This is one of my favorite recipes to make when berries are in season. Celebrate the warmer days of summer by this berry arugula salad with white balsamic vinegar dressing, fresh arugula, strawberries, blueberries, pecans, lettuce leaves, Parmesan cheese and an incredible vinaigrette that takes the salad to another tier. It is one of those salads that you will crave and by time be a standard in your household.
The dark balsamic vinegar reduction has become increasingly popular almost everywhere. But have you tried the white balsamic vinegar? If not I tell you, you should seriously consider trying it. You may be able to find a ready white balsamic reduction in stores, I prefer to buy a white balsamic vinegar bottle and make the reduction at home. It is easy and only requires the white balsamic vinegar bottle, and a couple of minutes.
Ditch the store-bought dressing and make my favorite one. I have been making for a while. The crucial ingredient in this dressing is the white balsamic vinegar reduction, that not only gives a super depth of flavor but even keeps the dressing sun-shining, unlike the traditional balsamic that turns your salad into a brown one!! It is sweet with a bit tangy flavor.
Start your salad by making the white vinegar reduction! It is super easy, and when you reduce it, it becomes concentrated and the tangy flavor will be altered into a sweet one.
Empty a white balsamic bottle into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let the vinegar simmer until reduced to half a cup. It should have the consistency of a thick maple syrup.
Here is the concentrated white balsamic vinegar reduction you prepared. Use the mentioned amount in the dressing and keep the rest in a glass bottle in the fridge for future uses.
Toast the pecans to bring out their earthy flavor.
Place the arugula in a salad bowl. Scatter the strawberries, blueberries / diced red apple and pecans all over the arugula.
Top with shaved Parmesan. Drizzle the dressing over each serving! Enjoy!!
All the ingredients in the salad taste really good together. But like all salads, you can adjust it to your own personal taste; you could add raspberries, cranberries, macadamias, and even change the lettuce to baby spinach. The dressing is what brings out the best flavors in these ingredients!! A winner salad for sure! Happy eating!!
Berry and Arugula Salad with Mayo-White Balsamic Dressing
Description
Ingredients
- 4 cups arugula rocket salad, roughly chopped
- A heart of Romaine lettuce of your favorite lettuce roughly chopped
- 1 cup strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup blueberries or a diced red apple
- A handful of pecans lightly toasted in the oven just brig out their earthy flavor.
- 100 grams Parmesan cheese shaved
- A bottle of good quality aged white balsamic vinegar to make the reduction (use the mentioned amount in the dressing and keep the rest in a glass bottle in the fridge for future uses)
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar reduction
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- A pinch of salt
- Freshly grated black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Empty the white balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and keep boiling until the sauce is reduced a half a cup, it takes about 15- 20 minutes. It should have the consistency of maple syrup. Remove from heat and set aside to completely cool down.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 180° C/ 350° F. Put the pecans on a baking sheet and toast them just to bring out their earthy flavor, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to completely cool down.
- To prepare the dressing; Combine together 2 tablespoons of the white balsamic reduction you prepared with mayonnaise, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, water and freshly grated black pepper. Stir well to emulsify.
- Place the arugula in a salad bowl. Scatter the strawberries, blueberries, red apple and pecans all over the arugula. Top with shaved Parmesan.
- Drizzle the dressing over each serving! Enjoy!!
Notes
If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine
10 Comments
Now this is my kind of salad. First of all Arugula rules! Then with berries and this delicious dressing wow over the top yummy!
Looks like a lovely salad. I tried white balsamic in Italy and really liked it, so must hunt some down here for ideas like this.
Healthy salad. Looks so good.
Wow! That sounds really good! Great for this horrible heat we are having! Love it Hadia!
Wow, Wow, Wow! What a recipe Hadia! The flavors are really heavenly.;Fresh and sophisticated!
Thanks for sharing!