Berry, Chickpea, Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is perfect for spring and summer! Bursting with fresh berries, salty feta, chickpeas, crunchy sunflower seeds and a fabulous honey balsamic vinaigrette. An easy, delicious and beautiful salad that’s sure to become a new favorite!
I never meant for this Berry, Chickpea, Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette to look so patriotic and happen to be shared with you just in time for Memorial Day weekend. But yet somehow, all the stars lined up and here it is!
What are your plans for the holiday weekend? We’ll be spending as much time outside as possible and of course doing the American thing and grilling! Our menu for Memorial Day is looking something like this.
I know my husband will want to have Grilled Burgers and for myself, I’ll probably make my favorite Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers. Both the burgers and the chicken skewers will go great with this Berry, Chickpea, Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette on the side.
What Do I Need to Make the Salad?
- Baby kale
- Strawberries and blueberries
- Chickpeas
- Feta cheese
- Sunflower seeds
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey or maple syrup
- Olive oil
This salad is one that people who enjoy salty and sweet flavors together will truly enjoy. The salty feta paired with the sweet berries and balsamic vinaigrette, is a combination I’ll never get tired of. It’s also has a ton of texture in it, which I think is always important when you’re making a salad.
Ingredient Substitutions
- If the strawberries and/or blueberries don’t look great at the grocery store, use any other combination of berries that you’d like. Blackberries would be my first pick for an alternate.
- Baby kale can be substituted with baby spinach or a bag of mixed greens.
- Sunflower seeds can be substituted with any nut of your choice. I would choose almonds or pistachios.
- If you don’t like feta try crumbled goat cheese instead.
Can I Make the Salad Ahead of Time?
All of the components of the salad can be prepped a day in advance. The vinaigrette can be made several days in advance. However, I would wait to assemble the salad the day you plan to serve it to ensure that the ingredients stay fresh and the kale doesn’t wilt. Wait to toss the salad in the vinaigrette just before serving or have it on the side so everyone can help themselves.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is delicious with almost anything, but here are a few of my favorite serving suggestions.
More Memorial Day Salads
Chicken and Berry Pesto Pasta Salad
Grilled Watermelon, Feta and Basil Salad
Grilled Zucchini, White Bean, Tomato and Tortellini Pasta Salad
Berry, Chickpea, Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 5 ounces baby kale
- 1 1/2 cups hulled and chopped strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3 ounces feta cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup shelled unsalted sunflower seeds
Instructions
1. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the honey balsamic vinaigrette and set aside.
2. In a large serving bowl combine the baby kale, strawberries, blueberries, chickpeas, feta and sunflower seeds. Serve with the honey balsamic vinaigrette on the side or add it to the salad just before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 209Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 613mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 7gSugar: 14gProtein: 7g
