Healthy Pink Raspberry Salad

This healthy veggie-packed raspberry salad is healthy, hearty, and a show stopping pink salad. Combining raspberries and veg is a delicious way to mix up your salad this summer. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, and can be made vegan!

I’ve officially made this year my year for being more creative with my salads. This summer (and berry season), I am all about experimenting with delicious berry salads. This pink salad combines the flavors of raspberry with beautiful pink lettuce and nutritional, hearty veggies and legumes.

This recipe contains just 9 ingredients, with plenty of ways to customize it to your liking. However, each ingredient was carefully chosen to bring a little something extra to the dish.

Raspberries bring sweetness, blue cheese brings a salty tang, avocado a creamy neutral, pistachios the crunch, etc. All drizzled with a tangy raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing. And of course, this fresh berry salad is also packed with health benefits.

The Health Benefits

Fresh Raspberries: Are high in vitamins and minerals (particularly Vit C and manganese), yet low in sugar and calories. Plus they are packed with antioxidants and may help prevent diseases including cancer and diabetes.

Black Beans: High in protein, fiber, and folate. These beans help aid digestion, maintain healthy bones, and can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Pink Lettuce: Okay, I admit that my choice of pink lettuce was more for the looks than anything else. However, this pink lettuce (pink radicchio) contains plenty of vitamins, minerals, and even antioxidants. The leaves can even help control blood sugar levels and support heart health and even digestive health.

Pistachios: Containing protein and healthy fats alongside several vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. In particular, an abundance of Vitamin A, C, and B6. Not to mention a healthy dose of antioxidants.

Avocado: Packed with heart-healthy fats, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. Avocados even contain more potassium than bananas and can help to lower cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and have anti-cancer benefits.

Microgreens: There are many varieties of microgreens, so the nutritional content can vary. For this salad, I used garlic chive microgreens, for their garlicky flavor. These microgreens can lower bad LDL cholesterol levels and contain anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, microgreens in general are more nutrient-packed than their ‘mature’ counterparts, with tons of vitamins and minerals.

Blue Cheese: Contains higher levels of calcium in comparison to most other cheese; great for bone health. Plus contain goof levels of protein, too.

Crispy Onions: Red onions are packed with antioxidants and flavonoids. They also offer anti-inflammatory, cholesterol, blood pressure lowering, detoxifying, and other benefits. Along with improving immunity levels and anti-cancer properties.

The Dressing: Even the raspberry vinegar dressing contains healthful benefits, with heart-healthy olive oil, more raspberries, and antimicrobial white vinegar. Plus, more benefits based on the type of sweetener you use within the dressing.

There are also several ingredients that you can sub/ swap out. Read the recipe notes section for suggestions and options.

The Method

Preparing this salad couldn’t be far simpler and is only a couple of steps.

First, rinse the lettuce, microgreens, and raspberries well and pat dry. Then chop the pink lettuce into ribbons.

Then, it’s as simple and combining everything in a large bowl and gently toss, to combine.

Serve alongside the raspberry salad dressing (which takes just 3 base ingredients and a couple of minutes to prepare). Pour over the salad just before serving.

How To Store

This salad is best eaten immediately, though can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure not to mix the dressing with the salad until serving. Otherwise, this will make the salad soggy and affect the shelf life.

Recipe Add-ins & Variations

• To veganise the recipe, omit the blue cheese or swap it for a plant-based cheese alternative. Like this Simple Herby Vegan Feta Cheese.
• You can swap out the pink lettuce for other leafy greens, such as other lettuce varieties, kale, spinach salad etc.
• If you prefer other cheeses, you may want to use goats cheese or mozzarella instead.
• Swap out the black beans for other of your favorite legumes such as chickpeas, kidney beans, or white beans.
• For a heartier meal then you could add in some cooked grains or tofu.
• You can use raw red onions instead of dried, crispy ones. To take away the harsh flavor then soak in a little ice water or lemon juice/vinegar. Do this for 10-15 minutes, before serving.
• Feel free to use the microgreens of your choice, depending on what is available to you.

Related Recipes

• Pumpkin Quinoa and Kale Salad
• Healthy Summer Strawberry Salad
• Blackberry Spinach Salad
• Simple quinoa salad with walnuts and avocado
• Tropical Mango Salad
• Easy Tuna Salad with mixed vegetables

If you tried this raspberry salad recipe, leave a comment below Also, I love seeing your recreations so feel free to tag me on Instagram@AlphaFoodie.