Description
A vibrant and refreshing Strawberry Crunch Salad featuring peppery arugula, sweet strawberries, creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy sugared almonds and pistachios, all tossed in a zesty champagne vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or a delightful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Crunchy Almonds
- ⅔ cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Salad
- 10 ounces arugula greens
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered or chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup roasted salted pistachios, chopped
Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, freshly grated
- Pinch kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Caramelize the Almonds: Place the sliced or slivered almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the sugar melts and coats the almonds in a caramelized glaze, about 6 to 8 minutes. Be careful and attentive to avoid burning. Once caramelized, transfer the almonds onto parchment paper and allow them to cool, then break any clumps into pieces.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large bowl, toss the arugula greens with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add in the hulled and quartered strawberries, chopped avocado, crumbled goat cheese, chopped roasted pistachios, and the sugared almonds.
- Make the Champagne Vinaigrette: In a separate bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, freshly grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing emulsifies and is well combined. This dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Toss and Serve: Drizzle the prepared champagne vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the freshness and crunch.
Notes
- Keep a close watch when caramelizing almonds as sugar can burn quickly.
- You can substitute goat cheese with feta if preferred.
- For a nut-free version, omit the pistachios and almonds, or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower.
- The dressing can be prepared in advance and stored refrigerated for up to one week.
- Serve this salad immediately after tossing to preserve the crispness of the greens and crunch of the nuts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: strawberry salad, crunchy salad, arugula salad, caramelized almonds, champagne vinaigrette, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, summer salad
