Red, White, and Blue Salad

What’s not to love about this red, white, and blue salad? It’s loaded with crisp, cool greens, fresh juicy fruit, salty bacon, and tangy feta—all finished with a bright, sweet-and-tangy dressing.

This salad screams summer—but luckily, the ingredients are available year-round.

It’s a fun and festive take on red, white, and blue that’s perfect for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Labor Day, or any patriotic celebration. But honestly? It’s also just a really good salad—easy to make and full of flavor.

The maple red wine vinaigrette comes together with just four simple ingredients, and if I’m being real, you don’t even need to measure. Just mix 3 parts maple syrup, 2 parts red wine vinegar, 1 part lemon juice, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Done.

If you’re taking it to a party or cookout, I recommend waiting to dress it until just before serving. Other than that, it’s super prep-friendly. What’s not to love about crisp, cool greens topped with fresh, juicy fruit, salty bacon, and tangy feta—all drizzled with a bright, sweet-and-tangy dressing?  Even Mr. Hungry agrees, and he typically hates fruit in his salads, but for this one, he makes an exception. 

Enjoy, and as always, let me know if you try it!  This is an old recipe first published in 2017, we love it and I hope you love it as much as we do!

How to Make Red, White, and Blue Salad 

I like to layer this salad to show off the classic red, white, and blue stripes—saving the bacon for the final touch. But honestly, you can arrange it however you want! I always wait to dress it until right before serving, or leave the dressing on the side for anyone who prefers it that way. 

Note on the dressing: I didn't take photos of the dressing being made, because it kind of looked the same for each step.  I will be posting a video closer to the Fourth of July. In that video/reel, I combined the ingredients and whisked them by hand.  If you want the dressing to be more emulsified (blended) then you can blend together for 30 seconds with an immersion blender or real blender.  I'll post the video here after I post on social (@hungryhobbyRD on Insta, @hungryhobby everywhere else).

Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

This recipe is naturally low-carb and gluten-free, but here are a few easy swaps and modifications you can make:

• Strawberries – Need a red fruit, but out of strawberries? Try watermelon or pitted cherries for a fresh, juicy swap.
• Blueberries – These are tougher to replace, but blackberries or quartered dark grapes can work in a pinch.
• Feta – For a dairy-free option, go with vegan feta or cashew cheese crumbles. If you’re just not a fan of feta, goat cheese, mozzarella balls, or even cheese curds are all delicious alternatives.
• Bacon – Turkey bacon or vegan bacon both work great. Just don’t skip it—the salty, savory crunch ties the whole salad together.

Maple Red Wine Vinaigrette Swaps: 

• Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is my favorite for this recipe—it adds the perfect depth and sweetness. But any liquid sweetener, like honey or agave, can work in a pinch.
• Red Wine Vinegar – I love the rich flavor of red wine vinegar here, but apple cider vinegar makes a great substitute if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lemon Juice – The combo of lemon juice and vinegar gives the dressing a nice, balanced tang. You can use just one if needed, but I wouldn’t substitute lime juice—it throws off the flavor. If you’re out of lemon, just skip it and add a splash more vinegar instead.
• Olive Oil – A neutral oil like olive oil, avocado oil, or even a light nut or seed oil works great. Just avoid anything too strong that might overpower the other flavors.

How to Store Red, White, and Blue Salad

Here are some tips to store your red, white, and blue salad so it stays fresh and delicious: To avoid soggy greens, store the maple vinaigrette in a small container and dress the salad just before serving.  I really like these old baby food glass containers to store dressing in.  Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and prevent wilting. While the salad can be prepped ahead, it’s best eaten within a couple of days, especially once dressed, to preserve texture and flavor. Unless you don't mind soggy salads like my crazy husband, then you do you. If the greens wilt slightly, toss in a handful of fresh spinach or spring mix to perk them back up before serving.

What to serve with this red white and blue salad? 

• If you are hosting or making this for dinner, you'll need a protein. Mesquite Chicken - this is so good on the grill and so easy! I have lots of burgers and chicken recipes in my recipe index, but this one is so easy and goes great with everything! You could also go with my classic chicken marinade as well. Hot dogs (I like Teton waters from Costco) or my barbecue pulled pork lettuce wraps would all be fun!
• For starchier side dishes, corn on the cob would be classic,  my Healthy Mac Salad is a great option, potato salad, rolls, etc.  
• For dessert, try my  No bake flag cookies 

And if you are looking for something similar but less patriotic, I have a version of this salad with peaches and blueberries as well!

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5 from 1 vote

Red White and Blue Salad

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• ½ - ¾ cup feta cheese for dairy free sub almond slivers 
• 4-5 strips cooked uncured bacon cut into strips
• 4 cups mixed dark greens

For Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 3 T maple syrup
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T lemon juice
• ¼ cup avocado or olive oil

Instructions

• To make salad layer greens with rows of strawberries, blueberries, feta, and bacon. 
  
• To make dressing, combine maple syrup, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice in a blender.  Blend for 10 seconds.  While the blender is running on low, you SLOWLY add oil.  It should take you 30 seconds or more to add all of the oil.  (Can also be done with an immersion blender.) Or, hand mixing is fine too, it just won't be quite as incorporated.
• Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss until all the greens are covered with dressing.    
  

Notes

The dressing will keep 1-2 days in the fridge! 

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @hungryhobbyRD or tag #hungryhobby if you try this recipe!