This berry salad recipe is the perfect summer salad with loads of berries, peppery arugula, and soft burrata cheese all tossed in a lightly and citrusy dressing with extra virgin olive oil.
Berry salad!
The salad game can get pretty ordinary sometimes. But it doesn't have to because the next salad idea is just around the corner! Look no further than summer berries for the perfect seasonal salad!
If you're wondering "what can I do with too many berries?" You can certainly make a berry compote, jam, or pie filling, but I love to use them fresh just the way they are. And this simple summer berry salad with burrata cheese and arugula is the perfect way to use fresh berries.
Why this berry salad recipe works?
Everyone loves a berry fruit salad, but for a more elevated summer salad, this recipe calls for pairing your fresh blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries with peppery baby arugula, and few thin slices of red onions which add texture and complex flavor to balance the berries.
I think nestling in a few balls of fresh burrata takes this summer berry salad recipe to a level of "luxury." Burrata is a type of mild Italian cheese that is considered mozzarellas extra soft cousin. Burrata cheese is great in salads because it is not overpowering. And if you cut into the outer layer of burrata, all the creamy goodness comes out. It truly adds a little something special to this berry salad, but you can omit the burrata if you are concerned about the fat content. Or, you can use a different kind of cheese such as feta or baby mozzarella.
For best presentation, go for a more composed look and serve the berry salad on a beautiful platter.
Berry salad dressing
When I make a salad that is already filled with texture and great flavor, I keep the dressing very simple to allow the beautiful fresh ingredients to shine. Here is what you need for the berry salad dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil. Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you have here. If you love something robust with more of a peppery finish, try this Early Harvest Greek EVOO. And if you're looking for something fruity, milder with just a bit of a kick, try Private Reserve EVOO or Nabali EVOO, which is smooth and delicate. Visit our shop for all olive oils, spices and more!
- Lemon juice. Fresh is best here, and you'll need juice of one large lemon
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Chicken berry salad option
One of the best ways to turn this arugula salad with berries into a delicious summer meal is by adding chicken! For this recipe, the best chicken option I can recommend is my easy lemon chicken. Here is what you need to do to add chicken:
- Follow this lemon chicken recipe to season and marinate the chicken. When you're ready, cook the chicken on the grill or your griddle pan, it will take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook over medium-high heat.
- While the chicken cooks, go ahead and prepare the arugula and berry salad. And just as the chicken is almost ready, dress the salad and arrange it on a large platter.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, slice it thinly and arrange it on top of the composed salad. Enjoy!
A few tips for success
- Use quality ingredients. This gorgeous salad is truly bigger than the sum of its parts, so be sure to select beautiful ripe berries that are not too soft or bruised. They should smell fragrant. And as mentioned earlier, use quality extra virgin olive oil in the salad dressing, it will make a difference to the taste.
- To prepare this salad ahead of time, simply prep the berries, arugula, and onions. You can keep them separately in the fridge or you can assemble the ingredients on a beautiful platter and cover till later. Add the burrata and dress the salad lightly just before serving.
- Variations. You can use spinach instead of arugula here, although I think arugula adds complexity and flavor to this salad. You can also use shallots rather than onions for a milder taste. If you want to add more to this salad, English cucumbers or small diced watermelon are great options.
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Mixed Berry Salad with Burrata and Arugula
Ingredients
- 6 oz baby arugula
- 1 small shallot halved and sliced
- 6 oz fresh blackberries
- 6 oz fresh raspberries
- 6 oz fresh strawberries
- 4 oz Burrata cheese
For Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juice of
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Place extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the arugula, shallots, and berries (all three berry varieties). Pour the dressing on top and gently toss.
- Transfer the berry salad to a serving platter and arrange burrrata cheese on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare ahead instructions: If you don't plan to serve this salad immediately, prepare the salad but do not dress it until closer to time of serving. You can even arrange the salad on a serving platter, then pour the dressing evenly on top a little bit before serving.
- To add chicken: cook my easy lemon chicken recipe, then thinly slice the chicken and add it on top of the composed salad.
- Burrata is optional: You can omit the burata here if you are concerned about fat content
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices.
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2018 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers' benefit.
Since am
allergic to strawberries, I am wondering if can replace with raspberries or blueberries - will they go well with the flavour profile?
Sure! I think either would be delicious.
My hubby and I love salads especially during the summer. This salad was a hit for us and was so tasty! We loved the fresh berries in it too! Can’t wait to make this salad again very soon!
Thanks, Beth!
This looks delicious. So light and refreshing. I've never seen burrata in any of our shops. Do you think I could substitute mascarpone?
Hi, Kim. Mozzarella actually makes a good substitute for burrata here.
That is such a colorful and flavorful berry salad. It is so easy to put together and the flavors are just so amazing.
This is such a delicious summer salad!! Made it for lunch today and it was light, refreshing and satisfying too. The burrata added a nice creaminess and the berries were tart and sweet - yum!
Thanks, Anjali!
That looks heavenly to eat and oh so pretty!
Thanks, Jacqueline!
You are my go-to for Mediterranean recipes, my fiance found you and made me such a wonderful dinner for me, the roasted veggies, and the burrata salad were perfection.
That's wonderful, Lourdes! Thank you!
the salad is sweet thanks to the use of different berry types as topping.
That looks absolutely wonderful. I would love to dip a fork into the screen right now. Shared!
Thank you! Enjoy!!!
I just love a good salad! This looks and sounds so good and refreshing! Yum! Definitely trying this in the summer!
Awesome! Hope you try it soon!
Oooh, this looks SO good! Would love to try this. Now, this recipe will be one of my favorites. Looks incredible! I like all the ingredients in it. This is perfect for me. thank you.
Enjoy, Neli! Thanks for stopping in!
This salad sounds amazing! I've wondered what burrata cheese was, I don't think I can find it around here, but I'll keep looking!
Thank you, Pam! If burrata is not available to you, you can use fresh Mozarella in this recipe instead.
I think my favorite salad green is arugula! I love the peppery taste. I can just imagine how delightfully delicious the flavor combination of the berries with the burrata, mixed with the arugula! Perfect! I'll be trying this soon!
Me too! Love arugula...adds tons of flavor.