A bright, flavorful Bresaola salad combines peppery arugula, crisp apple, crunchy radishes and slightly bitter radicchio, dressed simply with olive oil and white wine vinegar, and finished with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s quick to assemble and full of balanced flavours.
Bresaola (Bresaola della Valtellina) is a salt-cured beef from the Valtellina region of Lombardy, Italy. It’s delicious served as an antipasto with cheese and preserved vegetables, layered into sandwiches or added to salads.
In Italy it’s commonly paired with peppery arugula (rocket). If you’re wary of raw beef, bresaola is a great alternative to beef carpaccio since it’s cured rather than raw.
This salad pairs salty bresaola and nutty Parmigiano with crisp apple, peppery leaves and crunchy radishes for contrast in texture and flavour.
It makes a light lunch or an elegant starter and comes together in minutes. The full recipe and suggestions for variations follow below.
Ingredient notes
- Bresaola – Widely available at Italian delis and many supermarkets. If you can’t find bresaola, a good-quality prosciutto crudo works as an alternative.
- Radishes – If you prefer not to use radishes, substitute finely sliced raw fennel or omit them.
- Arugula (rocket) and radicchio – The peppery arugula and slightly bitter radicchio balance the other ingredients. Swap for mixed salad leaves if you want a milder flavour.
- Apple – A tart green apple adds brightness, but a sweeter variety will also work.
- Dressing – Olive oil, white wine vinegar and a garlic clove make a simple dressing. Red wine vinegar or lemon juice can be used instead of white wine vinegar.
Recipe tips
Bring bresaola to room temperature for the best flavour—serve it slightly warmed from the fridge.
If you want stronger garlic flavour, mince or grate the garlic into the dressing rather than infusing with a whole crushed clove.
You can prepare the dressing, chop the radicchio and radishes and shave the Parmigiano ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. Slice the apple just before serving to avoid browning, or toss it with a little lemon juice. Always dress the salad at the last minute to prevent wilting.
More delicious salads to try
Salads
Tuna Panzanella – Italian Bread Salad
Salads
Festive Blood Orange Salad with Fennel and Crispy Prosciutto
Salads
Eggplant Farro Salad with Chicory and Prosciutto
Salads
Insalata Pantesca (Sicilian Potato Salad)
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Bresaola salad with apple, arugula and radicchio
By Emily
Ingredients
- 3 oz (85g) bresaola, (cured beef)
- 2 large handfuls arugula (rocket), (around 125g)
- 3 oz (85g) radicchio
- 4-6 radishes, finely sliced
- 1 green apple
- Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
Dressing
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 whole garlic clove
- salt and pepper
Instructions
To make the dressing
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Whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper until combined.
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Peel and crush the garlic clove lightly with the side of a knife, keeping it whole. Add it to the dressing to infuse while you prepare the salad.
To make the salad
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Roughly chop the radicchio, finely slice the radishes and cut the apple into medium matchsticks.
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Place the arugula in a large bowl and add the radicchio, radishes and apple. Remove the garlic from the dressing and add the dressing to the salad, then toss to combine.
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Arrange the dressed salad on a serving plate, top with slices of bresaola and shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. Finish with a little extra black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
- For a stronger garlic presence, grate or mince the garlic into the dressing instead of infusing with a whole clove.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil for most recipes unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetables listed are medium unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are developed using a fan (convection) oven where relevant.
- Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and generated automatically.