The Best Summer Arugula Salad!

A fresh and easy summer salad with arugula, avocado, berries, blue cheese, candied walnuts, croutons, Vinaigrette dressing and your choice of protein! This is my go-to summer salad for a light dinner or as a starter!

I’m sharing my favorite summer salad recipe! It is super quick and easy to throw together. You can personalize it to your own taste preference.

Greens arugula salad in a paper palm leaf bowl — Plastic-Free + Zero Waste table wear! from @Dtocsplates

The Summer Salad Everyone Will Want More Of-

Salad Ingredients:

6 cups arugula
1 Large avocado
1/2 cup raspberries (can substitute chopped strawberries, blueberries or peaches)
1/3 cup quinoa (optional)
1/2 cup chicken
1/4 cup blue cheese
1/2 cup candied walnuts (homemade recipe below)
1/2 cup croutons (homemade recipe below)
Vinaigrette salad dressing (homemade recipe below)

Homemade candied walnuts-

One large bag of walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey

Mix the sugar, brown sugar and honey together in a bowl until the consistency becomes thin. Add water if needed to make thinner. On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper spread out the walnuts evenly, then drizzle the mix onto the walnuts. Mix the walnuts up so they are coated. Bake them for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir every 5 minutes. They will come out sticky but as they cool they will crystallize.

Homemade croutons- These are the best croutons ever! You won’t ever buy store bought again. I suggest doing a whole loaf of bread at a time, that way you have a good amount for multiple salads. You can also use any kind of bread; I use sour dough because it is lower in carbs.

1 loaf of bread of your choice
Olive oil to drizzle
Seasonings of your choice (I use a oregano, basil, tomato seasoning mix + garlic).

Cut up all of the bread slice into small squares/cubes and spread them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on the bread squares until they’re coated. Add seasoning generously and mix. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir them every 5 min.

Vinaigrette Salad Dressing-