Fresh Summer Salad with Honey Roasted Pistachios
Published 5/22/2025
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If there’s one salad on the internet that just screams summer, it’s this one! My Summer Salad with Honey Roasted Pistachios is packed with vibrant, fresh greens, sweet sliced strawberries and homemade honey roasted pistachios that are the perfectly sweet and salty crunchy topper.
Toss it with my homemade lemon honey mustard vinaigrette (that is naturally gluten-free!), and enjoy at potlucks, backyard BBQs or simple summer dinners all season long.
Standout recipe features
Homemade honey roasted pistachios that are quickly and simply made on the stovetop with just two ingredients — honey and shelled pistachios (+ a little flakey sea salt 😋)!
I used to think asparagus always had to be blanched or roasted to taste good, but omg if you’ve never sliced fresh asparagus for a salad, now’s the time! It’s a crunchy, fresh and delicious way to add more veggies to any salad.
The homemade honey mustard vinaigrette is light and bright and adds the perfect amount of flavor without overpowering the fresh ingredients of the salad. Don’t skip it unless you absolutely have to 😏😏
A Few Key Ingredients
- Spring mix: I love the color and soft texture that a bed of spring mix adds to this salad. Feel free to sub for chopped romaine, butter lettuce, arugula or spinach if you’d like.
- Pistachios: Do not, I repeat, do not skip the honey roasted pistachios. They’re seriously easy to make on the stovetop, and add such great texture and flavor to this salad.
- Strawberries: Can you have a summer salad without sliced strawberries? I vote no 😂 Not only do they add great color to this salad, the sweet flavor is iconically and perfectly summer-y. Blueberries would also be a fun add if you’re looking to toss in a 2nd fruit.
- Honey: My girl! Honey is used to sweeten up the roasted pistachios as well as in the homemade honey mustard salad dressing.
Find the list of full ingredients in the recipe card below.
How to Perfectly Roast the Pistachios
All you need for these roasted pistachios is shelled pistachios, honey, and a little flakey salt. And the method is super straightforward:
- Heat a small skillet pan over medium heat.
- Add the pistachios to the skillet toast for one minute.
- Add the honey to the pistachios and toss.
- Toast until the pistachios begin to turn golden brown (this will only take a few minutes).
- Top with flakey salt and let the pistachios cool. Feel free to taste test 😋
What To Serve With This Refreshing Salad
When it’s time to serve this salad, pour the dressing over it and toss. Top it with the honey pistachios and feta cheese, and enjoy immediately 😋.
If you’re serving this salad as a side dish, suggest pairing this salad with one of my summer salad recipes like this lemon pasta salad with fresh herbs, grilled zucchini or grilled corn, and chicken salad sammies on croissants. Oh, and sliced watermelon or my easy fruit salad! This English pea and potato salad would also be delish. It will be just like a farmers market at your next summertime backyard BBQ.
Storage Instructions
This summer salad is best served immediately, but if you’re prepping it for later, I recommend waiting to add the pistachios, feta, and dressing until you’re ready to serve. You’ll need to whisk or shake up the salad dressing before serving as the olive oil will separate from the rest of the ingredients.
This is also a great salad to use the good ol’ jar salad make-ahead method. Pour the dressing on the bottom of the jar, followed by the heartier veggies (red onion and asparagus), pistachios, feta, strawberries and then top with the lettuce, and then shut the jar. When you’re ready to eat, either shake the jar up, or pour into a bowl and toss.
More of My Favorite Summer Salad Recipes
- Herby Cucumber Tomato Salad (with fresh basil, mint and dill)
- Fresh Caprese Salad with Quinoa (with homemade Mediterranean vinaigrette)
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad (with homemade salad dressing)
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Greek Feta Salad (with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and red onion)
- Street Corn Salad (with fresh corn, and a creamy jalapeno lime dressing)
Fresh Summer Salad Recipe with Honey Roasted Pistachios
Ingredients
- 10 oz. spring mix
- 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
- ½ lb. asparagus, sliced
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 10 oz. pistachios, raw
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon flaked salt
- 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Add the spring mix, fresh strawberries, asparagus, and onion to a large salad bowl and toss. Set aside.
- Heat a small skillet pan over medium heat. Add the pistachios to the skillet toast for one minute, add the honey to the pistachios and toss. Toast until the pistachios begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove the pistachios from the heat and transfer to a plate. Top with flakey salt and let the pistachios cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together until combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Top the salad with the honey pistachios and feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes
- If you are not serving the salad right away, I suggest waiting to add the dressing.
- Crumbled goat cheese, shredded parmesan or pearl mozzarella will also work as a substitution for feta.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
