Fresh strawberry salad featuring baby spinach, quinoa, fresh mozzarella, toasted almonds and more tossed in basil balsamic dressing. This salad is gluten free!
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Serving Size 4
Ingredients
For the dressing
½cupsliced strawberries
2basil leaves
4½tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1½tablespoonbalsamic glaze
1teaspoonwhite wine vinegar
½teaspoondijon mustard
¼teaspoonsea salt
freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
For the salad
4cupslightly packed fresh baby spinach
2cupsred leaf lettuce
1cupcooked quinoa, cooled
½cupchopped cucumber
2tablespoonschopped green onion
5basil leaves, torn into small pieces
½cupfresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
1cupsliced strawberries
⅓cuptoasted almonds
Instructions
For the dressing
To a blender, add fresh strawberries, basil, olive oil, balsamic glaze, vinegar, dijon, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and transfer to a jar.
For the salad
In a large bowl, layer spinach, lettuce, quinoa, cucumber, green onion, strawberries and basil.
Drizzle salad evenly with dressing, toss, then top with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.
Notes
Dressing and salad can be prepared ahead of time separately. Store in refrigerator until right before serving. Add nuts at the end to keep them crunchy.
For the quinoa, I used a blend of quinoa and ancient grains that are gluten-free. Cook ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until needed.
To make this salad nut-free, try replacing the almonds with sunflower seeds.
For a vegan salad, simply eliminate the fresh mozzarella or substitute with plant-based.
Use balsamic glaze, not vinegar to make the dressing. I keep a bottle of this brand on hand, but you can make your own by reducing balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it thickens (stir and watch closely). Add a bit of brown sugar for a sweeter version.