Low-carb balsamic mushroom and rocket salad with parmesan

Low-carb balsamic mushroom and rocket salad with parmesan: savoury mushrooms, fresh rocket, balsamic vinegar and shaved hard cheese in a quick salad.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 10 min
• Total time: 20 min
• Calories: 280 kcal per serving
• Protein: 12 g
• Fat: 22 g
• Carbs: 8 g

Ingredients

• 400 g chestnut mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of rocket
• 1 block of hard cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)
• Sea salt
• Pine nuts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Pepper

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · chopping board · knife · mixing bowl

1. Wash the rocket thoroughly, dry it well and put it in a large bowl or on a platter. Clean the mushrooms with a cloth and halve or quarter them, depending on size.
2. Heat a large frying pan until very hot and fry the mushrooms without any extra fat. Wait until they release their liquid, most of it has evaporated and the cut sides are lightly browned.
3. Add the olive oil and finely sliced garlic and fry briefly. Season with sea salt and pepper.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and let it reduce briefly until the mushrooms are glossy. If you like, toast the pine nuts briefly in a separate pan.
5. Spoon the warm mushrooms and their pan juices over the rocket. This instantly makes a warm dressing from olive oil, mushroom juices and balsamic.
6. Serve with coarsely shaved parmesan and the pine nuts. Finish with a little pepper if you like.

Good to know

This salad is bold, fresh and pleasantly easy. The warm mushrooms take the edge off the rocket's sharpness without taking away its character.

Swaps

Chestnut mushrooms → king oyster mushrooms (more bite, often a little more fibre) Pine nuts → walnuts or hazelnuts (more omega-3 with walnuts, more vitamin E with hazelnuts) Balsamic vinegar → freshly squeezed lemon juice or cider vinegar (usually less sugar, fresher flavour)

Allergens

Contains milk from the parmesan; pine nuts are seeds, but some people react to them much as they would to tree nuts. The salad is usually rather strongly flavoured for children, and during pregnancy well-cooked mushrooms and hard cheese made from pasteurised or long-matured milk are generally the obvious choice.

Frequently asked questions

Which nutrients are mushrooms known for?

Mushrooms mainly provide B vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin, plus minerals such as selenium, potassium and copper. Depending on the type and exposure to light, they may also contain some vitamin D2.

What does rocket contain nutritionally?

Rocket contains vitamin K, folate, some vitamin C and carotenoids. It also has bitter compounds and mustard oil glycosides, which are typical of cruciferous plants.

Do people who are sensitive to lactose often get on better with parmesan?

Long-matured parmesan usually contains very little lactose. How well you tolerate it still varies, so in the end your own experience is what counts.

Are pine nuts just a topping, or do they matter nutritionally?

Pine nuts mainly provide fat, mostly unsaturated, plus magnesium and some vitamin E. Toasted, they add a buttery crunch to the warm salad.

Is the vinegar in balsamic a problem for a sensitive stomach?

Some people find vinegar sour or irritating, especially on an empty stomach. In this salad it's softened by the olive oil, mushroom juices and cheese, but how well you tolerate it still varies.