This summer strawberry salad is bursting with freshness from strawberries, tomatoes, basil and easy balsamic glaze.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time4 minutesmins
0 minutesmins
Total Time14 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Calories: 213kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
For the balsamic glaze
¾cupbalsamic vinegar
2.5teaspoonsbrown sugar
For the salad
4-6cupsmixed leavesspinach, green salad leaves, rocket lettuce
1avocado
1cupgrape tomatoes
2-3radishes
1poundstrawberries
handfulbasilfinely chopped
saltto taste
pepperto taste
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1ballmozzarella
2tablespoonsmixed seedsoptional
edible flowersgarnish, optional
Instructions
Begin by making the Balsamic Glaze: Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan set over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then bring to a simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To assemble the salad, add the green leaves to a salad bowl then slice the avocado, tomatoes and radishes and add to the bowl.
Cut the strawberries in half and add them to the bowl.
Scatter over the basil and add salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle over the olive oil and toss to coat the salad ingredients.
Add the mozzarella ball to the center of the salad, drizzle over the balsamic glaze and scatter over the mixed seeds and edible flowers.
Serve immediately.
Notes
We used a combination of spinach, salad leaves and peppery rocket but you can use whatever greens you have on hand.
Likewise, if you don’t have avocados, tomatoes or radishes you could add beetroot, cucumber or any other salad items you fancy. The possibilities and combinations are endless. • You can substitute basil with mint or parsley.
We don’t bother hulling the strawberries but we do cut the green ends off before cutting them in half.
The mixed seeds and edible flowers are optional. The edible flowers are violas, they are very easy to grow in pots and will flower all summer long. Look out for them at your local famers’ market, garden center or larger supermarkets. You can also buy the seeds from Amazon. Please ensure any flowers you use are definitely edible.
A Balsamic Glaze is essentially a reduced balsamic vinegar that thickens when it’s heated. You can make it with or without the addition of brown sugar.
The higher quality your balsamic vinegar the quicker it will reduce. You might find it needs fewer than 4 minutes. When heated, it should reduce by about half and will thicken so it coats the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
If you find the Balsamic Glaze has thickened too much and you can’t pour it this is because it has been overheated. Don’t worry as it is easily fixed! Simply add boiling water a teaspoon at a time, this will thin it out. If it goes the other way and thins out too much just add it to the heat again for a minute until it thickens to a pourable consistency.
Balsamic Glaze will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container.
This Strawberry Salad is best served immediately and will not keep well as the strawberries will start to macerate in the dressing and this will wilt the salad.