This post about Super Easy Pork Kebabs with Caprese Quinoa Salad was sponsored by Smithfield as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #RealFlavorRealFast, #IC
Grilling outdoors is such a treat once the weather turns for the better In Virginia we can grill outside most of the year. However, once the weather stays warmer and we can entertain outside, the grill is a vital part of our food preparation. It’s nice to have a few super easy recipes to use when you have unexpected dinner guests or you decide at the last minute to invite friends over for a BBQ. These super easy pork kebabs are put together in minutes and ready to be grilled immediately. The caprese quinoa salad is a great compliment to the marinated pork and also can be made ahead of time or prepared and served within 20 minutes.
Super Easy Pork Kebabs
For these super easy pork kebabs we took the preparation of marinating the meat away by using Smithfield® Roasted Garlic & Herb Marinated Fresh Pork Tenderloin Marinated Fresh Pork. These cuts are already filled with the flavor you would acquire if you thought about marinating the meats the night before. These meats are perfect for no fuss BBQ’s since they are already slow-marinated and perfectly seasoned in the bag, which means no prep work for you. You just need your veggies, skewers, (I use wooden ones that I have soaked in water) and the marinated pork cut into bite size pieces.
I can’t imagine you are sweating for all the hard work at this point. Ha this is the longest part of the process, preparing the skewers. That’s right folks, just alternate the veggies and pork onto your skewers and they are ready for the grill. You can even do this ahead of time and store them in the fridge and take them out when your guests arrive.
While you are preparing the skewers, I hope you put on the quinoa. It takes about 20 minutes to cook so by the time you are done prepping the pork kebabs, you are ready for this yummy side dish. Italian inspired side dish filled with veggies, mozzarella and basil sounds like the perfect compliment to these easy kebabs, not to mention the addition of the protein filled grain.
Once you allow your quinoa to cool slightly, put your salad together and serve. Caprese Quinoa Salad can be eaten immediately or made earlier in the day and taken out about 30 minutes before serving to reach room temperature.
When it is time for dinner, simply grill your kebabs for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes and serve. This could not be easier for any level cook.
So what are you waiting for? Head to your closest Food Lion and stock up on Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork for Memorial Day & summer get-togethers. Save some money by heading to the Food Lion coupon page for a $1.00 off Marinated Fresh Pork printable coupon! Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork is made from 100% fresh pork and has no artificial ingredients so you can feel good about taking this short cut with your family.
Sweepstakes Time
Now that I gave you some more time for yourself, go enter the What Can you do with 30? Sweepstakes. You could win a trip to wine country plus other great prizes.
Caprese Quinoa Salad Recipe
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Caprese Quinoa Salad Recipe
Yield: 6 ServingsPrep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 40 minutesThe wonderful flavors of summer caprese salad with extra protein of the quinoa salad.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 8 ounces mozzarella, diced or the small balls
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, slivered
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Stir together balsamic vinegar and olive oil and pour over quinoa salad mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately or cover and store in the fridge until about 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 205Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 30mgSodium 292mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 10gAll information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on stayingclosetohome.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Quinoa salads are a favorite in my house! so many variety!
That caprese salad looks great! Love that you added quinoa.
This looks so good! I love this combination of veggies and protein. I can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing!
I love grilling pork. This looks like a fantastic family dinner for summer!