This basil and tomato salad is mouth-watering, colourful and just full of antioxidant-rich blueberries and iron-rich baby spinach!
This aromatic blueberry basil dressing was inspired by a cocktail the sharpness in blueberries worked wonderfully with the crisp baby spinach and sweet cherry tomatoes.
The flavour of blueberries is mainly in their skins so the smaller they are the tastier they are.
This basil and tomato salad was perfect for a light lunch with my mother, we paired it with creamy blue cheese and a crusty baguette – absolutely sensational! Scroll down for some more serving suggestions.
Versatile salad ingredients
A versatile salad that you can change to suit your tastes and moods…
I have used mild baby spinach in this salad for its mild taste and spoon-shaped leaves, but you could also try peppery rocket, a shredded cos (romaine) lettuce, shredded kale or any other salad greens you prefer.
Blueberries are truly the star in this salad but you could also add some other berries such as raspberries, strawberries or even some pitted cherries would be great.
I just loved the combination of blueberry and basil so abundant during the summer months. But you could also try some fresh mint or even some fresh tarragon with its slight liquorice-like flavour.
You can swap out the mini Roma tomatoes for any small tomatoes you fancy – cherry tomatoes, mini-truss tomatoes or even a mini-tomato medley for some added colour would be great.
– Some salty feta or creamy goats cheese
– Adding one cup of cooked quinoa to make it a main meal
– Some roasted nuts such as walnuts, almonds or pecans
How to make this basil and tomato salad
1To make the salad…
Wash the baby spinach, remove any damaged or wilted leaves and spin in a salad spinner to remove excess water.
Wash the mini Roma tomatoes, pat them dry, then slice them in half lengthwise. Wash your blueberries carefully then pat dry gently.
WASH BABY SPINACH PAT OR SPIN SPINACH DRY WASH & DRY YOUR BLUEBERRIES CUT YOUR MINI-ROMAS IN HALF
2To make the dressing…
Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor, blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons of water if the dressing is too thick.1
ADD INGREDIENTS TO BLENDER BLITZ UNTIL WELL COMBINED
3Putting it all together…
Drizzle some of the dressing on top of the salad, season with salt and pepper. Toss the salad gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
Arrange your basil and tomato salad in a bowl and scatter with the toasted walnuts if you are using, then serve.
ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO A BOWL TOSS UNTIL WELL COMBINED
Some tips on making this Basil and Tomato Salad
- You can make this salad several hours ahead but just add your dressing just before serving to prevent your salad from becoming soggy and wilted.
- The blueberry dressing will gel a little upon sitting. Simply stir before drizzling on top or add a touch of water to thin out if desired.
- You can also store your dressing in a covered container in the fridge for a couple of days.
Serving suggestions
As I said we enjoyed this salad with some cheese and a crusty baguette for a simple lunch, but it is also great with…
- Some simply grilled chicken breasts
- Light and easy poached salmon (I left out the dill and used finely shredded basil)
- For the carnivores try garlic butter steak
- Also great with corned beef
- For the vegetarians serve it with a goat cheese-tart
Try some more berry salads:
RED CABBAGE & FENNEL SALAD SUMMER BERRY SALAD
(Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level)
Equipment
- Salad Spinner
- Bullet or High Speed Blender or Small Food Processor
Ingredients
- 100 grams Baby spinach
- 350 grams cherry tomatoes (a large punnet)
- 125 grams Blueberries (a large punnet)
- 50 grams Walnuts (toasted) (optional)
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 3 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsps raspberry vinegar
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash the baby spinach, min Romas and blueberries and dry.
- Cut your mini Romas in half lengthwise.
- Place all your dressing ingredients in a small food or high-speed blender, blitz until smooth. If it is too thick add 1-2 tablespoons of water. 1
- Add your ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Pour half of your dressing over the top, season, and toss gently to combine.
- Arrange in a salad bowl and scatter with the toasted walnuts if you are using, then serve.
Notes
- The dressing will gel a little upon sitting. Simply stir before drizzling, or add a touch of water to thin out if desired. Stores in a covered container in the fridge for a couple of days.
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