Marinated Mozzarella Salad

This is a simple little salad that takes no more work than chopping and drizzling, but it looks and tastes fancy. Balsamic vinegar- which is what gives this dish its punch- is an ingredient that packs a ton of flavor in a very small quantity, but as ketonians we still need to be mindful of ingredients and carb count. You’re looking for a balsamic that’s made of Modena grape must, possibly blended with wine vinegar, and contains no added sugars. To keep the carb count down, look for one that has around 3 carbs per tablespoon (15 ml), maximum.

Due to some reported shadiness in the Italian olive oil industry, I also recommend springing for a good quality, extra virgin olive oil from California. Better quality ingredients will yield the best taste.

Notes: This salad tastes excellent a day or so later, but because watery vegetables like tomato and cucumber tend to degrade and wilt a bit with the addition of salt or other liquids, it looks prettiest and has the best mouthfeel the day of. I recommend making it and letting it stand in the fridge for a few hours prior to serving.

Marinated Mozzarella Salad

• Author: Mandy Pagano
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Salads, vegetables, vegetarian
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

3.5 g NET carbs per serving

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Ingredients

• 340 g (12 oz) cucumber, peel on, sliced length-wise into 1/8ths then diced
• 224 g (8 oz) fresh mozzarella pearls (or fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 126 g (approx 16 whole) grape tomatoes, quartered
• 28 g (1 oz) red or white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 g (about 8 leaves) fresh basil, sliced chiffonade
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 10 turns fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 4 tbsp (2 fl oz or 60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp (2 fl oz or 60 ml) balsamic vinegar

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Instructions

1. Chop all your vegetables and toss them together in a lidded salad bowl.
2. Add mozzarella, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then toss to combine.
4. Put the lid on and chill thoroughly, allowing the flavors to meld.
5. Serve cold. Keep any leftovers in the fridge.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
• Calories: 152.2
• Fat: 12.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 4.3 g (see Description for NET carbs)
• Fiber: 0.8 g
• Protein: 5.5 g

Keywords: Marinated, mozzarella, salad, balsamic vinegar, balsamic, olive oil