This Raspberry Spinach Salad has spinach, romaine, grapes, dried cranberries, pear, raspberries, blue cheese and pistachios and is served with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette.
If you love berries in your salad, you should also try this Summer Chopped Salad with Berries.
I have come a long way since I first started blogging. Part of that proof is in this recipe. I am a lot more comfortable in the kitchen these days, and while looking through the archives, I came across this post, and it definitely needed some tweaking and updating.
The first time I made it, the dressing recipe was not great. So I took on the challenge and changed up this salad into something that I absolutely fell in love with.
The idea of this salad came from a local restaurant called Cafe Zupas. I was in love with that salad, and sadly, it’s not on the menu anymore. But it’s a good thing you can make it at home!
The restaurant version only has spinach, but I added in some romaine with the spinach because I like the crispness and texture from the romaine. And this salad dressing is so easy and flavorful, you’ll want to pour it on everything. This may become your new favorite salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- Raspberry Jam: Use a good quality raspberry jam. If you don’t like the seeds, you can use seedless jam, but the seeds don’t bother me.
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar: Seasoned rice vinegar will be more flavorful with some added sugar, versus regular rice vinegar. But if you want to try a different vinegar, feel free to play around with the recipe.
- Oil: I usually use vegetable oil, but you can use any neutral flavored oil. I don’t care for olive oil in this recipe, but it may be something that you love.
For the Salad:
- Spinach: I like to chop the spinach first so that you don’t get big leaves in a bite.
- Romaine: If using a romaine heart, (which is my favorite), you’ll just need one. If you are using regular romaine, you will probably only need about 1/2 of the head.
- Grapes: I usually go for red grapes because they look pretty in this salad, but any color will work.
- Dried Cranberries: I love the tartness of the cranberries.
- Pear: The pear adds flavor and crunch. If you don’t have a pear, an apple would be a great substitution.
- Raspberries: The raspberries really are the star of this salad.
- Blue Cheese: The flavor of the blue cheese goes perfectly in this salad. You could also use feta.
- Pistachios: The pistachios add flavor and crunch.
How to Make This Raspberry Spinach Salad
- Make the dressing by combining the raspberry jam and the vinegar in a blender. With the blender on, slowly stream in the oil until it is all emulsified. You can also make this by just combining all three ingredients in a jar and shake it together until it is combined and slightly thickened.
- To make the salad, simply combine the spinach and the lettuce in a large bowl. Add the grapes, cranberries, pear, and raspberries. Sprinkle the blue cheese and the pistachios on top.
- Serve the salad with the dressing.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
Wedge Salad
Antipasto Salad
Shrimp Caesar Salad with Spicy Croutons
Italian Chopped Salad
Taco Salad
Raspberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salad
- 5 oz baby spinach chopped
- 1 romaine heart chopped
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 pear sliced
- 4 oz fresh raspberries
- 2.5 oz crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios chopped
Instructions
Make the Dressing:
- Combine the jam and the vinegar in a blender and pulse until combined. With the blender running, stream in the vegetable oil. Alternately, combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until completely combined.
Make the Salad:
- Combine the spinach, romaine, grapes, cranberries, pear and raspberries in a large bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle the blue cheese and pistachios on top. Serve with the raspberry vinaigrette.
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
It was so fun reading this Deborah, because I have a VERY similar post on my blog (circa 7 years ago 🙂 where I talk about how I couldn’t make up a recipe to save my life. Just look at how far we’ve come 🙂
Deborah says
So true!! I had no idea back then what this would have turned into, or how much I would learn in (and out!) of the kitchen!
Chels R. says
Looks divine! I could eat that salad all day! You’ve come so far in your recipes! That’s amazing!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Simple salads like this are the best! Love this recipe!
How to Philosophize with Cake says
So simple and delicious! I love salads with fruit, I’ll have to try this.
thedelish says
Love your blog, all of your recipes look so good! I put up a raspberry vinaigrette that might interest you today. I would use a raspberry wine instead of the semi-sweet red, but other than that, it was pretty sweet and yummy. (It was first used to braise pears.)
I am just the opposite of you – I pretty much CAN’T follow a recipe… haha. Except when it comes to baking. That I will not mess with.
Thanks for sharing your recipes, they all look delish. I am looking forward to testing out the crab cakes!
Jessica
Elle says
You’re wanting to make your own dressing, but i’ve found one from the store that is pretty good..no artificial preservatives or flavors used aand it’s organic and has a good strong raspberry flavor. It’s Kraft’s Organic Raspberry Vinaigrette and uses pressed soybean oil so there is not transfat either. Very tasty and would be great in this salad.
Kacy says
Ok, you are making me crave it RIGHT now!!! When I try and make it I usually end up going the easy route and just using the “Blush Wine Vinaigrette” (Breanna’s)and no, it is not the same but it is sure tasty and super easy! We can finish off the bowl quite easily 🙂
Pixie says
No recipe to offer but I see others have given you one. Deb I know exactly what you mean, I rely on books and magazines ant the internet for total inspiration and then I just try to come up with my own recipe- it sometimes works- not all the time but sometimes.
Greg and Heather says
I also made up a recipe to copy the creamy raspberry vinaigrette from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. For that I use:
1 c. frozen raspberries (thawed)
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. mayo
2 T. lime juice
1/3 c. honey
mix everything in the blender until smooth.
Greg and Heather says
Here is a recipe from Zupas’ website–just as a thought, if you substituted the red wine vinegar with balsamic and the strawberries with raspberries you might come close. Good luck!
Zupas Strawberry Vinaigrette
Yields: 2 ½ cups.
1 cups red wine vinegar
1 cups canola oil
4 fresh strawberries
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Method:
1. In a medium sized container mix the strawberries, salt, sugar, and vinegar. blend well with a burr mixer or blender.
2. While blending slowly add in all of the Oil, blending until smooth.
Big Boys Oven says
this salad looks simple and yet delicious indeed, need someone like me to indulge into it!
Emiline says
I don’t have have a raspberry vinaigrette recipe, but I could make one up.
The Baker & The Curry Maker says
Yum! I’ll be making this! I’d try raspberry jam/preserve in there. Just a teaspoon and then olive oil, rasberry vinegar and salt and pepper. I have no idea, but I have been told I make a mean dressing… Taste as you go. Can’t wait to hear your results!
The Baker & The Curry Maker says
Yum! I’ll be making this! I’d try raspberry jam/preserve in there. Just a teaspoon and then olive oil, rasberry vinegar and salt and pepper. I have no idea, but I have been told I make a mean dressing… Taste as you go. Can’t wait to hear your results!