Strawberry Basil Salad – Main Dish or Side
This strawberry basil salad can be dressed up as a main dish or kept simple as a side salad. To dress it up and make it a satisfying meal, I added chicken and soba noodles.
Read more: Thai Power Bowl with Almond Butter Dressing, Barley Tabbouleh, Wheat berry Saskatoon Salad or Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Soba Noodles
Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and are a gluten free whole grain (despite the name, it is not related to wheat at all, it is actually related to sorrel and rhubarb). Buckwheat is one of the few plant sources that is a complete protein, it contains all 9 essential amino acids). If you are gluten intolerant, read the ingredient list carefully as some soba noodles are made with some wheat flour. So even without the chicken, this salad is a great meal.
The key to great soba noodles is not to overcook them. Follow the package instructions and test the noodles toward the end of the cooking time. It should only take about 7 to 8 minutes to cook them. When using cold, like in this salad, rinse them well with running cold water to prevent them from sticking.
On their own, they are not very flavorful. But in salads or stir-fries soba noodles easily absorb flavor and are very tasty.
I also love the basil in this strawberry basil salad. It adds a very fresh flavor and goes very nicely with the strawberries, goat cheese and light balsamic vinaigrette. Basil is not just for tomatoes! Try it and see.
Chiffonade of Basil
You’ll see a fancy French term in the recipe – chiffonade. Quite simply it means you stack flat leaves, roll them like a cigar and then slice the roll into thin strips. Here’s a short video showing you how.
Strawberry Basil Salad Recipe
Strawberry Basil Salad
Ingredients
- 6 – 8 cups fresh salad greens
- 1 cup fresh strawberries sliced
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1-2 cups cooked soba noodles optional
- 1-2 cups cooked chicken optional
- 5-6 basil leaves chiffonade (sliced in strips)
- 1-2 Tbsp hemp seeds
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar *
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry salad greens.
- Arrange on a large platter or plate.
- Spread strawberries and goat cheese on top of salad greens.
- Arrange soba noodles and chicken, if using, on top of greens.
- Sprinkle basil leaves and hemp seeds on top.
- Serve salad dressing on the side for each person to add as they wish.
Vinaigrette
- Make vinaigrette by pouring all ingredients in a screw top jar and shaking vigorously. Taste and adjust to your liking. Because all balsamic vinegar is different, you may want to add a little more honey to sweeten your dressing.
Notes
Instead of white balsamic vinegar use white wine vinegar or rice vinegar with a little more honey. Taste and adjust to suit your preference.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Arrange and Serve
I like arranging salads like this on a large platter rather than tossing it in a bowl. It looks so much prettier and you don’t have all the lovely toppings sink to the bottom. This way, everyone gets a fair share of toppings, gets to add as much dressing as they like and gets to enjoy your master piece.
More Full Meal Salad Options
For another strawberry salad option, consider this Strawberry Spinach Salad.
For other whole grain salad options check out these salads.
- Thai Power Bowl with Almond Butter Dressing
- Kale Butternut Squash and Farro Salad
- Wheat berry Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Greek Dressing
- Barley Tabbouleh
- Wheat berry Saskatoon Salad
- Southwestern Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
I’d love to see your version of this Strawberry Basil Salad. Please take a photo, post it on Instagram and tag @getgettys so I can see it and like it!
Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.