This blueberry cucumber salad is light and refreshing, making it the perfect dish to enjoy throughout spring & summer! Loaded with chickpeas, arugula and avocado, it's healthy, satisfying and packed with flavor.
Sliced fresh cucumbers, blueberries, almonds, and chickpeas are tossed together and drizzled in a homemade white balsamic dressing. The flavors are light, fresh, and bright - the perfect combo to cool you down on a hot summer day.
Similar to this strawberry cucumber salad or couscous salad, this blueberry cucumber salad is the perfect option for meal prep, as it can easily be made ahead of time and will stay fresh throughout the week.
This is a perfect summer salad to enjoy on it's own as a meal or served as a side salad paired with a quinoa burger at your next picnic or barbecue.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's quick and easy to make! You just need to toss everything together in one bowl and it's ready to eat in less than 10 minutes.
- This blueberry arugula salad recipe is refreshing & light yet packed with flavor!
- It's customizable. One of my favorite things about salads in general is how customizable they are. You can easily change the veggies out as a great way to use up what's in your fridge, or just for whatever you prefer.
- It's naturally nutritious, healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and high in plant-based proteins. Thanks to the wide variety of fruits, veggies and nuts/seeds, this salad is loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, fiber and antioxidants.
- This dish can be enjoyed as a main dish or side dish.
Equipment
Luckily, because salads are naturally so simple to make, you don't need any special equipment. All you'll need are:
- Mixing bowls: one small mixing bowl to make the dressing in and one large bowl to toss the salad in
- Whisk: to mix up the white balsamic vinaigrette
- Cutting board & chef's knife: to chop your cucumbers and avocado
Ingredients
- Greens: I love to make this salad with spring mix because it gives you a variety of greens, flavors and textures as well as maximum nutrients! This salad is also delicious with spinach or arugula as the base!
- Blueberries: the star of the show, seriously! I recommend using fresh blueberries, as they add the best texture and flavor. Frozen blueberries that have been thawed usually have a mushier texture and don't hold up well in a salad.
- Fresh Cucumber: any cucumbers will work in this recipe! I typically use mini cucumbers, seedless cucumbers or english cucumbers.
- Red Cabbage: just a little bit for added color and nutrients.
- Chickpeas: to increase the amount of plant-based protein and make this salad more filling.
- Avocado: for some healthy fats and to ensure this salad is filling and satisfying.
- Sliced Almonds: to add a nice crunch to the salad and for some added protein. You can substitute these with your favorite chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts or pistachios.
- Hemp Seeds: more protein and healthy fats!
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette: the perfect dressing to bring this salad all together! It's super simple to make and only calls for 6 ingredients: white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, agave, salt, black pepper, and italian seasoning!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations & Substitutions
I love this cucumber blueberry salad as is but the great thing about salads is how customizable they are!
- Serve with a different dressing! Dressings play a big role in a salads overall flavor, so if you have a dressing you swear by, use it! I would recommend a raspberry vinaigrette or a maple tahini dressing.
- Add feta cheese for added flavor and creaminess. My favorite is the Violife dairy-free feta! You could also try it with parmesan cheese or goat cheese.
- Top it with your favorite complete protein! Although we have a nice amount of plant-based protein from the chickpeas, hemp seeds and nuts, you can't go wrong with adding another form. Try some tofu, tempeh or, if you're not vegan, some chicken or shrimp.
- Make it nut-free by getting rid of the almonds. You can replace them with a crunchy, small seeds, like pepitas or sunflower seeds, or just leave them out entirely.
- Add more berries! Blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries would be a great addition to this salad.
- Use a different legume. If you're not a fan of chickpeas, this salad is great with white beans.
- Swap the greens! Feel free to use any green you prefer. Spinach, arugula, romaine lettuce, or spring mix all work well here.
- Use roasted chickpeas for added crunch and flavor! Check out this recipe for 5 flavor variations.
- Add fresh herbs for more flavor and freshness! I like to throw in fresh mint or fresh basil to take this salad to the next level.
This recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Instructions
There's no cooking involved with this salad, so the step-by-step instructions couldn't be more simple:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until combined.
- Combine cucumbers, blueberries, chickpeas, red cabbage, greens of choice, avocado, hemp seeds and slivered almonds in a large mixing bowl and toss. Either keep the dressing on the side or drizzle desired amount onto the salad. Toss again to combine.
- Serve in a serving bowl as a meal or multiple side salads and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use fresh blueberries for the best flavor and texture! Frozen blueberries are perfectly ripe but they will defrost on top of the salad making it watery and ultimately separating the oil/vinegar based dressing from the salad ingredients.
- Serve the dressing on the side. Aside from being able to control how much or how little dressing goes on your salad, this is better for storage purposes if there are any leftovers so the greens don't get soggy.
How to Store
Refrigerator: Make this salad ahead of time or store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend keeping the salad and the vinaigrette in separate airtight containers. When ready to serve, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and give it a quick toss. Extra dressing will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
FAQ
Yes! Prepare your salad and dressing as you normally would but instead of pouring the dressing onto the salad, store them separately in the fridge in airtight containers. This will make sure your salad ingredients don't get soggy when you are ready to eat it. I also recommend not adding the avocado until you're ready to serve to avoid the avocado browning.
If you're eating the salad right away, you should have no problem with the cucumbers staying crispy! But if you're prepping the salad ahead of time or just want super crisp cucumber chunks, place the cucumber slices or chunks in a colander in the sink. Sprinkle them with a bit of salt (¼ to ½ teaspoon), toss to coat, and let them rest for about 15 minutes to draw out excess water. Pat them dry with a paper towel and proceed with the recipe.
I recommend peeling cucumbers that have a waxy coating or thick skin. The skin of mini cucumbers or seedless cucumbers don't typically need to be peeled (unless you want to).
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📖 Recipe
Blueberry Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Cutting Board
- Chefs Knife
Ingredients
Blueberry Cucumber Salad
- 3-4 cups spring mix or arugula
- 1 1/12 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 seedless cucumber chopped
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 (14oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado diced
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together the white balsamic vinaigrette ingredients until combined.2 tablespoons slivered almonds, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons agave, ¼ teaspoon italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss. Either keep the dressing on the side or drizzle desired amount onto the salad. Toss again to combine.3-4 cups spring mix or arugula, 1 1/12 cups fresh blueberries, 1 cup red cabbage, 1 (14oz) can chickpeas, 1 avocado, 3 tablespoons hemp seeds, 1 seedless cucumber
- Serve as a meal or multiple side salads and enjoy!
Lauren says
This is my favorite salad of yours! So filling and refreshing
Paige Hughes says
This is the perfect summer salad to add to your meal prep! It’s easy, so delicious, and super versatile depending on what ingredients you have in your fridge or your pantry. I have a nut allergy so I swapped the sliced almonds for pepitas, and it adds similar texture. Catch me munching on this salad for the next three months!
Pinch of Parsley says
Thank you! So glad you liked this salad and made it work for you, Paige!!