Caprese Quinoa Salad with Mozzarella Cheese
Would you like to prepare a Caprese Quinoa Salad with Mozzarella Cheese? Here is a simple to prepare, no-cook, fast, and fresh healthy meal – what could be easier?
Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish that typically consists of sliced fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. It is often drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and sometimes finished with a balsamic glaze or reduction.
This is our take on the caprese salad, so we have added in the things that we like. Please feel free to substitute any of the ingredients to suit your individual taste.
Caprese Quinoa Salad with Mozzarella Cheese
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 can beans chickpeas
- 1 handful of black & green olives
- 1 chopped tomatoe
- 1 chopped cucumber
- 2 medium cloves garlic – diced
- 10 small sliced basil leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- half a bag of rocket salad (or mixed salad leaves)
- 1 cup broccoli cut into small florets (optional)
- 1 cup chopped low fat mozzarella (can substitute with feta cheese)
- Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar to taste
Cooking Instructions for Caprese Quinoa Salad with Mozzarella Cheese
- Cook the quinoa as per the instructions on the packet
- Set aside the quinoa and let it cool
- Chop and prepare the remaining ingredients
- Combine all the ingredients (except the oil and vinegar) into a large bowl and mix thoroughly
- Place in the refrigerate and chill for at least 30 minutes
- Just before serving add the extra-virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar
For some added crunchy texture for could sprinkle on additional Kosher salt just before serving.
Nutritional information per serving
- Calories 259
- Total fat 5gm
- Saturated fat 2gm
- Cholesterol 4mg
- Carbohydrate 40gm
- Fiber 9gm
- Protein 12gm
- Sugars 4gm
- Sodium 436mg
Health benefits of Caprese Quinoa Salad with Mozzarella Cheese
Caprese salad can be a healthy choice as it contains fresh ingredients that provide nutritional benefits.
- Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including vitamin C and lycopene.
- Mozzarella cheese, especially the buffalo variety, offers protein and calcium.
- Basil leaves add flavor and contain vitamins A and K. Olive oil, when used in moderation, can provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
- Chickpeas are a good source of protein and also contain fiber.
However, it’s worth noting that the overall healthiness of a caprese salad can vary depending on portion size, additional ingredients, and the amount of added fats or dressings.
Tip: We can sometimes suffer from portion distortion – so go easy on those servings!
Cooking tips
Always gather together all the ingredients before starting – this makes life much easier.
Use a serving bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients – but also one that can fit into your fridge easily!
You can try adding different flavors to your salad by using a range of everyday ingredients such as:
- Feta cheese
- Kidney beans
- Cannellini beans
- Carrots
- Pine nuts
- Walnuts
- Ginger
- Red peppers
Just follow the main recipe and add, or substitute, whatever combination you like – you can’t go wrong.
More ideas
If you would like to find out more about salt why not check out our articles in the Salt Facts section? Ready to explore a bit more? Why not pop on over to our Salt Products and Salt Recipe sections?