Black & Blue Spring Salad with Honey-Roasted Pecans and Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette is a fresh and flavorful salad that's perfect for spring.
I’m fairly confident that spring, and thus fresh salad-season, is just around the corner. When it officially arrives (after the inevitable late-season snowstorm Iowa has a knack for throwing our way!) we’ll be ready with Black & Blue Spring Salad with Honey-Roasted Pecans and Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette!
The name is as big of a mouthful as each bite of this gorgeous, flavor-packed salad!
Berry-Packed Spring Salad
Homemade, lightly-sweetened Honey-Roasted Pecans and a sweet-tart Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette join fresh blackberries and really good crumbled blue cheese on a bed of spring mix lettuce in this elegant appetizer salad.
Want to make it a full meal? Add roasted shrimp, grilled chicken, or a juicy steak.
The recipe is based on the Market Salad from Whole Foods which combines spring mix lettuce with walnuts, dried cranberries, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. It’s a stellar combo for sure, but my version takes things up a notch with the inclusion of Honey-Roasted Pecans and a fresh Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette.
You’ll love every crispy, creamy, sweet-tart bite!
Start by making the Honey-Roasted Pecans — they are SO easy and SO impressive.
Simply melt butter in a bowl then add honey and stir to combine. Add whole pecans then stir to coat.
Spread the pecans onto a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet then bake for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the nuts are golden brown and fragrant. Sprinkle lightly with salt when they’re fresh out of the oven then cool completely.
Once cool, the pecans have a fabulously light and sweet crunch. They’re so delicious that you might as well make a double batch because you’ll lose half to snacking!
Next make the Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette, which can be made up to several days ahead of time. It gets better and better as it sits in the fridge.
Add fresh blackberries and sugar in a food processor or blender then pulse to crush the berries slightly. Let the berries and sugar sit and get juicy for a minute or two.
Next add balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt and pepper then process or blend until the dressing is smooth. Taste then adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
Next crumble high quality blue cheese, like Iowa’s own Maytag Blue Cheese, to top the salad with.
Blue cheese is very strong so you’ll only need a bit crumbled on top of each salad.
If you don’t love blue cheese, feel free to use creamy chevre (aka goat cheese — honey chevre would be divine in here), or crumbled feta cheese.
Last step is to divide spring mix lettuce between plates then top with the honey-roasted pecans, blue cheese crumbles, and tons of fresh blackberries. Drizzle with the homemade berry-balsamic vinaigrette and you’re set!
Like I said, this salad is the perfect starter for a meal or would make a killer entree salad with the addition of grilled or sauted shrimp, chicken, or steak. I vote for steak. Blue cheese + steak? Winning!
Ingredients
- 5 oz spring mix lettuce
- 12 oz blackberries, could use blueberries
- 3 oz blue cheese crumbles, could use chevre or feta cheese
For the Honey-Roasted Pecans:
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- salt
For the Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Directions
For the Honey-Roasted Pecans:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter to a small mixing bowl then add honey and pecans. Stir to coat then spread pecans out on a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant (watch carefully so they don't burn). Sprinkle lightly with salt then set aside and let cool completely — can be made ahead of time.
For the Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Add blackberries and sugar to a food processor or blender then process or blend until berries are crushed. Let sit for a minute then add remaining ingredients and process or blend until smooth. Set aside — can be made ahead of time.
- Divide lettuce between plates then top with blackberries, blue cheese crumbles, and honey-roasted pecans. Drizzle with berry-balsamic vinaigrette then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This salad is amazing! I had it at a friend’s house and immediately asked for the recipe. I also use the salad dressing on a strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blackberry salad with feta cheese. Yum!!
Oh I LOVE to hear that, Janine!! so glad you found your way here. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
First found this recipe in Costco Connection magazine and made it for Easter. It has become a family favorite for more occasions or just to have salad dressing on hand. I press pureed blackberries through a strainer to remove the seeds before mixing with remaining ingredients.
Oh I’m so happy to hear this, Debbie! Thank you so much for coming to the site and letting me know – I really appreciate it!
OMG! This was absolutely amazing! I added grilled chicken, but honestly, I prefer it without it. Even my teenagers devoured it. Thank you for giving us wonderful, healthy meals!!
I’ve been following you from the beginning, and your recipes never disappoint
I’m thrilled to hear this, Julie!! Anytime you can get the teens to sign off, you know it’s a good one. ;) Thank you for the kind words – I really appreciate them!!