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.

More Recipes you might like:

• Blackened Salmon Citrus Bowls
• Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Dijon Chicken
• Chickpea Noodle Soup

Roasted Strawberry Salad with Black Rice and Avocado

Recipe by Elaine SkiadasCourse: Dinner, Lunch, SaladCuisine: VeganDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

This 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!

Made this recipe? Tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram!