Beautiful Berry Salad Recipe with Ricotta and Citrus Dressing

Want to serve fresh berries at your spread in a fun and creative way? My gorgeous berry salad recipe balances the fresh, tart flavors of the forest with creamy ricotta, crunchy almonds, and a citrussy dressing.

Berry Salad Recipe

There’s just something really magical about having fresh berries on the dinner table. It’s like your bringing elements of the great outdoors into your own home.

My goal with this salad was to try to balance the sweetness and tartness of all the berries. That’s where the fresh chopped herbs, crunchy almonds, zesty dressing, and ricotta all come in.

This is a super fun and refreshing way to serve lots of fresh berries you may have at home. Plus, it is so beautiful to look at when served on a large platter.

Serve this alongside a tropical fruit salad, and you can give people the choice of something rustic, fresh, and closer to home, or something a little more sweet and exotic!

Recipe Ingredients

To make my berry salad recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • Strawberries – 2 cups strawberries
  • Raspberries – 1 cup raspberries
  • Blackberries – 1 cup blackberries
  • Blueberries – 1 cup blueberries
  • Ricotta – 1/2 cup ricotta
  • Orange Juice – juice from half an orange
  • Lime Juice – 1 tbsp of freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • Mint – 2 tbsp of finely chopped mint
  • Honey – 2 tbsp honey
  • Flaked Almonds – 1/2 cup (you could also use chopped hazelnuts or slivered almonds)

Step-by-Step Ingredients

Step 1 – Toast the flaked almonds in a non-stick pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes while stirring them. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Once toasted, transfer them to a plate and set them aside to cool.

Step 2 – Wash and dry the berries. Then, remove the strawberry stems and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3 – Add the orange juice, lime juice, and honey to a mixing bowl and, using a whisk, mix everything until it’s well-combined.

Step 4 – Add the berries to the salad dressing.

Step 5 – Mix everything well, making sure the salad dressing is coating the berries all around.

Step 6 – Add the finely chopped mint and mix.

Step 7 – Transfer the berries to a serving platter or bowl and top with fresh ricotta.

Step 8 – Finally, add the toasted flaked almonds on top.

Serving Suggestions

The beauty of this salad is that, with the ricotta, almonds, and dressing, you have everything you need for a dessert that brings lots of flavors and complementary textures together.

You can enjoy it as it is, by the spoonful. However, if you do want to give your guests some options, consider a plate of biscuits or crackers, that people can spoon the salad onto.

You could also try my lemon ricotta cream mousse or mascarpone lime cream recipes, which your guests can use to top a bowl or glass of this salad.

If you’re hosting a wine and cheese night, this salad is a great side for a large cheese or charcuterie board, with sweet and savory crackers.

For a little tang, give your guests some Greek yogurt to serve it with. To keep it sweet, you could instead serve it with vanilla ice cream (the berries are already sweet and tart) or whipped cream.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you could prepare some shortcake or cheesecake-like biscuit bases in glasses, and you and your guests can spoon the berry salad on top.

This is spring and summer on a platter, I can tell you! It looks amazing, tastes sweet and refreshing, and can be paired with lots of other sweet sides.

Berry Salad Recipe Card

Berry Salad

Berry Salad

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups strawberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • juice from half an orange
  • 1 tbsp of freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tbsp of finely chopped mint
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup flaked almonds (or slivered almonds or chopped hazelnuts)

Instructions

  1. Toast the flaked almonds in a non-stick pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes while stirring them. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Once toasted, transfer them to a plate and set them aside to cool.
  2. Wash and dry the berries. Then, remove the strawberry stems and cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Add the orange juice, lime juice, and honey to a mixing bowl and, using a whisk, mix everything until well-combined.
  4. Add the berries to the salad dressing.
  5. Mix everything well, making sure the salad dressing is coating the berries all around.
  6. Add the finely chopped mint and mix.
  7. Transfer the berries to a serving platter or bowl and top with fresh ricotta.
  8. Finally, add the toasted flaked almonds on top.

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