arugula tomato salad with lemony pesto dressing
With summer almost upon us here in the USA a quick and easy salad is in order and this salad will tick all the boxes. A buildable salad that looks beautiful but takes very little effort. Peppery arugula, juicy, ripe tomatoes, creamy baby mozzarella balls, crisp shards of prosciutto and fresh basil leaves anointed with a lemon pesto dressing, Doubling as a side-salad or a light meal served with some crusty bread and a crisp glass of wine or beer and you’ve got yourself the perfect summer lunch.
Servings: 7
Calories: 309kcal
- 3 handfuls of arugula rocket, washed & drained
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes assortment of colors looks pretty
- 1 cup of baby fresh mozzarella balls bocconcini (about 8 oz/226g)
- 6 slices prosciutto cooked until crisp
- Basil leaves for garnish
PESTO DRESSING`
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil approximately
TO MAKE THE PESTO:
- Put the basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl. Stir in the oil a tablespoon at a time until well combined and the pesto is a desired consistency. Cover pesto until ready to use. Makes about 3/4 cup.
- Arrange the arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella and prosciutto on a platter. Drizzle with dressing just before serving. Top with extra basil leaves. The leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 5 days stored in a jar and is good tossed through pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 577IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 1mg