This Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad is light, fresh, colorful, and full of contrasting flavors and textures. Tender lettuce is topped with juicy raspberries, toasted walnuts, sliced scallions, and salty crumbled feta, then finished with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette.
It is simple enough for an everyday lunch or side dish but beautiful enough for entertaining. The sweet berries, tangy feta, crunchy walnuts, and bright vinaigrette make every bite balanced without making the salad feel heavy.
If you enjoy fresh seasonal salads, browse these BBQ Salads for Summer for more warm-weather ideas.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad
- It is fresh and light. Tender lettuce and fresh berries keep the salad bright and refreshing.
- It has plenty of texture. Soft raspberries and feta contrast with crunchy toasted walnuts.
- The flavors are balanced. Sweet berries, salty feta, shallots, and tangy vinaigrette work naturally together.
- It looks beautiful with minimal effort. The berries make this salad especially attractive for entertaining.
- The vinaigrette is homemade. Fresh raspberries give the dressing natural fruit flavor.
- It can become a complete meal. Grilled chicken or sliced steak can be added for extra protein.
For another colorful salad option, try this Southwest Pasta Salad.
Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad Ingredients
For the Raspberry Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 1/2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jelly
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries, or a combination of raspberries and blackberries
- 4 ounces walnut halves, toasted
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
For another light dish that works well during warmer months, try this Easy Pasta Salad.
How to Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
The dressing for this salad is made with real raspberries rather than raspberry syrup.
Add the minced shallots, fresh raspberries, seedless raspberry jelly, sherry vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil to a food processor.
Process until the vinaigrette is smooth and evenly combined.
The fresh raspberries provide fruit flavor, while the raspberry jelly contributes sweetness and the sherry vinegar brings acidity to balance the dressing.
You can prepare the vinaigrette before assembling the salad and keep it chilled until you are ready to serve.
For another salad with plenty of texture and color, see this California Cobb Pasta Salad.
How to Make Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad
1. Prepare the Raspberry Vinaigrette
Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and homogeneous.
2. Prepare the Berries
The recipe uses fresh raspberries. If desired, spread half of the fresh berries on a small baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Adding some briefly frozen berries just before serving creates a different texture and can make the finished salad especially attractive.
3. Arrange the Lettuce
Arrange the Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves on a large serving plate.
These tender greens provide a soft base that works especially well with delicate raspberries.
4. Add the Toppings
Sprinkle the lettuce with the fresh raspberries, toasted walnut halves, sliced scallions, and crumbled feta.
If you are using a combination of raspberries and blackberries, distribute the berries evenly across the greens.
5. Add the Dressing
Drizzle the raspberry vinaigrette over the salad to taste immediately before serving.
Avoid adding too much dressing at once. You can always serve additional vinaigrette on the side.
For another fresh salad that can work as a light meal, try this Jerk Shrimp Cobb Salad.
Can You Make Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad Ahead of Time?
It is better not to fully assemble and dress the salad far in advance. Delicate lettuce can wilt and raspberries can become crushed once everything is mixed together.
Instead, prepare the individual components ahead and keep them separate until close to serving time.
You can prepare the raspberry vinaigrette ahead, toast the walnuts ahead, wash and dry the lettuce, and have the feta and scallions ready to go.
When it is time to eat, arrange the greens and toppings and drizzle with dressing just before serving.
If you need another make-ahead-friendly option for entertaining, this Really Good Pasta Salad is another useful choice.
Before serving fresh berries and lettuce, rinse produce under running water. For additional produce-handling information, see the FDA fresh produce safety recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are baby greens?
Baby greens are young, tender salad leaves harvested before they reach full maturity. They are generally smaller, more delicate, and milder in flavor than mature greens.
Examples can include spring mix, baby romaine, baby spinach, and baby arugula.
This specific recipe uses Boston or Bibb lettuce, so those remain the tested greens for the salad.
Can I use frozen raspberries?
Fresh raspberries are the tested choice for this recipe and provide the best shape and presentation.
The source recipe does optionally instruct you to freeze half of the fresh berries for about 30 minutes before serving, but it does not test commercially frozen raspberries as a direct substitute.
If presentation and texture matter, use fresh berries.
Can I make this salad in advance?
Prepare the components ahead, but wait to fully assemble and dress the salad until close to serving.
The raspberry vinaigrette and toasted walnuts can be prepared ahead, which makes final assembly quick.
Can I use other berries?
Yes. The source recipe specifically allows either fresh raspberries or a combination of raspberries and blackberries.
What kind of lettuce should I use?
The tested recipe calls for Boston or Bibb lettuce. Both are tender lettuces that work well with delicate berries and feta.
Can I use spring mix instead?
Spring mix has a similar tender texture and can work as a variation, but Boston or Bibb lettuce is what the source recipe specifically calls for.
What proteins go well with Raspberry and Feta Cheese Salad?
Grilled chicken breast or sliced steak can turn the salad into a more substantial meal.
For another easy chicken dinner to serve alongside it, try these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
How do you balance tart raspberries?
If your raspberries are especially tart, add a small drizzle of honey or a pinch of sugar to the homemade dressing to soften the acidity.
Can I make the raspberry vinaigrette ahead?
Yes. Preparing the dressing before assembling the salad is a good way to save time. Keep it chilled until needed and stir or shake it again before serving.
Do the walnuts need to be toasted?
The source recipe uses toasted walnut halves. Toasting adds more flavor and gives the salad extra crunch.
When should I add the dressing?
Drizzle the dressing over the salad immediately before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and the raspberries keep their shape.
Can I leave out the feta?
You can omit it if needed, but feta supplies an important salty, creamy contrast to the sweet berries and vinaigrette.
Recipe Card
Use the recipe card below for the complete ingredient quantities and instructions.
PrintRaspberry and Feta Cheese Salad
Sweet, fresh berries; salty feta; crunchy walnuts…this raspberry salad tastes like spring on a plate.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 4, 4 -6 servings 1x
- Method: Salad
Ingredients
- Raspberry Vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp minced shallots
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 1/2 Tbsp seedless raspberry jelly
- 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head of Boston or bibb lettuce
- 6 oz fresh raspberries (or a combination of raspberries and blackberries)
- 4 oz walnut halves (toasted)
- 2 Tbsp sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- Raspberry Vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until homogenous.
- Salad: If desired, spread half the berries on a small cookie sheet and place in the freezer until frozen, about 30 mins.
- Arrange lettuce leaves on a large plate and sprinkle with berries, nuts, scallions and feta.
- Drizzle with dressing to taste and serve.
