Strawberry Walnut Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cooked wild rice chilled
- 3 Tbsp Canola oil plus more for drizzling (extra virgin olive oil can be used, but would increase the amount of saturated fat).
- 1 Tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
- ½ small garlic clove pressed or minced
- ¼ tsp each kosher salt and pepper
- 3 oz baby arugula
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves torn or sliced thin
- 2 oz fresh ciliegine mozzarella small balls, halved or quartered
- 8 oz California strawberries hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the wild rice according to the package directions in advance, chilling or letting it cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together Canola oil, balsamic, garlic, and half of the salt and pepper until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust to your liking (see note).
- Layer the wild rice on the bottom of a large salad bowl. Gently toss with arugula and a teaspoon olive oil. Toss in fresh basil and top with mozzarella, sliced strawberries, and toasted walnuts.
- Drizzle with balsamic to taste and finish with another pinch of salt and pepper. Toss before serving.
Notes
This is a super simple balsamic vinaigrette, but each balsamic vinegar is a bit different, so taste and adjust to your liking. You may find you prefer a bit more vinegar, salt, or pepper. Feel free to add ½ teaspoon honey if you prefer it sweeter.
