Strawberry Salad with Almond Ricotta + Pine Nuts might just be my new favorite summer salad. Tender butter lettuce, juicy berries, crisp cucumber, toasty pine nuts, creamy almond ricotta, and a creamy hemp seed dressing. It’s the perfect picnic or BBQ salad to enjoy all summer long.
Nothing says summer more than salads and berries. Am I right!? So this Strawberry Salad with Almond Ricotta + Pine Nuts is the perfect summertime salad.
And with only a handful of ingredients needed, you can have this salad whipped up in 15 minutes. Just in time to take along to your next park or beach picnic.
What you’ll need for the recipe…
For this recipe you’ll need mostly fresh produce ingredients, which can be adapted to your preference.
- butter lettuce
- cucumber
- strawberries
- almond ricotta
- pine nuts
- Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing
I like butter lettuce in this salad because it is tender and neutral in flavor, allowing the flavor in the other ingredients to shine. That said, you can sub mixed greens, chopped romaine, baby spinach, etc.
For the cucumber I always go with an english/hothouse seedless. They have way more flavor than the seeded ones. Alternatively, persian cucumbers are also packed with that delicious cucumber-y flavor.
TIP: after slicing your cucumbers sprinkle with a little bit of fine pink salt to draw out moisture and concentrate the flavor
Strawberries are my favorite here, but you can sub blueberries, blackberries, or even peaches. All summer fruit, so keep the season in mind!
Local berries via Stokes farm
The almond ricotta is one of my favorite dairy-free cheeses, and I like the brand Kite Hill. With it’s fluffy silky texture it goes great with so many things ~ salads, pastas, frittata and more.
And toasted pine nuts are the perfect crunchy addition to this summery salad. Toasted pistachios or almonds would also work nicely here, or do a combo.
Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing goes great with this salad
The dressing that goes great with this recipe is my Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing. But, don’t let the word “creamy” deter you ~ it’s dairy free! My recipe is easy and has minced flavor-packed, shallot, some fresh lemon and/or lime and/or orange juice, evoo and hemp seeds for the creaminess.
Mix up this salad according to your preference or what is at the market
Once you have all of your ingredients, time to toss!
In a large bowl toss the lettuces with some of the dressing. Then add the rest of the ingredients and toss once more with a little more dressing and serve right away.
I suggest serving the salad right away to ensure max freshness and crunch of the ingredients. The acidity of the dressing brings the flavor, but it can also wilt the ingredients if it sits too long.
Be sure to let me know if you try my Strawberry Salad with Almond Ricotta + Pine Nuts. You can leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram with a pic of your creation, I’d love to hear from you!
And sign up here for our newsletter so you don’t miss the latest recipes, food tips and more!
Like salads? Try these recipes next…
Chopped Mango + Macadamia Salad (vegan, GF)
Antioxidant Blueberry Salad (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 1 recipe Creamy Citrus Hemp Seed Dressing see blog post for link
- 2 heads boston butter lettuce or ~ 6 cups chopped
- 1 each english cucumber (peeled or unpeeled) sliced thin
- 1/2 pint fresh strawberries washed, trimmed and sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled almond ricotta
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Ingredients
|
|
- prepare Creamy Citrus Hemp Seed Dressing according to recipe
- in a large bowl, toss lettuces with part of the dressing, then add remaining ingredients and toss gently once more with a little more of the dressing (you may not need all of the dressing
- enjoy salad right away for max freshness
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe that you have shared with us, indeed the strawberry salad looks amazing and I am sure it will also taste yummy cannot wait to prepare it and also share it with my friends and family as well.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!