Sweet strawberries mingle with rich balsamic vinegar and maple-glazed pecans in this scrumptious salad. Try serving it at the end of a meal or as a meal in itself. Sun-dried tomatoes add the umami and add to the vibrant colors of this amazing dish.
Use fresh greens with enough body to hold the dressing and nuts, and you’ll have a new favorite salad to add to your recipe file. And please use organic strawberries only. Promise me! If you don’t have access to organic strawberries, just skip them and you’ll still have a wonderfully delicious salad.
Here are a few more great salad recipes:
Green Salad with Hazelnut and Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Maple Glazed Pecans
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh organic strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup whole pecans
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (use best quality)
- 2 teaspoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- few grinds of black pepper
- mixed greens with "body" (not baby or very tender lettuces), enough for 5 or 6 generous handfuls
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
Wash and dry the lettuces well. Tear into bite-sized pieces with your hands if necessary and place in a large salad bowl. Add the strawberries.
Make the dressing: In a small mixing bowl, add the olive oil and the sun-dried tomatoes. Stir and let marinate for about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, the salt, the pepper, and whisk with a fork until well combined. Add the warm water and mix again. Let the dressing rest while you glaze the pecans.
In a small frying pan, melt the vegan butter over a low heat. Add the maple syrup and blend it with the butter. Add the pecans and turn up the heat slightly. Stir the mixture gently taking care not to let the nuts burn. They will gradually absorb all of the butter/syrup mixture. If you will not be using them immediately, spread them out on a plate or parchment paper to cool.
Pour the dressing over the greens and strawberries and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Add the warm pecans to the salad and serve.
Notes
Always use organic strawberries; non-organic or "conventional" strawberries are the are the fruit most pesticide-laden; see this https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/strawberries.php article if you have any doubt. The site ewg.org also has a wealth of information to help you decide which foods are best for you and you family.
Courses salad
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Made it two nights in a row. Excellent recipe. Thank you.
So glad you liked it. Even if you don’t make the salad, the nuts are addictive!