Spinach Blueberry Salad with Yogurt Dressing {Healthy and Fresh}

Looking for a side dish recipe to perk up a lackluster dinner? Add a spark to your meal with this fresh and healthy Spinach Blueberry Salad. The salad contains a rainbow of colors. It is loaded with a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits tossed with a sweet and tangy yogurt dressing.

Want to spice up our lackluster and unremarkable dinner? Ditch the ordinary tossed salad for this fresh and healthy Spinach Blueberry Salad. It's just bursting with flavor.

Loaded with tender baby spinach, plump blueberries, tart apples, red onion, shredded cabbage, and crunchy sunflower seeds, I feel healthy just looking at it. And the creamy yogurt dressing adds just the right touch of sweet tanginess. This is a winner of a side dish!

Salads bursting with fresh ingredients like my Melon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella, Lemony Cauliflower Salad, and Apple, Fennel and Radish Slaw and this super fresh and healthy Spinach Blueberry Salad with Yogurt Dressing are some of my favorites. They are extraordinary side dishes for an ordinary entrée of grilled chicken, steak or fish.

why you'll love this recipe

And I LOVE that I can prep the salad in advance too. I mix up the dressing up to 4 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The salad ingredients are combined in a big bowl, covered and refrigerated. When it's time to serve, I toss the salad with dressing and serve.

ingredients & substitutions

• Plain Greek yogurt ~ Whole milk yogurt is my first choice for this salad. But lowfat or fat free yogurt are also options.
• Mayonnaise
• Honey
• Dijon mustard ~ Spicy or yellow mustard are alternatives.
• Whole milk ~ Half and half or light cream are substitutes.
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Baby spinach
• Blueberries
• Cabbage or cole slaw mix
• Apple
• Red onion
• Roasted and salted sunflower seeds

how to make this healthy salad

1. Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, Dijon mustard, and milk. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
2. Make the salad: In a large bowl, add the spinach, blueberries, cabbage, apple, onion, and sunflower seeds.
3. To serve: Toss spinach blueberry salad with the dressing. Sprinkle the more sunflower seeds and serve immediately.

can you prepare salad ahead of time?

A perfect dish to take to your next cookout or party, this spinach blueberry salad can be made in advance. Whisk up the dressing and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one a day in advance.

Just before serving, toss the dressing with the salad and top with extra sunflower seeds.

chef tips for making spinach blueberry salad

• Use full fat yogurt: For the richest tasting dressing, use full fat yogurt. But if you are looking for a healthier dressing, use nonfat or low fat yogurt instead.
• Cabbage or bagged cole slaw mix: Use either fresh cabbage (green, purple or napa are delicious options) or a bagged cole slaw mix in the salad.
• Keep the apples from browning: No one likes to eat brown apples. To keep them fresh looking, place sliced apples in a bowl of cold water with the juice of half a lemon for 5 to 10 minutes. Then just drain and add them along with the other salad ingredients.
• Add a nut: If sunflower seeds are not your fave, try a nut instead. Toasted pine nuts, pecans, almonds or walnuts are all delicious in the spinach blueberry salad.
• Add dressing a little at a time: No one likes a salad drowning in dressing. Add the dressing a little at a time. Toss the salad and add more if needed.

just one more thing

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This recipe was originally posted in August of 2013. Updates in June of 2022 include new photographs and video, detailed recipe instruction and nutrition, and preparation tips.