I love fruit in a summer salad, especially when paired with basil! And since basil just reminds me of a caprese salad, this strawberry caprese salad is exactly what I want all summer long. Not only does this strawberry salad use traditional caprese salad ingredients like mozzarella cheese and basil, it also uses peppery arugula and candied pecans to take the salad to the next level. A touch of cinnamon in the candied pecans makes them even more flavorful and the perfect crunchy topping to this delicious summer salad.
I used the mini mozzarella balls for this recipe, but you can always use a standard size fresh mozzarella ball cut into cubes too! Fresh mozzarella is definitely a key ingredient here because it’s what makes this salad feel like a caprese salad. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of basil that has been sliced into ribbons, but be generous! If you have extra basil you truly can’t go wrong throwing it in here. It’s the perfect pair with arugula to make the greens basil of your salad. Fresh strawberries, fresh mozzarella, and candied pecans all drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar make this salad both easy and delicious. Freshly ground black pepper and a few pinches of salt, and that’s all you need as far as a salad dressing goes!
This strawberry caprese salad is perfect paired with any grilled meat: chicken or steak would round this out and make it a complete meal, but shrimp would be great too. Pork tenderloin also comes to mind as an option. A glass of crisp rose and I want to enjoy this meal outside in the sunshine. Plus the vibrant colors here? This salad is perfect for entertaining too.
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. salt
- 4-6 handfuls arugula
- ¾ cup fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
- 8 oz. mini fresh mozzarella balls or 8 oz. cubed fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup chopped or sliced strawberries
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use your hands to toss to coat, then toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, assemble the salad. In a large bowl, toss the basil and arugula together. Add the fresh mozzarella and strawberries.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss to combine.
- Top with candied pecans and serve. Enjoy!
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[…] colby jack cheese looked in this salad recipe so I stuck with that. You can definitely also use mini fresh mozzarella balls if that’s more you’re taste! You could also top this whole salad with some freshly […]