What You Need to Know to Make Our Balsamic Strawberry Salad
I’m all about fruit in salads, especially when they are balanced with a punchy vinaigrette, which is precisely what happens in this strawberry salad. We also have this recipe for Strawberry Iceberg Salad if you are interested. Think wedge salad, but with strawberries and a blue cheese vinaigrette. First things first, let’s talk about the strawberries. Of course, we want them to be juicy, ripe, and sweet, but if you don’t currently have access to the best strawberries, here’s a tip:
Hull and halve your lackluster strawberries, place into a bowl and then dust them with a bit of sugar and a pinch of salt. After 10 to 15 minutes, they will have released some of their juices and dissolved the sugar and salt. This process — called maceration — will make the strawberries taste sweeter and more flavorful.
More Strawberry Recipes: We love strawberries! Take a look at our Fresh Strawberry Pie topped with whipped cream or this Strawberry Cake made with halved strawberries.
Easy Maple Candied Walnuts
Next, let’s learn how easy it is to make those maple candied walnuts. I haven’t been able to stop making candied nuts since I tried this stovetop method with maple syrup. It’s fast and easy, plus I love them on top of salads. Of course, you could also swap these for other nuts. If you are interested, we also have these recipes for stovetop candied pecans and candied pecans made in the oven.
One Note on Balsamic Vinegar
The quality and cost of balsamic vinegar vary tremendously. Ideally, we use a mid-range aged balsamic vinegar from Italy. You can find great vinegar from all over the world, but when it comes to balsamic, Italy is where you want to look. Unfortunately, higher-end balsamic vinegar can be quite expensive and, depending on your stores, hard to find. That’s why we suggest tasting your vinegar before deciding if you need a bit of extra flavor and sweetness from maple syrup when making the dressing. You may also like: Our recipe for Everyday Balsamic Dressing
Take a Look at These Dinner Worthy Salads
Lemony White Bean Salad with Arugula and Prosciutto Arugula Salad with Couscous, Cucumbers, and Feta Herby Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas Strawberry Iceberg Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
The quality and cost of balsamic vinegar vary tremendously, so we recommend tasting your vinegar before making the dressing. Aged balsamic vinegar tends to taste more decadent and sweet. If this is what you have on hand, you do not need to add maple syrup to your dressing. 2 cups (14 ounces) strawberries, hulled and halved Half of a large thin-skinned cucumber, sliced 1 orange, peel removed and cut into half-moons 4 ounces (113 grams) creamy goat cheese or feta cheese 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, optional, see notes 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup Pinch ground cinnamon Pinch cayenne pepper Pinch fine sea salt 2Slide the nuts onto a plate or piece of parchment paper, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Allow the nuts to cool. If any nuts are stuck together, gently break them apart. 2Alternatively, place all the dressing ingredients into a jar, close the lid, and shake until thickened. 2Pour the balsamic dressing over each salad and serve.
