The best strawberry salad to celebrate summer — no arugula in sight! Only a few ingredients to complement the naturally delectable strawberries. Here, quality counts.
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Strawberry’s are the Star
Let’s be real — there are ALOT of “strawberry salads” out there. While I love some fresh peppery arugula, I wanted something different with this salad. The result really could be called fancily dressed strawberries more than what may typically come to mind when hearing the words Strawberry Salad.
There’s only a few simple ingredients in this recipe, and the more of them you can obtain fresh and locally the better.
Now that is to say, I am aware not everyone has a world class strawberry stand within walking distance (thanks Okuis!) but I encourage you to take a trip to your local farmer’s market to see what they offer. This could easily be replicated with any other of summer’s fruit offerings, like peaches, nectarines or plums.
It’s Got Coconut
A point of contention for some, to be sure, but yes, this recipe includes coconut. The tropical sweetness really blends well with the gentle acidity of white balsamic and the earthy bite of basil.
Of course, if you find coconut truly abhorrent you are more than welcome to leave it out, but to make this recipe as it was intended, I encourage fully embracing the coconut. Just be sure to pick up the unsweetened flakes at the supermarket or you’ll wind up with a very different result.
Washing Your Strawberries
Ah yes, the strawberry deworming trend. A series of viral videos circulated around social media showing what appeared to be miniscule white worms emerging from strawberries after soaking them in vinegar for a prolonged amount of time.
I’m not sure where they sourced those strawberries, but it’s something I’ve never encountered (nor have my personal friends to also tried the trend). Like any produce, it’s good practice to wash your strawberries in warm water and give a light scrub. Whatever extra washing substances you wish to add is up to you.
In general, however, if you get your produce from a local farm stand, you are more likely to encounter bugs (mostly spiders and aphids, from personal experience) and of course, the occasional smudge of dirt. That’s a good sign though, right? After all, strawberries do grow from the ground. Proper washing, nothing extreme, should take care of any ride-along pests just fine.
Choosing the Best Balsamic
A key component to this delectable strawberry salad is selecting the right balsamic vinegar. The vinegar I use in this recipe is very specifically white balsamic. Not white vinegar (though that’s great to clean a crusty sheet pan) and not regular balsamic (the dark goodness properly hailing from Modena).
White balsamic offers a lighter flavor than it’s darker balsamic counterpart, but provides the same lightly sweet goodness to balance it’s tart acidity. It’s worth purchasing a bottle that may seem more on the expensive side, again and as always, locally sourced if possible.
You’ll often find white balsamic infused with a variety of fruits. Peach white balsamic is one of my favorites and would work wonderfully in this dish, as would Sicilian Lemon white balsamic. Be mindful of any other flavor profiles however, as anything on the more heavily savory side may clash with the other ingredients here. Garlic would not be a wanted guest to this flavor party.
Other Uses for White Balsamic
This recipe calls only for a hefty drizzle of white balsamic, so if you are investing in a full bottle, it’s worth being aware of other common uses for it. The most popular, and easily accessible, is a light salad dressing.
Use white balsamic for:
- Brightening up roasted vegetables
- Deglaze meats like pork or chicken
- Drizzled over a Nectarine and Goat Cheese Pissadeliere
- With seltzer and a squeeze of fresh orange as a refreshing beverage
Making Simple Strawberry Salad
Putting this salad together really is as simple as assembling the ingredients. Washing and dicing the strawberries will be the most time consuming part.
This strawberry salad can easily be sized up to serve a crowd. Prep the strawberries the day before and simply assemble the rest the day of. As the strawberries sit with the balsamic vinegar, they will release their juices and become more soft and pliable, so it is preferred to eat the salad same day.
Steps to make simple strawberry salad:
- Wash strawberries
- Cut off strawberry tops and place them flat side down
- Cut strawberries into quarters
- Lay basil leaves flat, one on top of the other in a stack. Then roll up from where the stem is and slice thinly (julienne)
- Add strawberries to a bowl and top with basil
- Add cinnamon, coconut and white balsamic
- Mix well and enjoy!
Strawberry Salad Recipe Video
Enjoy this step-by-step video to make simple strawberry salad.
How to Serve Strawberry Salad
This recipe was originally created to serve as a simple breakfast, paired with buttered sourdough toast. Here are some other ways to serve strawberry salad:
- As a side for lunch
- Atop some leafy greens with chopped nuts and additional vinaigrette as a main salad
- Paired with fresh whipped cream as a dessert
Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries
- generous sprinkle cinnamon
- 2 heaping TBSP unsweetened coconut shreds
- 2 TBSP white balsamic
- 6-7 leaves basil, julienned
Instructions
- Wash your strawberries with your preferred produce washing method. (I recommend water and a gentle scrub, as if you were treating your strawberries to a spa day. Face mask not required.)
- Slice your strawberries. Here's how I like to do it:Cut off the strawberry tops. Turn the strawberries so they are laying flat side down, with the beheaded portion flat on the cutting board.Cut two cross-sections down your strawberries, cutting them into quarters. Make one cut north-south and one east-west. Viola! Your strawberries are cut perfectly. (If you prefer, you can cut them smaller, but I like the larger pieces.)
- In a medium-sized bowl, add your cut strawberries.
- Next, julienne your basil. To do this, simply lay all the basil leaves flat on top of one another. Then roll them, from stem side up so they are in a nice swiss roll formation. Slice down across the roll thinly, making nice thin strands of basil. The sharper your knife the better, as you'll avoid crushing the basil and releasing it's tasty juices all over the cutting board.
- Add the julienned basil to the bowl atop your strawberries.
- Add the coconut, cinnamon and white balsamic.
- Mix well and serve! Enjoy this salad same day.
Notes
- As a side for lunch
- Atop some leafy greens with chopped nuts and additional vinaigrette as a main salad
- Paired with fresh whipped cream as a dessert
- Alongside some fresh toasted sourdough for breakfast
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