Name: Caprese Salad with Kale and Strawberries
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 cups chopped kale; 2 tbsp olive oil/salad oil (extra virgin (for kale leaves)); 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved); 2 Persian/English Cucumber (sliced); 1 cup mozzarella balls; 1 to 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries; Handful of mint leaves; 1/2 cup oil (extra virgin olive oil or a mix of olive and vegetable oil); 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard; 1-2 tablespoons Maple syrup/Honey/date syrup (or to taste); 1 large clove garlic (minced/grated); 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste; ½ teaspoon black pepper powder

Caprese Salad with Kale and Strawberries is my refreshing take on the Italian classic salad but with mint leaves and fresh mozzarella balls.

Engulfed in a mildly sweet and easy to make homemade dressing/vinaigrette, it is a wonderful way to enjoy kale and caprese salad in a different way.

That dressing came out so good, I have even started making variations of this using different greens, veggies and adding some pasta too! (Recipe below)

For a totally plant based and vegan option, use cubed tofu chunks instead of mozzarella.

If you are not a tofu or even a mozzarella chunks/balls lover then paneer chunks can be substituted.

It is a wonderful side to have with any meal or as a complete meal by itself with some added chickpeas, pasta (penne, macaroni) etc. !

Printable recipe below!

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Summers and salads go together especially when it gets too hot to ingest anything hot or even warm! We are big salad lovers so tend to have them all year round.

More so if it has fresh greens, tomatoes, some crunchy elements like cucumbers and maybe a sweet bite like dates or even apples.

With strawberry season at its peak nutrition and sweetness, I decided to add that to this salad along with of course cherry tomatoes, my go to salad ingredient.

Being mango season, you can add that too or instead of strawberries. How about some pineapple or even some other fruit you like.

The best part of this salad is I would say those soft, delicious and savory mozzarella balls which I absolutely adore because it not only looks cute but delicious too in any salad. You can add chunks or thick slices too.

Whip up an easy peasy homemade dressing with oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper along with a dash of maple syrup (or honey) to give it a sweet note to drench that gorgeous salad and you are set.

Homemade dressings always taste the best without all those chemicals, artificial colors or flavors bottled or store bought ones may have.

Salad sounds heavenly and refreshing right?

NOW, WHAT IS CAPRESE SALAD?

This traditional Italian salad with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves with olive oil and sometimes a Balsamic glaze apparently gets its name from the island Capri where it originated and hence the name Caprese Salad.

Another school of thought says the colors of Caprese Salad represent the Italian flag colors (red, white and green), hence the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves.

Whatever the reason, we love that combo of tomatoes, cheese and fresh greens!

I love to layer some slices of tomatoes, a slice of fresh mozzarella and some greens like basil leaves or any salad or sandwich greens in between 2 slices of bread for a quick and delicious snack!

Authentic caprese salad is made by layering slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil leaves drizzled with a simple dressing of olive oil and seasonings.

I did not have basil so used some fresh chopped kale leaves instead which I had in my fridge. Just make sure to massage them with a drizzle of oil for about 2-3 minutes to soften them a bit.

Love cherry tomatoes, so sliced them into 2 and used that. You can use fresh, whole tomatoes too; just cut them into chunks or slice them up.

We love using fresh mozzarella in our sandwiches so when I found some cute, small mozzarella balls while browsing for my monthly grocery shopping, had to click on that keeping in mind that I gotta add it to my salads!

Of course, any salad needs a dressing, be it store bought or homemade.

Decided to make a quick dressing by shaking a bottle/jar with oil, some balsamic vinegar (had a bottle of that and I love the sweet, tangy notes of that!), a dash of Dijon mustard (doesn’t everything taste much better with mustard?) and some grated garlic; you can use garlic powder too or omit it totally.

Of course add salt and pepper but to give it a sweeter note, I stirred in a splash of maple syrup (you can use honey or date syrup too).

Just drizzle over the salad ingredients, mix well, chill for a while and enjoy!

Easy peasy isn't it?

The great thing about this salad (or any salad for that matter) is it is totally flexible!

Out of kale? Then feel free to use any salad greens like spinach, lettuce leaves, iceberg lettuce etc. But make sure that if you use these, mix in the dressing just before serving or they will wilt unlike kale which is sturdy and can hold its own in any dressing.

Out of strawberries? Then use mangoes (in season right now!), apples, dates, raisins or even some pineapples instead.

But make sure to use a veggie like cucumbers for that added fresh crunch.

Love nuts in your salad? Then feel free to add walnuts, pecans or even some sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Whichever way you make it, you will love it especially with that delicious homemade dressing smothering each element of the salad!

SO YOU WILL NEED:

Fresh kale leaves – buy a whole bunch and chop them up or feel free to buy them chopped. Just make sure to massage them with a drizzle of oil for at least 2-3 minutes to soften it up before mixing in the other ingredients. If you cannot find kale, use any fresh salad greens you have or like as mentioned above.

Tomatoes – I love using cherry tomatoes in my everyday salads so used that up but you can use regular tomatoes too.

Mozzarella – a key ingredient in any caprese salad; you can use fresh mozzarella chunks (cut or tear up a ball into bite sized pieces) or use mozzarella balls easily available in most places.

Cucumbers – I cannot do without adding some fresh cucumber slices in my salads and I prefer using English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers as they are seedless and always taste fresh and crunchy.

Strawberries – Love adding a sweet bite in all my salads, be it dates, apples, raisins or like in this case strawberries (being in peak season and all that). Blueberries, pineapples or even mangoes sound wonderful too.

Mint leaves – traditionally, you have to use fresh basil leaves but as I did not have any, added some freshly chopped mint leaves instead. This one is optional too.

For the homemade dressing – oil (any odorless cooking oil, salad oil or preferably olive oil), preferably Balsamic vinegar (optional; you can use apple cider or regular vinegar if you do not have), garlic (just one small clove) or garlic powder, Dijon mustard (readily available in stores), salt, black pepper powder and a dash of maple syrup (or honey/date syrup) to sweeten things up further.

Like I said, mix or shake the dressing well in a tight lidded bottle and drizzle over the salad ingredients; chill and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

It is a wonderful make ahead salad (as kale leaves can stand up to any dressing without wilting up) to serve as a side salad but I might say would taste amazing as a bruschetta on a toast with some mashed avocados or some hummus!

Yum, yumm!

Simple salad, easy to make but so impressive, super refreshing and super delicious!

It came out so good that my husband reached out for seconds from the salad bowl and my son, daughter-in-law and he were enjoying leftovers the next day too!

Preferably, like any salad, it tastes best the first day but leftovers, especially the kale ones hold good for at least another few hours.

I prefer to chop the veggies and store in one airtight container....salad leaves in the second and dressing separately.

Just a few minutes before serving, add the required amount of chopped veggies with strawberries, greens and mozzarella balls, drizzle with dressing (shake well before using), mix and enjoy!

VARIATION OF THIS SALAD (Updated October 17. 2023):

I love this dressing and love pasta and onions too, so made another delicious, addictive salad based on this recipe.

This salad has:

Cucumbers
Strawberries
Red radish
Celery
Black olives
Red onions
Greens (chopped spinach, aragula, Romaine lettuce)
Pasta; optional (used Farfalle pasta; you can use any like macaroni, rotini, penne etc.)
Dressing is the same.

Do try this easy peasy, delicious, refreshing and addictive salad in your home!

You and your family are going to love it!

Enjoy and Happy Healthy Eating!

If you are big salad lover like our family is, then do check out some of our favorites:

Caprese Salad with Kale and Strawberries

My refreshing take on the Italian classic salad "Caprese Salad" but with mint leaves and fresh mozzarella balls in a mildly sweet and easy to make homemade dressing/vinaigrette.

It is a perfect side or even a refreshing light meal to have any day.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

3 cups chopped kale
2 tbsp olive oil/salad oil extra virgin (for kale leaves)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
2 Persian/English Cucumber sliced
1 cup mozzarella balls
1 to 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
Handful of mint leaves

FOR DRESSING:

1/2 cup oil extra virgin olive oil or a mix of olive and vegetable oil
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1-2 tablespoons Maple syrup/Honey/date syrup or to taste
1 large clove garlic minced/grated
1 to 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper powder

Instructions

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:

In a small jar/bottle, add all the dressing ingredients and give it a good shake for at least 15 seconds.
Adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, honey/mayple syrup etc.) and set aside.

TO MAKE CAPRESE KALE SALAD:

Massage chopped kale with a drizzle of oil for 2-3 minutes. This softens the leaves and makes it more edible and enticing although still maintains its crispiness and freshness.
Add the sliced strawberries, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, mozzarella balls and roughly shredded mint leaves.
Drizzle dressing on top and stir well using a ladle or clean hands.
Set to chill for at least an hour and then serve.

Recipe Notes

Adjust the amount of ingredients according to personal preference.
Instead of Balsamic Vinegar, feel free to use apple cider or even regular white vinegar but believe me, getting a bottle of Balsamic vinegar is the best buy you will make.
You can omit garlic if you do not like it but adds oomph. Garlic powder instead sounds good too.
Adding sweetener is totally optional but recommended to offset the tang of Balsamic vinegar; gives a lovely sweet note to every bite. Use maple syrup or date syrup if plant based/vegan and honey if not on a plant based/vegan diet.
Plant based meal plans can use tofu chunks instead of mozzarella or even paneer chunks if not on a vegan/plant based diet.
Being a totally flexible kind of salad, feel free to use any other greens instead of kale (but mix dressing just before serving) and some radishes, apples, onions, celery, mangoes etc.
Adding pasta (like farfalle, macaroni or even rotini) is a wonderful option if you love pasta in your salads.
Leftovers taste amazing over toast maybe with some hummus or avocado, mashed or sliced.
Enjoy!

Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments in the box below (do not forget to give a rating) and/or share your version in Instagram (use #curryandvanilla16 or @curryandvanilla16) so that I can see or even on my Facebook page (curryandvanilla).

Enjoy and Happy Healthy Eating!