Strawberry-Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans

This Strawberry-Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans is the perfect salad to enjoy when summer basil is in full bloom. Strawberries are also available in abundance during the same time. Many people are familiar with the classic tomato-basil combination. However, the strawberry-basil combination is another delicious yet lesser known combination. Basil has a Nutrivore Score of 3381, which makes it a super nutrient-dense food! It’s particularly high in beneficial phytonutrients and vitamin K. Lucky for us it’s one of those herbs we can find pretty much year round, so we have the opportunity to eat this salad throughout extended seasons.

Featured Ingredients

Strawberries are the most nutrient-dense fruit you can pick up at the majority of grocery stores. They are also the top food source of phytosterols, delivering 719.7 mg per 1-cup serving. Research has shown that eating at least 2 grams of plant sterols per day can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 5 to 10%!

The numerous health benefits attributed to basil are credited to the diverse array of phytonutrients and volatile oils found within it. Some of the health benefits associated with different varieties of basil include a role in maintaining dental health, benefits to cardiovascular health, antidepressant-like effects, and anti-cancer effects to name a few.

Pecans deliver at least 10% or more of the daily value of 11 different nutrients including vitamins, minerals, functional fats, phytonutrients, and fiber. They are a top 25 food source of linoleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and vitamin E.

Strawberry Nutrients

Basil Nutrients

Pecan Nutrients

Strawberry-Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans

Nutrivore Score: 288

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 21 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 267kcal

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Ingredients

• 1 cup pecan halves raw
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cups stawberries sliced
• 2 cups fresh basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pecans on a rimmed baking sheet or in an oven-safe skillet. Toast in the oven for 6-7 minutes, until fragrant. Remove them from oven and let the pecans cool to room temperature on a small plate.
• Whisk or blend balsamic vinegar, olive oil and mustard together in a medium bowl.
• Add basil leaves and sliced strawberries to the dressing and toss together. Divide the salad into individual servings and top with toasted pecans.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Strawberry-Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans

Serving Size

 

4 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

267

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

25

g

38

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

15

g

Sodium

 

31

mg

1

%

Potassium

 

260

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

11

g

4

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

657

IU

13

%

Vitamin C

 

45

mg

55

%

Calcium

 

54

mg

5

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Assemble salad just before serving. You can make the dressing, slice strawberries, and toast pecans ahead, however, don’t combine everything until you’re about to serve. This salad is best enjoyed right when you make it and doesn’t do great as leftovers.