The Secret to our Strawberry Crunch Salad

I have a confession. The crunch in our Strawberry Crunch Salad — the thing people keep asking me about, the thing that makes this salad feel different from every other summer salad — started as a snack.

I always have a batch of our house-made almond granola somewhere in the kitchen. I make it constantly. It's the kind of thing I reach for at 3pm, sprinkle over yogurt in the morning, or just eat by the handful when I'm tasting through a new wine flight. It's salty, sweet, nutty, and a little coconutty — and it is extraordinarily good.

One afternoon I was putting together a salad and I wanted crunch. Not croutons — we have a fair number of guests who are gluten sensitive, and beyond that, I wanted something more interesting and looked over and saw the granola sitting on the counter and thought: why not?

Spoiler alert! It worked.

The almonds provide a deep, toasty crunch. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness. The salt does what salt always does — makes everything around it taste more like itself. And the granola holds up beautifully against the strawberry vinaigrette without getting soggy the way croutons often do.

Granola is not just for yogurt. I've been saying this for years. This salad is my proof.

The Strawberry Crunch Salad Serves 2–4

For the salad:

• 4 cups arugula

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

• 1 small fennel bulb, shaved thin

• 1 Persian cucumber, diced

• 2 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled

• ¼ cup almond granola (recipe below or use your favorite granola)

For the strawberry vinaigrette: (Makes 1 cup — more than you need, but it keeps well in the fridge)

• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

• 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 small clove garlic, grated

• ½ cup avocado oil

• Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients except the avocado oil. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To assemble: Toss the arugula, strawberries, fennel, and cucumber with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Transfer to a plate or bowl. Top with crumbled goat cheese and finish with a generous handful of granola right before serving.

A few additions I love: sliced avocado, grilled chicken, or a soft-boiled egg. This salad is a framework — build it however you like.

For the granola recipe, I've got you covered right here on The A-List. It really can do it all.

— Alpana