Summer is an explosion of vibrant, flavorful produce, and Weaver’s Orchard is no exception. Just stepping into our fruit room, you are greeted by the sweet farmstand scents and rich colors of ripe berries and stone fruit alongside beautiful arrays of the finest local July veggies. As someone whose favorite food group is a toss-up between vegetables and fruit, there seems to be limitless culinary possibilities with so much in season just now.
My husband and I were recently tasked with bringing a food contribution to a family get together, and our first thought was to create a magnificent salad that was out of this world. Easier said than done. I thought a fun summer salad just had to have fresh avocado and plenty of greens, but it wasn’t until I saw ripe blackberries that an idea formed to combine homegrown lettuce, cucumbers and carrots with exotic avocado, lime, and honey mango. Thanks to my husband’s fabulous salad dressing-making skills, we came up with a crisp, colorful salad with well-balanced flavors that was a snap to make. And the results are in: not a bite of salad left.
If you’re looking for a unique and fresh salad this summer for picnics, bonfires, or parties or to mix up a weeknight dinner, this new salad is for you! Check our pick-your-own availability for blackberries here.
Blackberry Avocado Mango Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Salads, Vegetarian, Berries, Recipes
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and dried
- 2 homegrown cucumbers, sliced into half moons
- 1 bunch homegrown orange or rainbow carrots (about 4–5 carrots), cut into matchsticks
- 3 honey mangos, peeled and chopped
- 4 avocados, cut into chunks
- 1 pint Weaver’s blackberries, washed and dried
Dressing
- Zest and juice of 4 limes
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Carefully rinse lettuce, making sure to wash away all dirt and sand before roughly chopping and tossing into a large salad bowl. Next, slice cucumbers into half moons and sprinkle atop the lettuce. Peel carrots or leave unpeeled, whatever your preference, cutting into matchsticks and adding to the salad bowl.
- Next, prep the fruit by peeling and chopping the honey mangos and slicing the avocado into chunks (aim for larger chunks because inevitably the avocado pieces will lose some of their mass as the salad is tossed). Add both tropical fruits, along with the fresh blackberries, to the top of the salad.
- To prepare the dressing, zest and juice the limes into a small bowl. Add the honey, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and stir.
- Finally, dress salad just before serving and gently toss until incorporated well. Goes perfectly with grilled chicken, or simply enjoy on its own.
Notes
Dressing can be made in advance as it keeps for several days on the counter or even longer when refrigerated. If being made a few hours in advance, wrap and store undressed salad in fridge for up to 6 hours or leave on the counter for up to 3 hours before serving.
Keywords: Avocado, blackberries, honey mango, lime, summer salad