Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette (Recipe Inspired by THE VASTER WILDS)

Hello, my name is CJ, and I’m addicted to this Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette.

How addicted am I? I had leftover noodle soup in the fridge I could have eaten for lunch. Instead, I went out to buy more spinach. So I could eat this salad again for lunch.

I IGNORED CARBS IN FAVOR OF SALAD.

Who even am I?

Why is Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette the book-inspired recipe for The Vaster Wilds?

The girl in The Vaster Wilds forages and hunts for all her meals. She sustains herself on wild berries, fish, nuts, honey, weeds, and any other type of flora and fauna she can get her hands on. She even eats bugs and spiders at one point. (Yes, I threw up in my mouth a little when I read that.)

Don’t worry – there are no bugs in this recipe! Thankfully, I have easy access to farms and grocery stores, so my choice of natural ingredients is much more palatable than what the girl had to choose from.

However, I wanted a book-inspired recipe that evokes the natural ingredients the girl used for her meals – with a few contemporary conveniences, of course. And Mixed Berry Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette was born.

Why I love Mixed Berry Spinach and Garlic Mustard Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

The blackberry vinaigrette isn’t the only reason I love this salad, but I won’t lie – it’s a huge part of it. It’s just so dang tasty!

It’s bright and fresh, sweet and tangy, a little fruity and a little nutty, thanks to the blackberry seeds that I refused to strain out of the salad dressing.

Then the salad itself is simple, but so good. Thick spinach leaves, the sharpness of the red onion, the fruity pops of flavor from the raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, and the crunch of the toasted pecans.

And, then, there’s my not-so-secret foraged ingredient: garlic mustard.

This salad contains an unusual ingredient: wild garlic mustard

To honor the survival techniques the girl employed, I consulted a trusted friend and foraged my backyard for garlic mustard.

This leafy green grows wild and free in many woodsy areas, and I found it easily once I knew what I was looking for. **

On its own, garlic mustard is pretty potent—it’s slightly bitter and, as the name suggests, tastes sharp like garlic and hot like mustard. However, once you mix it with other ingredients and drizzle it with a sweet dressing, it makes a perfect accompaniment to the Mixed Berry Spinach Salad.  

Please make sure to read my note** on foraging below.

Recipe tip: use an immersion blender to make the Blackberry Vinaigrette. Trust me.

I tried to go full-on “method” when making this recipe and avoid technology, so I tried to smush the blackberries using a potato masher.

Please don’t do this. It’s a great way to ruin your favorite shirt and nearby tea towels, but it’s not ideal for smushing blackberries.

While the girl had to make do without tech, I have zero regrets about firing up my immersion blender to blitz the blackberry vinaigrette into a smooth, creamy salad dressing. Definitely the way to go.

You can strain the seeds out of the dressing, but I kept them in my version since I like the texture they added to the salad.

What do you serve with Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette?

This salad makes a great lunch when you serve it with a Thyme Caraway Biscuit, a Cheese Scone, or even a Cornbread Chocolate Chip Muffin on the side.

For a heartier mid-day meal, ladle up a bowl of Apple Butternut Squash Soup or set out a platter of Fried Green Tomato BLT sandwiches.

As an appetizer or side dish, Mixed Berry Spinach Salad pairs well with pretty much any dinner recipe. Some of my favorite spring/summer meal suggestions are Creamy Pesto Pasta, Mushroom Thyme Pasta, Firehouse Chicken Wings, and Smoked Gouda Burgers with Onion Jam.

And, let’s not forget dessert: Continue the berry theme with Blueberry Buckle or Blackberry Cobbler, or a slice of Strawberry Pie.

Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

A humble salad made with spinach, foraged wild garlic mustard, thin-sliced red onion, toasted pecans, and a mix of fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Drizzle (or drench!) everything with an easy homemade blackberry vinaigrette salad dressing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

MIXED BERRY SPINACH SALAD INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup foraged wild garlic mustard (optional)**
• 2/3 cup fresh raspberries
• 2/3 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
• 2/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup toasted pecan halves
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• homemade blackberry vinaigrette dressing (see below)

BLACKBERRY VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

 

BLACKBERRY VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large pitcher, combine all blackberry vinaigrette salad dressing ingredients.
• Use an immersion blender to blend ingredients together until you have a smooth and creamy dressing.
• Pour or drizzle dressing over Mixed Berry Spinach Salad.

MIXED BERRY SPINACH SALAD ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

• Toss the spinach and wild garlic mustard (if using) together in a large salad bowl.
• Add the sliced onion, toasted pecans, and assorted berries to the bowl. Toss to mix.
• Drizzle and/or toss with homemade Blackberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. Serve immediately.

Notes

**Always be sure to thoroughly wash anything you forage. You shouldn’t forage, pick, and/or consume any wild plants without proper foraging education. If you don’t know what garlic mustard is, Mixed Berry Spinach Salad still tastes delicious without it!

If you want to learn more about foraging, seek out professional guidance so you can make safe and accurate foraging decisions. 

Keyword foraged, foraged foods, salad dressings, salad recipes