Fresh Balsamic Fruit Salad & Dressing
Here’s a healthy and delicious balsamic fruit salad and dressing you can make quickly and serve with yogurt or ice cream. It’s simple to make, yet special enough to taste better than fruit alone. Nothing wrong with eating a fruit by itself, but sometimes you want to turn your fruit into a healthy dessert. And that’s when the recipe comes in handy!
Before I show you how to make it I am going to answer some common questions around fruit salad.
What fruit goes well with balsamic vinegar?
Balsamic vinegar pairs exceptionally well with many fruits, including strawberries, peaches, pears, and citrus fruits like oranges. Its tangy, slightly sweet flavor can enhance the natural sweetness of the fruit.
How to make a simple fruit salad?
A simple fruit salad can be made by combining a variety of fresh, ripe fruits chopped into bite-sized pieces. Common choices include berries, melons, oranges, apples, grapes, and bananas. For added flavor, you can drizzle a bit of honey or lemon juice, or you can use a balsamic dressing.
What fruits should not be mixed in fruit salad?
Generally, most fruits go well together in a fruit salad. However, you might want to avoid fruits that can become mushy quickly like overripe bananas or very ripe pears. Also, fruits that oxidize and turn brown, like apples or pears, should be added just before serving or tossed with a bit of lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
What is fruit salad dressing made of?
Fruit salad dressing can be as simple as a sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of honey, to a mixture of honey, lime juice, and zest, or even a blend of yogurt and spices. It depends on the fruits used and personal preference for sweetness and flavor.
Us Italians like to make our fruit salads with balsamic dressing.
At Taste with Gusto we have many balsamic options for your fruit salad, from dark and moody to light and delicate. We also have fruity flavours like fig balsamic, orange, and pomegranate.
What is a creamy fruit salad made of?
A creamy fruit salad typically includes a mixture of fresh fruits combined with a creamy dressing. The dressing can be made from ingredients like whipped cream, yogurt, or even a pudding mix. It often also includes a touch of sugar or honey for sweetness.
If you’d like to make your balsamic fruit salad creamy, you can mix the yogurt with the fruit, rather than serving it aside or on top.
Does balsamic prevent fruit from turning brown?
Balsamic vinegar doesn’t prevent fruit from turning brown as effectively as citrus juice. Oxygen causes the browning, and citrus juice, which is high in vitamin C and citric acid, helps slow down the oxidation process that causes browning. Balsamic vinegar can still add flavor and a level of acidity that can brighten up the fruit salad.
However, since we are using mostly berries and peaches for this balsamic fruit salad, that issues doesn’t concern us.
How to serve your balsamic fruit salad?
Your balsamic fruit salad can be served in a large salad bowl, letting people serve themselves, or in individual serving bowls or cups for a more polished presentation. It’s a refreshing dessert or side dish, perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a brunch spread. It can also be served over a bed of mixed greens for a salad, or alongside grilled meat for a sweet and tangy side.
Healthy Balsamic Fruit Salad Recipe
Balsamic Fruit Salad & Dressing
AlessiaEquipment
- 1 chopping knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 large bowl
- 1 tablespoon
- 2 dessert bowls
- 2 dessert spoons
Ingredients
- 1 small box blueberries about 100 gr
- 1 small box strawberries or raspberries about 250 gr
- 4 flat peaches
- 2 tbsp Belmorso IGP Balsamic Vinegar of Modena or more if you like a strong balsamic dressing
- fresh basil
- dark chocolate or the type of chocolate you prefer
- Italian vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 wafer cups or cones optional; you can also use wafer biscuits as a topping rather than a base.
Instructions
- Wash, peel and cut the peaches into small or large bites, whichever you prefer.
- Rinse the blueberries and strawberries.
- Add the blueberries to the chopped peaches. You can do the same for the raspberries, if you are using those.
- Depending on the size of the strawberries, add them whole after removing the stem, or cut them in half.
- Once your fruit is all washed and cut in your large bowl, chop a few basil leaves and add them to the fruit.
- Now add the two or three tablespoons of Belmorso IGP Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and mix well.
- I suggest you refrigerate the fruit for at least an hour before serving. That allows the flavours to amalgamate and fruit to cool down.
- Once you are ready to serve your balsamic fruit salad do this:Use a dessert bowl to add the fruit.Top with the vanilla ice cream. We are using an Italian fior di latte flavour.Drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top of the ice cream.Add your cone or wafer biscuits.Grate your dark chocolate on top, on melt it and drizzle it, if you prefer.Serve immediately, before the ice cream starts melting.
- Alternatively you can try filling your cone with the fruit salad, but it might get soggy and you'll need a very large cone to fit a small quantity of both the fruit and gelato. However, that's a fun way to serve and eat your balsamic fruit salad, especially if you are just two people.
Notes
More Fruity Balsamic Recipes
If you like the combination of fruit and balsamic, check out these other recipes:
Blueberries, chocolate balsamic mini cakes
Millefoglie with custard and balsamic strawberries