High-Protein Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Salad is a fresh salad. This salad is made up of mozzarella cheese, black pepper, cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, olive oil, basil, salt, & white wine vinegar. This marinated salad is not good for a dairy-free diet as it has mozzarella cheese in it. This salad prepares quickly in only 15 minutes, then leaves it to get marinated for one hour. We can easily serve this salad for a light lunch or appetizer as well. High-Protein Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Salad stores well in the fridge, but it is not good to freeze as the texture and taste will change. Serve this salad with garlic toast, focaccia, and grilled chicken.
STATS:
- Calories: 305 kcal
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Cooking Duration: Nil
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Course: Salad, Side Dish, Appetizer
- Diet: High-Protein
- Servings: 8
EQUIPMENT:
- Cutting board
- Large mixing bowl
- Knife
- Garlic press
- Spatula
- Glass jar for marinating
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 package mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ cup white-wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 3 medium garlic cloves
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup fresh basil
INGREDIENT NOTES:
CHERRY TOMATOES:
- We have to utilize the cherry tomatoes to offer good taste. We have to halve the large tomatoes so they absorb the marinade. Make half of the large cherry tomatoes while leaving the small ones.
MOZZARELLA PEARLS:
- Utilize the fresh mozzarella pearls to offer protein in the salad. It will also add creaminess to it. We have to properly strain the mozzarella to avoid the addition of excess moisture content.
OLIVE OIL:
- Use the olive oil to offer a smooth and rich marinade and provide good fat content. We would also utilize the avocado oil instead for this purpose.
WHITE WINE VINEGAR:
- Add the white wine vinegar to offer the bright acidic taste, which will balance the rich taste of mozzarella and olive oil without adding a strong taste.
GARLIC:
- Add the garlic to offer the savory taste, then leave for some time in the marinade to increase the flavor.
BASIL:
- Add the fresh basil to provide the aroma and sweet flavor. It will nicely pair with the mozzarella and tomatoes. We have to avoid dried basil to make the salad.
RED PEPPER:
- Sprinkle the red pepper flakes to add spice content to the salad. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes according to your taste.
BLACK PEPPER & SALT:
- Sprinkle the black pepper & salt lightly in the salad, as the mozzarella is already salty. It is best to use fresh black pepper for the strong taste.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Properly wash and dry the cherry tomatoes and halve them; if they are large, then strain the mozzarella pearls.
- Take a big vessel and add the basil, black pepper, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, red pepper, & garlic and whisk them.
- Then include the mozzarella pearls and tomatoes in it and mix to coat them.
- Cover the vessel and put it in the fridge for one hour; mix in between time so it gets marinated properly.
- Take it out of the fridge and leave for fifteen minutes, sprinkle the fresh herbs, and serve
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
PROTEIN:
- Roasted Turkey Breast
- Garlic Steak
- Baked Tofu
- Grilled Tempeh
BREAD:
- Garlic Bread
- Whole-Grain Baguette
- Ciabatta
PASTA:
- Pesto Pasta
- Angel Hair Pasta
- Penne Primavera
GRAIN DISHES:
- Quinoa Pilaf
- Brown Rice
- Farro
FRESH SALADS:
- Arugula Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Spinach Salad
ROASTED VEGETABLES:
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
LOW-CARB SIDES:
- Cauliflower Rice
- Zucchini Noodles
- Grilled Mushrooms
SOUPS:
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Vegetable Soup
BEVERAGES:
- Sparkling Water
- Lemon Water
- Iced Green Tea
TIPS:
- Marinate the salad for at least one hour, but you can also leave it for the whole night to make it more flavorful.
- Leave the salad on the shelf for 10-15 minutes then serve.
- Use room-temperature tomatoes for the sweetest taste.
- Add the grilled chicken or chickpeas to offer extra protein in the salad.
STORAGE INFORMATION:
FRIDGE:
- Include the salad in a tight container & store for 4 days.
FREEZER:
- Don’t freeze the salad as the mozzarella and fresh tomatoes’ texture will be ruined.
FAQs:
Will I prepare the salad in advance?
- We can easily prepare the salad in advance, and it actually provides better flavor.
Can I utilize the regular mozzarella instead of its pearls?
- Yes, we can easily utilize the regular mozzarella instead and form the bite-sized cubes.
Will we include some additional vegetables in the salad?
- Yes, include roasted pepper, olives, avocado, and cucumber, which will pair nicely with this salad.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories: 305 kcal
Total Carbs: 4 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 8 g
Net Carbs: 3 g
Total Fat: 28 g
Calcium: 0.22 g
Iron: 0.001 g
Serving Size: 1 cup
Vitamin A: 0.00008 g
Sodium: 0.26 g
Potassium: 0.18 g
Servings: 8
