Blackberry Apple Salad with Fennel & Avocado
This salad is an instant hit with everyone! You’ll love this easy blackberry apple salad with fennel, avocado, pistachios, and a zesty poppy seed vinaigrette dressing. It’s a bright, crispy, and refreshing salad that’s perfect for spring and summer. Serve this blackberry salad with chicken, steak, or even lamb. It pairs well with grilled meats, too.
Watch My Blackberry Salad Reel!
Watch my blackberry apple salad reel on YouTube for step-by-step instructions. It’s a quick and easy salad to put together. Want to stay up to date on the latest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.
Ingredients for Blackberry Apple Salad
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious blackberry salad. Find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the printable recipe card below.
- Spring Greens – use a combination of baby spring greens, or baby arugula, baby kale, or spinach.
- Avocado, Shallots, Green Apple
- Fennel – this bulbous, green vegetable is crispy and refreshing. You’ll want to use a mandoline slicer to slice it very thinly.
- Blackberries – fresh berries will work best for this recipe. You can also use blueberries.
- Lemons – for lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Olive Oil – for making salad dressing.
- Pistachios – I love salted pistachios for this salad, but you can also use sliced almonds.
- Goat Cheese – this creamy cheese is perfect for this salad! You can also use shaved parmesan or a different soft cheese.
Supplies & Tools for the Recipe
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Easy Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Dressing
This blackberry apple salad comes together in no time! Plus, the ingredients are very easy to prepare. Here’s how I make it:
- Start by preparing the salad dressing. This can be done ahead of time, too. Zest the lemon first and add to a large measuring cup, then juice the lemon, too.
- Add in the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, and poppy seeds. Use a garlic press or microplane to grate the garlic and add to the dressing. Whisk everything together and set aside.
Preparing the Salad Ingredients
Fill a large salad bowl with the spring greens.
Cut the stems off the fennel bulb and trim off the bottom; keep the stems for later. Use a mandoline slicer to slice the fennel very thinly; I use the 1/18th inch setting. Very thin! Toss the sliced fennel with the spring greens.
Slice the apple next into thin matchsticks and sprinkle over the salad. Thinly slice the shallots and add them next. First quarter the avocado, then slice and add.
Putting Together the Salad
Sprinkle the goat cheese over the salad. Next, add your washed blackberries. Arrange the sliced avocado over the salad.
Garnish the salad with pistachios and fennel greens (these look like fresh dill). Just pick them right off the stems and arrange over the salad.
Keep the dressing and salad separate until ready to serve. Whisk the salad dressing together one last time and pour it over the salad. Use two large salad spoons for serving the salad.
Pairing Suggestions for Blackberry Salad
We’ve been loving this incredible blackberry apple salad with a variety of main dishes. Steak, lamb, and chicken all pair beautifully with this salad.
- Grilled Ribeye Steak – make this without the chimichurri sauce.
- Grilled Steak Kabobs
- Garlic & Herb Lamb Chops
- Oven-Roasted French Garlic Chicken
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this delicious salad recipe? Check out some of my other favorites you’re sure to enjoy!
- Avocado Citrus Salad – a delicious and refreshing combination of citrus, cucumber, avocado and more!
- Tomato Panzanella Salad – an Italian summer staple! Tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, and crispy focaccia croutons. So delicious!
- Mixed Berry Salad – another delicious berry salad with cucumbers, mint, basil, and arugula.
- Burrata Peach Salad – creamy burrata cheese with sweet peaches, avocado, prosciutto, and arugula. The best summer salad!
- Grilled Zucchini Salad – easy grilled zucchini salad with avocado, feta cheese, and light lemon vinaigrette.
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Blackberry Apple Salad with Fennel & Avocaod
Ingredients
For Salad:
- 5 oz spring greens, spinach, arugula, or baby kale; about 10 cups
- 1 large fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 1 large green apple
- 1 large avocado
- 3 small shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 3 cups blackberries
For Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
Making the Salad Dressing:
- Start by preparing the salad dressing. This can be done ahead of time, too. Zest the lemon first and add to a large measuring cup, then juice the lemon, too.
- Add in the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, and poppy seeds. Use a garlic press or microplane to grate the garlic and add to the dressing. Whisk everything together and set aside.
Preparing the Ingredients:
- Fill a large salad bowl with the spring greens.
- Cut the stems off the fennel bulb and trim off the bottom; keep the stems for later. Use a mandoline slicer to slice the fennel very thinly; I use the 1/18thinch setting. Very thin! Toss the sliced fennel with the spring greens.
- Slice the apple next into thin matchsticks and sprinkle over the salad. Thinly slice the shallots and add them next. First quarter the avocado, then slice and add.
- Sprinkle the goat cheese over the salad. Next, add your washed blackberries. Arrange the sliced avocado over the salad.
Assembling the Salad:
- Garnish the salad with pistachios and fennel greens (these look like fresh dill). Just pick them right off the stems and arrange over the salad.
- Keep the dressing and salad separate until ready to serve. Whisk the salad dressing together one last time and pour it over the salad. Use two large salad spoons for serving the salad.
- We’ve been loving this incredible blackberry apple salad with a variety of main dishes. Steak, lamb, and chicken all pair beautifully with this salad.
