This Strawberry Balsamic Salad is summer in a bowl — pure, simple, and full of joy. It’s a quiet celebration of the season’s best, where every bite feels like sunshine and good company.
During hot summer days it’s a perfect and refreshing side to go with grilled meat. But it's also a light and flavorful stand alone meal.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients & Variations
- Add grilled chicken or turkey for a complete meal.
- Add prosciuto crudo slivers for a deeper savory touch.
- Swap shaved Parmesan with goat cheese or baby mozzarella balls.
- Swap walnuts with pine nuts, pistacchios or almonds.
When strawberries are not in season swap them with fresh figs or pears.
How To Make - Step By Step With Pictures
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Wash and pat-dry strawberries with a paper towel. Cut of the green tops with a knife. Quarter each strawberry.
In a large salad bowl add your mixed greens, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and some salt. Toss well.
The arrangement of this salad goes like this: mixed greens, strawberries, walnuts, and shaved Parmesan.
- Drizzle everything with aged balsamic vinegar.
FAQs
What Is Aged Balsamic Vinegar?
It’s not just vinegar — it’s tradition in a bottle. True aged balsamic is made from 100% cooked grape must also known as vincotto, slowly reduced and barrel-aged for years (sometimes decades). The result? A thick, glossy, sweet-tart elixir with depth, balance, and soul. No additives. No shortcuts. Just grapes and time.
Balsamic Vinegar vs. Aged Balsamic
Most “balsamic vinegar” at the grocery store is a quick blend of wine vinegar and coloring — sharp, acidic, and mass-produced. Aged balsamic is richer, smoother, and naturally sweet thanks to long, patient aging. One is for deglazing. The other is for finishing dishes with reverence.
How to Choose Aged Balsamic Vinegar
A true balsamic is made of aged balsamic vinegar and concentrated cooked grape must. It has a glossy dark color and a creamy, velvety texture. It not only feels good in the mouth, but also makes balsamic of a great use in plate decoration.
As to the flavor it’s very rich and sweet with tart notes but not as acidic as balsamic vinegar. The best balsamic in the world is Balsamic of Modena, from Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy.
As opposed to balsamic glaze or cream of balsamic vinegar, aged balsamic is made of all natural ingredients, without stabilizers or added sweetness.
How to Spot Real Aged Balsamic (Not That Glaze Nonsense):
- Always in a glass bottle — never a squeeze tube
- Made from cooked grape must, aged in wooden barrels
- No added sugar, thickeners, or caramel coloring
- If it’s cheap, it’s cheating
- Look for Modena or Reggio Emilia on the label
- Use it to finish dishes — not to marinate or cook
- Perfect on cheese, strawberries, grilled meats, or even on a dessert
More Salads That Taste Like Summer
Strawberries The Italian Way
Love Italian Food?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive tips, tricks and new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!
Full Recipe
Strawberry Balsamic Salad With Mixed Greens
Ingredients
- 10 fresh strawberries
- 1 bag mixed greens spring mix or baby spinach
- 4 walnuts
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shaved
- aged balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and pat-dry strawberries with a paper towel. Cut of the green tops with a knife. Quarter each strawberry.
- Using a vegetable peeler shave some parmesan. You can also do this directly over a plate before serving. Crack open walnuts if they’re in a shell.
- In a large salad bowl add your mixed greens, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and some salt. Toss well.
- Now you can either divide you salad into servings or just run with this huge salad bowl and finish arranging the salad.
- The arrangement of this salad goes like this: Salad mix, strawberries, walnuts. Drizzle everything with aged balsamic vinegar and top with freshly shaved parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lucille Matthews says
Made this a lot ---NEVER get tired of it---- TASTY, REFRESHING AND FILLIING IN A HEALTHY WAY THANK YOU !
Karly says
Wowza, does this look good. Exactly what I want for lunch on these hot summer days!!
SV says
Ahahah, thank you! 😀