Ultimate Summer Salad with strawberries

Ultimate summer salad 2

The Ultimate Summer Salad with strawberries is one of my favorite easy summer salads that can be made in small servings but is also an excellent summer salad for a crowd.

It is crunchy, sweet, salty and tangy and is everything you expect in a healthy summer salad recipe; all the enjoyment and none of the guilt.

During summer, Sunday lunch in our home often became a big family gathering with impromptu guests. The menu usually included roast chicken or lamb chops and occasionally we would have a lovely braai (South African version of your back yard barbecue). My mother always insisted on having an array of healthy summer salad recipes to accompany the roasted or barbequed meat.

We would switch it up and either do this summer salad with strawberries, one of my mum’s summer green salad recipes or summer pasta salads for a crowd.

The ultimate Summer Salad with strawberries came about quite by accident during a very hot summer when we were fasting during Ramadhan. My late father preferred lighter meals for dinner when we were fasting, so we often had grilled meats and salads after iftar. On this particular evening my mother actually wanted to make a greek salad but we had no olives.

Instead, she tossed in sliced straweberries, stone and exotic fruits along with grapes and feta cheese and it soon became our favorite salad to have with meals. I love summer salad recipes with fruit and can’t imagine it without the combination of complimentary salty, tangy and sweet flavors.

Personally, I dislike salad dressings as I don’t like the taste and slick of oil on my salad greens. I love a balsamic dressing that is properly emulsified or a balsamic glaze and both go well with this salad. Alternately, I use a squeeze of lemon juice.

If you prefer a salad with more protein why not check out the vegetarian salad recipe or summer salad recipes with chicken or seafood below:

Ultimate summer salad 3

The essence of summer

Ultimate summer salad 3

Ultimate summer salad

Razena Schroeder
The Ultimate summer salad is crunchy, sweet, salty and tangy and the perfect addition to any meal.
4.88 from 8 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Cape Malay
Servings 2
Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups mixed salad leaves or baby spinach
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 12 baby tomatoes I used cherry and grape tomatoes
  • 12 grapes
  • 12 strawberries hulled and halved
  • 1 peach sliced
  • 1 kiwi fruit I used golden kiwi
  • 100 g Feta cheese cubed
  • 1 small red onion sliced in rings
  • ½ lemon, juice only

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and dry the lettuce if required, slice cucumber and other fruits.
  • Arrange the lettuce in the bottom of the serving platter or bowl.
  • Slice the cucumber and arrange over the lettuce along with the cherry tomatoes.
  • Slice the peach, kiwi and strawberries and arrange over the other ingredients.
  • Scatter the grapes on the top
  • Slice the red onion into rings and scatter over the top.
  • Cut the feta into 2 cm cubes and add to the salad.

Notes

If you want some added crunch add a handful of toasted walnuts.
For creamy textures, you may add avocado when it is available. Also lovely is sliced papaya or pineapple, if available.

Nutrition

Serving: 200gCalories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 12gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 588mgPotassium: 1095mgFiber: 7gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 1555IUVitamin C: 146.1mgCalcium: 331mgIron: 2.6mg

Disclaimer: Nutritional information for the recipe is an approximation and varies according to the ingredients and products used.

Keyword 30 minutes or less recipe, gluten free, halaal recipes, summer recipe
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24 Comments

  • Reply
    Molly Kumar
    September 1, 2015 at 11:25 am

    Looks delicious, love fruit n veggie salads.

    • Reply
      Razena
      September 1, 2015 at 9:16 pm

      Thank you 🙂

  • Reply
    Madiha Nawaz
    August 31, 2015 at 10:33 pm

    Love everything about this salad including the write up! I can eat this entire platter all my myself and would be content to have it as my whole meal! 😀
    Jazak’Allah Khair for sharing!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 31, 2015 at 10:36 pm

      Ameen, and you 🙂 You are too kind 🙂

  • Reply
    Krystallia Giamouridou
    August 31, 2015 at 12:22 am

    You are the first person that I ”meet” that dislikes dressings he he, but you are right over-greased salad aren’t the best thing to eat with pleasure. Thank you for sharing this wonderful and fresh salad!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 31, 2015 at 8:40 am

      Lol… I don’t mind a squeeze of lemon or lime but generally I don’t like my salad leaves all wet and runny, or even moist. I like to taste the actual greens instead of a mouthful of sweet or sour dressing.

  • Reply
    Lubna Karim
    August 28, 2015 at 9:35 pm

    Gorgeous rainbow colors…..love this salad….

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 29, 2015 at 5:08 pm

      🙂 I come from the Rainbow nation so my salad comes matching 🙂

  • Reply
    Byron Thomas
    August 28, 2015 at 9:17 pm

    Wow, Razena, that looks incredible fresh and tasty!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 29, 2015 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks. It works well for any summer meal.

  • Reply
    Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk)
    August 28, 2015 at 9:01 pm

    So bright and varied–I can see why you named it the “ultimate”!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 29, 2015 at 5:09 pm

      Ha ha… to me it was the Ultimate salad… the best of both worlds, both savory and sweet 🙂

  • Reply
    Jenn
    August 28, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    Love all the fruits in this salad! And balsamic is my very favorite dressing as well!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 4:58 pm

      I don’t think there is much that doesn’t get a boost from a touch of balsamic dressing 🙂

  • Reply
    Cristie
    August 28, 2015 at 3:21 pm

    Gorgeous. This definitely makes me miss summer. It’s winter in my part is the world but I’m still going to make this ?

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      Summer is on it’s way in the Southern hemisphere, you will have lovely ripe summer fruits and vegetables in no time 🙂

  • Reply
    Claudia
    August 28, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    just looking at the pics is already refreshening me! looks great.

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 1:19 pm

      Thank you. I discovered I really like the pops of color 🙂

  • Reply
    Stella @ Stellicious Life
    August 28, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    I can totally see myself whipping up this salad! I love to put fruits in my salad, be it strawberries, peaches, watermelon or pears, etc. I love how in one bite there is a mix of sweet and salty 🙂

    Also, I really LOVE the table/board you used for the photo, did you make it yourself?

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      I love sweet and salty too 🙂 The table / board is actually a vinyl that you can buy from Etsy or the company’s own website at Ink and Elm.

  • Reply
    Sarah
    August 28, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    I love everything in this -This looks like a gorgeous summer salad!

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 1:17 pm

      Thank you. I wanted to make the most of the seasonal produce 🙂

  • Reply
    Noor
    August 28, 2015 at 11:26 am

    Such a beautiful salad! Love the vibrant, brightness of the veggies. Refreshing and perfect for summer.

    • Reply
      Razena
      August 28, 2015 at 11:28 am

      Thank you. I love the flavors and colours of summer on a plate 🙂

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