Samantha Nicole Put a little hint of summer in your next salad. Dripping with flavor, Strawberry Crunch Salad will be a menu staple regardless of the season. Candied almonds, fresh arugula, juicy-from-the-patch strawberries, creamy avocado, roasted pistachios, and crumbled goat cheese are all tossed with a delicious and tangy sweet champagne vinaigrette for a special salad adventure. Crunchy, flavorful, and fresh, this Strawberry Crunch Salad is full of all the things you love in one sweet bowl!
Ingredients
For the champagne vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, freshly grated
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
For the salad:
- 2/3 cup almonds, sliced or slivered
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 10 ounces arugula
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled, quartered or chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup pistachios, roasted and salted, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, add the champagne vinegar, the honey, the lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, the garlic, the salt, and the black pepper and whisk to combine.
Step 2 –Slowly stream the olive oil into the champagne vinegar mixture, while whisking constantly, until the dressing comes together and is creamy and emulsified.
Step 3 –In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the almonds and the sugar and cook, while stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and caramelizes to coat all of the almonds, about 6-8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the almonds as they can burn quickly.
Step 4 –Transfer the almonds to a piece of parchment paper and let them cool.
Step 5 –Break the almonds into pieces if they have hardened into a clump.
Step 6 –In a separate large bowl, add the arugula, the salt, and the black pepper, and toss to coat.
Step 7 –Add the strawberries, the avocado, the goat cheese, the pistachios, and the candied almonds to the arugula, arranging to your liking in a serving dish.
Step 8 –Drizzle the champagne vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss well.
Step 9 –Serve.
