We’re smack bang in the middle of stone fruit season. Juicy yellow and purple plums, glistening cherries, velvety peaches and nectarines…I’m incorporating them into every meal to make the most of the short season.
Fresh apricots seem to be rather overlooked, including by me, but just as I was leaving my local health food shop a few days ago, I spied a basket of these lightly freckled beauties and couldn’t bear to leave them behind.
They were perfectly ripe and a couple did get a little squished on my way home. No matter though as they became a delicious topping for my Sunday morning pancakes.
If you’ve been reading Coconut and Berries since the beginning (!), you may remember the Nectarine Salad with Blackberry Dressing, Basil & Hazelnuts I shared last summer. I used that recipe as a guide, simply switching up a few ingredients, to create this Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans.
My fresh apricots took the place of the nectarines, I used strawberries instead of blackberries in the dressing, buttery pecans replaced the hazelnuts, and I added some quinoa to make it a little more substantial.
I can’t imagine anyone having a problem eating a plateful of leafy greens when they’re tossed in this sweet, pretty pink dressing!
I particularly like wild rocket (arugula) or watercress in this salad for a peppery kick but go ahead and use whatever salad greens you have to hand.
Ingredients
- 1 C Cooked and cooled quinoa (approx 1/3 C dry)
- 3-4 C Rocket leaves (arugula)
- 4 Fresh apricots, pitted and quartered
- 1/4 C Pecans
- 1/3 C Strawberries (approx 5 medium)
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1-1/2 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar*
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing first by blending all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad.
- Toast the pecans in a small pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
- Lay a bed of rocket on a serving dish or in a salad bowl, top with the quinoa and then the apricots. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired and top with the toasted pecans.
- Serve.
Notes
* White balsamic is wonderful here as, like regular balsamic vinegar, it is naturally sweet and so brings out the flavour of the strawberries. Regular balsamic vinegar will darken your dressing so if you don't have white I recommend substituting apple cider vinegar (a little less) and a dash of liquid sweetener.
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that dressing looks sooo dreamy.
I loved it! Perfect balance of sweet and tang.
I love apricots - there’s a pile waiting in my kitchen to ripen to fragrant, juicy deliciousness.
For some reason I’d think to add nectarines or peaches to a savoury dish but have not thought of apricots before. I guess they get gobbled up quickly by the whole family and never make it that far 😉
I tend to be a little overenthusiastic when it comes to buying stone fruit and when it’s just me at home I have to find some way to use it up! Hope your apricots are/were perfect
I’ve been eating peaches and nectarines like CRAZY! My favorite fruits and there’s such a short window of opportunity to eat them! Love the color of the dressing!
Exactly! We have to make the most of them while they’re here. I’ve had some amazing peaches and nectarines this summer too.
Love this light salad! Arugula tastes so good with all kinds of fruit! Yummy!
Thank you. Glad you’re an arugula lover too!
I’m very skeptical of eating fruits in salads but this strawberry dressing does sound intriguing! I’ve often heard of the strawberries and balsamic vinegar combination but never tried for myself.
Ah, you’re one of those people! 😉 Haha, I know not everyone’s into the sweet/savoury thing but I really love it.
You just definitely dry the dressing at least.
First time commenter, found your website recently through Choosing Raw
This salad looks delicious! And I love that all the fresh ingredients just happen to be in season near me right now!
Thanks so much for stopping by and for commenting Catherine. Isn’t it a great feeling when you can use all local, seasonal ingredients?!
This recipe sounds delicious, and oh, how I envy you for being able to find fresh, tree-ripened apricots. Here in the US it is very difficult to find that in regular grocery stores, and it’s a long drive to the health food store. I did find some really ripe ones a couple of times when we were at the beach this summer, so I’m going to save this recipe to use when we’re there next summer. In the meantime, I can actually get good nectarines, so I can try the original salad.
That’s a shame you can’t find good, fresh apricots near you but you could totally sub nectarines in this one as well, or make the original salad of course. Both are good! Let me know how you like the recipe if you get to make it.
Apricots are never overlooked by me - I am still famous in my family for coming out in a rash after having too many as an 8-year-old. I had to be rationed to 1 a day afterwards and it was torture! I suspect I’d struggle to put aside apricots and strawberries to make this, but would be rewarded for doing so as it looks and sounds lovely.
Also, your recent beetroot ribbon salad inspired my latest post, featuring spiralized beetroot noodles. I am in love
What a funny story! My brother was like that with kiwis. Everyone was slightly alarmed by how many he could put away 😉
I can sometimes be a little too enthusiastic when buying fruit so using it in salads helps me keep on top of it.
This may be the prettiest salad I’ve ever seen. Bravo! Great photos!
Thanks so much Katrina! Pretty food makes me happy
your salad looks truly beautiful - apricots and strawberries pair so well. I love stone fruit but I am far more fussy about apricots than other stone fruit - they are often so hard it is not worth it but when they work they are just amazing
You’re right that apricots can be hard and tasteless, but when they’re good they’re very very good!
I love the way stone fruit goes from famine to feast in the summer - boxes of apricots or cherries go from £4 to £1 seemingly overnight, and I always end up going crazy and ending up with more fruit than I can handle. Luckily, I now have a fresh idea on how to use it up - and you’ve inspired me to make some pancakes!
You sound like me! As much as I love stone fruit I don’ think eating 3 peaches on the trot can be a good idea…and when I go overboard with buying it I get a little panicky about using it up!
Enjoy your pancakes!
I am loving fruit in salads at the moment, so this sounds perfect for me. Love all the colours!
Thanks Dannii. Fruit in salads isn’t for everyone but I definitely love it 😀
this is just SO perfect for summer.. love the strawberry dressing - definitely recreating this dish in my kitchen. love it!
So pleased to hear that Thalia. Let me know how you like it!
This sounds like a lovely light summery dish.
Thanks Lauren. Bizarrely enough today I woke up really wishing I had some left for breakfast! I wanted something light and fresh but wanted to chew so a smoothie wasn’t cutting it.
The salad looks gorgeous and colorful Emma, but I really love the pink strawberry dressing! I have a friend who makes strawberry dressing all the time and I’ve never tried it since I tend to always think of strawberries as my smoothies, haha but it does look really delicious and so creamy!
Haha, the colour is very smoothie like! hmmmm, now I want a strawberry smoothie!
You should give the dressing a go, it might convince you to go back on your judgement!
That looks really delicious! Now I’m busting for it to be summer here so I can have apricots again!!!!
Thanks Sandy. I guess you’re well into winter Down Under. I’m such a Brit in that I’ve enjoyed the warmth we’ve had here lately but now I’ve had enough of it! The fruit is a definite perk though…