This roasted strawberry salad is the perfect blend of beautiful, fresh ingredients with roasted balsamic strawberries, white beans, nutty black rice, avocado, and a hearty arugula/kale blend. Everything is topped off with a creamy roasted strawberry vinaigrette. On the table in under 30 minutes, this nutrient packed salad is perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner or a quick colorful appetizer.
I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately and consequently, A LOT of taste testing. Because you know, I have to make sure it’s perfect, right? And who knows maybe that cookie wasn’t a true representation of them all so BETTER HAVE ANOTHER.
Anyway, I thought I’d share a recipe that’s a little healthier but still delivers on the flavor. It’s got a hearty blend of winter kale and baby arugula, black rice (aka forbidden rice) and some simple cannellini beans tossed in olive oil and thyme for a little protein. Of course the real star of this roasted strawberry salad is obviously the roasted strawberries. I was skeptical at first, worried that the strawberries might dry out or just melt completely. It turns out that a quick 15 minutes in the oven actually concentrates the flavor and even plumps the up a bit making for the perfect bit of sweetness in a savory salad. .
How to roast strawberries
Roasted strawberries are super easy to make, all you need is a sheet pan, some fresh strawberries and a little balsamic and sugar. Just toss that all together and bake for about 15 minutes and the strawberries will become super soft and sweet. I had a hard time pulling myself away from them, they’re a little addictive. Don’t eat them all though, because you need about a half cup for the roasted strawberry vinaigrette.
I love this recipe because the roasted strawberries serve both as a topping for the salad and the main ingredient for the dressing. They’re blended with a little balsamic vinegar and oil until smooth and creamy. I accidentally made way too much the first time around, so keep in mind that a few roasted strawberries will go a long way.
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Roasted Strawberry Salad with Black Rice and Avocado
Course: Dinner, Lunch, SaladCuisine: VeganDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes15
minutesThis roasted strawberry salad is packed with nutrients and flavor. Sweet balsamic roasted strawberries, nutty black rice and avocado, all tossed with a creamy roasted strawberry vinegrette. Serve as a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or healthy vegan appetizer.
Ingredients
1 lb fresh strawberries, stems removed and halved
1 tbsp + 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp + 1/2 cup olive oil
1 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt + more as needed
6 cups arugula and/or chopped kale
Cooked black rice
Avocado
Feta (vegan if needed)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Toss strawberries with sugar and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and spread evenly across the sheet pan. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and caramelized.
- Remove the roasted strawberries from the oven and let cool a few minutes before adding a 1/2 cup to a blender or food processor along with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, a 1/2 cup oil and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. If the dressing seems too thick, add in a few tbsps of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- In a small bowl, toss the cannellini beans with 1 tsp oil, thyme and salt. Taste and more salt as necessary.
- To serve, divide the kale/arugula among bowls and top with cooked black rice, roasted strawberries, avocado, cannellini beans, crumbled feta and the roasted strawberry vinaigrette. Enjoy!
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