Strawberry Cucumber Caprese Salad

A crisp and refreshing twist on the traditional caprese salad. This Strawberry Cucumber Caprese Salad combines strawberries, cucumbers, avocado, and farro with all the caprese essentials like fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. This is a delightful summer salad full of flavor and texture!

I’d pick veggies over fruit any day except when it comes to strawberries. When strawberries are ruby red and juicy, they taste just like candy. I remember one family picnic growing up when my grandma brought dessert to share. She set a large rectangular Tupperware in the middle of the picnic table, and all of us kids thought we were about to indulge in some kind of brownie or dessert bar. Instead, the container was full of layers upon layers of the most beautiful, freshly-picked strawberries, so neatly nestled in between paper towel padding. After the first bite, we literally started inhaling them. One layer would be eaten in a minute or two, then we’d tear off the paper towel to reveal the next batch until 5 layers later, they were all gone and we were left with strawberry juice mustaches. I remember this so fondly because those strawberries were the best I’ve ever eaten. 

While eating strawberries washed and straight out of their container is simply the best, I also like using them in savory dishes like this Strawberry Cucumber Caprese Salad. Strawberries take the place of tomatoes, and trust me, you won’t miss the tomatoes one bit. In this salad, the juicy and plump strawberries add the most refreshing pop of sweetness.

Salad Ingredients

Before we go any further, let’s break down the main ingredients of this salad:

• Strawberries
• Cucumber
• Basil
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Avocado
• Farro
• Balsamic reduction  

While you’re at the Farmer’s market selecting the juiciest red strawberries for this salad, be sure to grab cucumbers. I love cucumber in this salad because of its crunchy texture and mild flavor, which pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the strawberries and balsamic glaze. You’ll also need a bunch of fresh sweet basil. If you’re unable to find sweet basil, you could use a dash of dried basil or even try fresh Thai basil. 

Fresh mozzarella is an essential ingredient of any caprese salad. I found the smaller mozzarella pearls to be the best option because they’re bite size, but a small log of mozzarella diced into cubes would also work. In a previous testing of this salad, I used burrata (fresh mozzarella stuffed with curd and fresh cream) and it was heavenly.

While not essential, the avocado gives this salad a wonderfully creamy element. You’ll want to find an avocado that’s soft and buttery enough to melt in your mouth but firm enough to still hold its shape when tossed in a salad. Easier said than done, right? If it’s too soft, the avocado will break down and blend into the salad.

There’s a lot going on in this salad already, but I wanted to add a grain in the mix to make it filling enough to enjoy for lunch or to have with grilled chicken for dinner. Farro did the trick! It’s a hearty Tuscan grain that’s similar in size and texture to barley, just a bit chewier, which makes it slightly addicting and definitely the most unique part of this salad! You can find farro in the specialty grain and flour section in grocery stores. I found it at Trader Joe’s. Other grains you could substitute are quinoa, barley, or bulgar. Of course, pasta would work too!

Preparing the Strawberry Cucumber Caprese Salad

Once the farro is cooked and the fresh ingredients are chopped, grab your favorite salad bowl and whisk the olive oil, garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper in the bottom. This is the base dressing that will coat the entire salad. Add in the remaining ingredients, except the reduced balsamic vinegar, and give everything a toss. To add the finishing touches, sprinkle on extra chopped basil, freshly cracked black pepper, and a beautiful drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar.

Now that I’ve added so many twists and turns, can I even call this a caprese salad? I’ll let you be the judge of that. But a few things I know for sure: This Strawberry Cucumber Caprese Salad is perfect as a light lunch or to serve as a side with dinner. It packs a flavor punch and the varying textures make it so incredibly addicting. And lastly, this salad is a celebration of some of summer’s best produce. Farmer’s Market day can’t come soon enough!

Farmer’s Market Shopping List

• Cucumber
• Strawberries
• Garlic
• Basil

I’m so excited to be showcasing my produce finds from my local market, the Shoreview Farmer’s Market, for this recipe series. If you are local to the Twin Cities of Minnesota, specifically the northeastern suburbs, be sure to visit to the Shoreview Farmer’s Market on Tuesday evenings through mid-October. Local fresh produce, handcrafted artisan items, and live entertainment are featured each week!

Check out the other recipes in the Farmer’s Market Series:

• Asian Kohlrabi Salad
• Grilled Smashed Potatoes with Chipotle Ranch
• BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats
• Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Corn and Tomatoes
• Sheet Pan Veggie Tacos with Avocado Lime Crema
• Autumn Brussels Sprouts Cobb Salad

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