Quinoa Caprese salad
Quinoa Caprese salad is full of fluffy quinoa, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and drizzled a light lemony vinaigrette. This simple salad is perfect for summer!
Yield: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 ¼ cups dry white quinoa
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (mixed colors or red), halved
- 1 (8 oz.) container mini mozzarella balls, halved (see notes)
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
For the vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 juicy lemon)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Let cool completely then season with salt and pepper. (You can stick it in the fridge for a little while to speed it up if needed.)
- Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. (I recommend waiting to chop the basil until you are ready to use it.)
- To make the dressing, add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine.
- Combine the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.
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Notes
The quinoa here needs to be cooked and then cooled to make the salad. Please plan accordingly.
I love the Ciliegine or cherry size balls of fresh mozzarella for this salad. However, if you can only find larger balls or a full ball of fresh mozzarella, just chop that up into smaller pieces.
As mentioned, I love the lightness of the honey lemon vinaigrette for this recipe but you could sub a store-bought citrus vinaigrette or more traditional balsamic vinaigrette.
This salad is best served right after it’s mixed so everything is as fresh as possible. But you can prep everything for this salad ahead and then combine it before ready to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g
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