Some things just naturally go together swimmingly.
Effortlessly.
Like cheese + crackers.
PB + J.
Summer + corn on the cob.
Cake + birthdays.
Pizza + movie night.
Chocolate + ladies.
Those pairings need no explanation.
It’s when you venture into the strange world of things like strawberries + black beans that you have to explain yourself. And throw onion into the mix like I did, and oh boy, you might just have an uprising on your hands, lol.
I promise you that this salad is as delicious as it is strange – and that’s saying a lot because it sounds pretty strange. The berries provide a bit of sweet/tart flavor, the beans make it hearty, walnut adds a bit of umami, and the onion adds a savory touch. Somehow it just works. Like magic.
I think crumbled blue cheese might be a nice substitution for the crumbed goat cheese, but that might be throwing a little too much crazy into the mix. Next time I feel adventurous, I’ll be all over that.
It reminds me of one of those fancy salads I like to order when lunching out (for some reason it always makes me giggle when “lunch” is used as a verb, lol). This is even better, not only because I know exactly what’s going into it (dressing included…sometimes store-bought or restaurant-made salad dressings don’t always agree with my tummy!), but because it can be enjoyed in the comfort of my PJs (hey, some days it happens). And it comes together in under 10 minutes, much less time than it would take to go out to lunch.
Plus, if I’m alone for lunch it means there’s enough left over for the next day too.
- 1½ tablespoons strawberry balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional; you may want to omit this if your berries are super sweet)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup (160 g) chopped strawberries
- 1 (15.5 oz/440 g) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups (3 oz/85 g) mixed baby field greens
- 2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted
- 2 tablespoons crumbed goat cheese
- Whisk together the vinegar, oil, honey (if using), salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Add the onion, strawberry, and beans, and gently toss to combine.
- Divide the greens between 2 plates and top each with half the black bean mixture.
- Top each with 1 tablespoon walnuts and 1 tablespoon goat cheese.
Rosie says
I love all those ingredients....cannot go wrong with strawberry anything & putting it with black beans, nuts & goat cheese is a winner! I often do a black bean, mango, avocado, goat cheese salad so this concept is not new to me! Love it & thanks for sharing such yummy foods.
sippitysup says
Peanut Butter & Jelly. Milk & Cookies. Rice & Beans. Eggs & Bacon. Tomato & Basil. Strawberries & Black Beans. I got no problems with any of that! GREG
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Can't go wrong with a colorful and berrylicious salad this time of the year! YUM :)
Joan Nova says
Creative and unlikely perhaps, but I get it and know it works!
Lori Lynn says
Wow Faith, what a daring combination. It definitely works for me. Cheese, nuts, and balsamic pull it together. Nice!
LL
ashley - baker by nature says
I would have never thought to mix strawberries and black beans, but looking at it, I can totally see it now! You're brilliant lady! xx
Joanne says
I love adding fruits to my savory dishes! I've actually made a strawberry black bean salsa before so that doesn't sound so strange to me. This salad is my kind of meal!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love black beans and I love strawberries, though I've never thought to put the two together. I trust you, Faith! :)
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
This sounds so refreshing and satisfying - the perfect lunch to eat while lounging outside!
Nora @ Buttercream Fanatic says
Lovely! I adore black beans paired with other fruits, so strawberries sound perfectly reasonable to me. Definitely going to keep this in mind.
grace says
this is a new one, faith. it's safe to say that i never considered eating black beans and strawberries together. i love both, so i'm excited to test this out!
dixya| food, pleasure, and health says
berries are such a delightful additions to the salad :) I have never thought of black beans but it sounds yummy
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
This is such a perfect summer salad. I love everything about it!
Rosa says
A great salad and tastyy combo!
Cheers,
Rosa
Erica says
I knew this was going to be pretty when I saw it in my google reader :) I think the flavor combination actually sounds really delicious. A great springy/summery salad