, baby kale
- 1 large cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup purple grapes cut in half
- 2 tbsp vegan blue cheese crumbles
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp mix of seeds for sprinkling
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Make the balsamic glaze by mixing balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small bowl. Heat the mixture in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens. Cool for 15-20 minutes prior to serving.
- Prepare the fruits and vegetables by washing and drying your salad greens, peeling and slicing the cucumber and avocado, and washing and drying the grapes and blueberries, then cutting the grapes in half.
- Place lettuce and cucumber in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Add the avocado and drizzle with lemon juice. This will help prevent it from going brown.
- Top with the halved grapes, blueberries and seeds.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of the balsamic glaze over the salad and add the vegan blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately with some my vegan focaccia bread or my twisted vegan garlic bread.
Notes
- Layer Your Ingredients: Start by creating a sturdy base with leafy greens like spinach or mixed salad greens. The fresh, tender leaves will support the heavier ingredients, allowing each bite to balance nicely.
- Perfectly Ripened Avocado: Choose avocados that are ripe but not overripe. To check, gently press with your thumb—there should be a slight give, but it shouldn’t be mushy. Slice the avocado just before serving to avoid browning.
- Gently Toss the Blueberries: Fresh blueberries should be handled gently to prevent them from bursting and releasing juice all over the salad. Toss them in lightly at the end to keep them intact and vibrant.
- Add Texture with Vegan Blue Cheese: Vegan blue cheese crumbles bring an amazing savory contrast to the sweet berries. For a more intense flavor, look for crumbles with a bit of tang—if the cheese is too mild, it might get lost in the bold fruits. Sprinkle it just before serving for that creamy, rich bite.
- Perfectly Ripened Concord Grapes: Concord grapes have an intense, sweet flavor, and their juicy burst is a highlight of the salad. Slice them in half to avoid them rolling around and to let their natural sweetness mix in with the other ingredients.
- Balanced Dressing: For a tangy, well-balanced vinaigrette, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, a touch of maple syrup (to enhance the sweetness of the grapes and blueberries), and a pinch of salt and pepper. A little mustard or dijon can add depth. Avoid overpowering the salad with too much dressing—use just enough to lightly coat the ingredients.
- Add Crunch and Color: For a satisfying crunch, add toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds—they’ll also give the salad some extra texture contrast with the creamy avocado. A sprinkle of fresh herbs like basil or mint can add both flavor and color to make it look even more appetizing.
- Chill the Salad: If you’re making the salad ahead of time, chill the ingredients separately, especially the fruit. This helps maintain the integrity of the delicate blueberries and grapes. Combine the ingredients just before serving, so everything stays fresh and vibrant.
- Garnish with Fresh Basil or Arugula: A touch of fresh basil or arugula can lend a pop of flavor that cuts through the richness of the avocado and vegan cheese crumbles, enhancing the overall freshness of the salad.
- Serve Immediately: To get the best texture and flavor, serve the salad immediately after assembling. This will preserve the freshness of the fruit and the creaminess of the avocado and cheese.
