Strawberry Arugula Salad with Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing

Bursting with flavor, this Strawberry Arugula Salad with Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing {Gluten-free, Low Carb, Low FODMAP, Paleo & Vegetarian/Vegan options} is super easy to make, and will satisfy all your healthy salad cravings!

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Raise your hand if you’re ready for spring!!!

Although I try REALLY hard not to complain about the weather, living in San Diego, it’s been a COLD, WET winter this year, and I am SO ready for Spring, sunshine, and STRAWBERRY season!

This Strawberry Arugula Salad with Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing will satisfy all your strawberry cravings, plus it’s super easy to make, and, with options galore, sure to please everyone. Promise.

What’s to love about this Strawberry Arugula Salad w/ Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing

• It Boosts Your Brain Health! Strawberries, arugula, chicken, and nuts are all part of a MIND Diet friendly meal plan, which has been shown to boost brain health, and may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 53%!
• It’s Low FODMAP & Belly Friendly. Not sure what a low FODMAP diet is? Learn more here–> Low FODMAP Diet 101
• It Keeps Your Energy Level Up, Up, Up! Well-balanced, with complex carbs and fiber, protein, and fat, this strawberry arugula salad makes a perfect one dish meal for lunch or dinner. It also helps keep your energy level up, and your blood sugar level stable, which = a happy mood!
• Cruciferous Veggies, Baby! Arugula is a cruciferous veggie which may help with cancer prevention, and strawberries, like other berries, may also provide protection against certain types of cancers as well.
• Mmm…Microgreens! Did you know they pack a nutritional punch, with nutrient levels up to 40 times higher than their mature counterparts? It’s true!

How to make strawberry salad dressing

This Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing couldn’t be any easier to make! All you need is a blender. Then add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar (it enhances the sweetness), strawberries, salt, & pepper. Then blend away until the dressing is nice and creamy. That’s it! Fair warning: You may be tempted to lick the blender clean!

Easy recipe substitutions & serving suggestions

• Vegan: Omit chicken and goat cheese. Add cooked quinoa, beans, or tofu for extra protein if desired.
• Vegetarian: Omit chicken. Add cooked quinoa, beans, or tofu for extra protein if desired.
• Paleo: Omit goat cheese.
• Other options: Not a fan of strawberries? Try blueberries or raspberries instead, both on the salad and in place of the strawberry salad dressing. Not a fan of goat cheese? How about feta or grated Parmesan? Not an arugula fancier? How about spinach, kale, romaine, or watercress instead? Oh, and about those almonds…chopped walnuts, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds would be mighty tasty too!
• Serving suggestions: This Strawberry Arugula Salad with Strawberry Salad Dressing is a complete meal with a modest amount of complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy (mostly monounsaturated) fats. If you want to add extra carbohydrates, try it with my Best Ever Brazilian Cheese Rolls, or some whole grain gluten free crackers (lately I’ve been obsessed with the Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Norwegian Crispbread!)

Strawberry Arugula Salad w/ Strawberry Salad Dressing

Bursting with nourishing springtime ingredients, this Strawberry Arugula Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, Almonds, and Creamy Strawberry Salad Dressing is super easy to make, and will satisfy all your salad cravings.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

Creamy Strawberry Lemon Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 5 whole strawberries stems/tops removed
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ground black pepper to taste

Strawberry Arugula Salad

• 6 cups baby arugula or other salad greens
• 2 cups whole fresh strawberries stems/tops removed and sliced
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1 cup micro greens optional, to garnish
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese optional, crumbled
• 8 ounces cooked chicken breast optional, sliced

Instructions

• Prepare the salad dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, strawberries, salt and pepper in a blender, and blend on high until smooth. Set aside, or store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• To assembles the salads, place 3 cups each of arugula or other salad greens on two plates. 
• Top with sliced strawberries and slivered almonds.
• Drizzle salad dressing on top.
• Add optional ingredients as desired: Micro greens, goat cheese, chicken.

Notes

Easy Ingredient Swaps:

• Vegan: Omit chicken and goat cheese. Add cooked quinoa, beans, or tofu for extra protein if desired.
• Vegetarian: Omit chicken. Add cooked quinoa, beans, or tofu for extra protein if desired.
• Paleo: Omit goat cheese.
• Other options: Not a fan of strawberries? Try blueberries or raspberries instead! Not a fan of goat cheese? How about feta or grated Parmesan? Not an arugula fancier? How about spinach, kale, romaine, or watercress instead? Oh, and about those almonds…chopped walnuts, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds would be mighty tasty too!

Serving Suggestions:

This Strawberry Arugula Salad is a complete meal with a modest amount of complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy (mostly monounsaturated) fats. If you want to add extra carbohydrates, try it with my Best Ever Brazilian Cheese Rolls, or some whole grain gluten free crackers (lately I’ve been obsessed with the Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Norwegian Crispbread!)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Salad | Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1740IU | Vitamin C: 115.6mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 4mg

EA Stewart, RD | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Course Entree, Salad

Cuisine Gluten Free, Low Carb, Low FODMAP, Mediterranean, MIND Diet, Paleo Option, Vegetarian Option

Keyword arugula salad, arugula salad dressing

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Let’s chat!

Are you craving Spring weather too? Are you excited for strawberry season? What would you add, subtract, change about this strawberry arugula salad to make it your own???