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Strawberry Mozzarella Arugula Salad with Basil Dressing

Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups loosely packed arugula
  • 8 oz strawberries, trimmed/hulled, quartered (about 2 cups)
  • 6-8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 heaping cup)
  • ½ cup toasted almonds, chopped

For the dressing:*

  • 1 cup loosely packed basil
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • *If you wanted to simplify this, you could skip the dressing and use my go-to way to dress a salad - toss everything in about 3-4 tbsp lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Taste to see if it tastes pleasantly tangy/salty enough, then add a generous drizzling of good olive oil and toss again. Taste once more and add more salt, lemon, or oil as needed. 
  • Note: ~ pairs well with a good sausage, grilled steak, Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Yogurt Ranch, or Miso Honey Garlic Grilled Chicken.

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Trim/hull and quarter 8 oz strawberries (about 2 cups)
  • Cut 6-8 oz fresh mozzarella into bite-sized pieces (about 1 heaping cup)
  • Toast and chop ½ cup toasted
  • Make the dressing

Instructions

  • In a high-speed blender, add all of the dressing ingredients. You may need to use a smaller blender, depending on the size and shape. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified.
  • In a large bowl, add the arugula, strawberries, mozzarella, and more basil if you have some. (Only dress as much of the salad that you plan to eat right away.) Pour ⅔ of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing, to taste.
  • Serve topped with almonds and more black pepper.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make dairy-free, use avocado in place of mozzarella
  • Any summer fruit can be used in place of strawberries. Try it with peaches!
  • Use any lettuce in place of arugula - little gems would be yummy.

Storage:

  • Store leftovers separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The salad doesn’t keep well as leftovers, so only dress what you plan to eat.

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Turn the salad into a farro bowl - add farro to your bowl and toss with arugula, then top with strawbs, mozz, dressing + nuts.
  • Make it a fun appetizer or snack skewer -  strawberry, mozzarella, and avocado on a toothpick with the dressing for dipping or drizzling over top.