Ultimate Summer Salad with strawberries

The Ultimate Summer Salad is a delightful combination of textures and flavors that will leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied. The crispness of the mixed salad leaves or baby spinach and cucumber adds a lovely crunch, while the juicy burst from the cherry tomatoes, grapes, and strawberries provides a sweet contrast. The peaches and kiwi offer a tangy sweetness that dances on your palate, perfectly balanced by the salty creaminess of cubed feta cheese.

The red onion rings bring a subtle sharpness, cutting through the sweetness, while a squeeze of lemon juice ties everything together with a zesty finish. If you’re feeling adventurous, toss in a handful of toasted walnuts for extra crunch or creamy avocado to enhance the richness. This salad is light yet satisfying, making it a perfect companion for sunny days and outdoor gatherings​.

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 barbeque). My mother always insisted on having an array of healthy summer salad recipes to accompany the roasted or barbequed meat. This 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.

We would switch it up and either do this summer salad with strawberries, pineapple or mango, or 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 strawberries, 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:

• Tricolor quinoa salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta
• Chicken salad with cherry tomatoes, olives and artichokes
• Crayfish salad with avocado, red cabbage and cucumber

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

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine Cape Malay

Servings 2

Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

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

Instructions

 

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

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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