Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
on Apr 11, 2021, Updated Aug 18, 2023
Make this refreshing Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette in under 5 minutes and using 6 ingredients. This sweet and tart salad dressing is very versatile (vegan, gluten-free).
Table of Contents
About Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
I am always looking for interesting salad dressing recipes, and this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is my current favorite.
It is an exciting twist to the regular vinaigrette, where ripe, sweet, and tangy strawberries are added to the classic vinaigrette recipe.
This quick, vibrant red and simple strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing gets ready in under 5 minutes using 6 simple ingredients.
Homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is healthier and more economical than store-bought ones. You know what is going into it and can customize the recipe per your taste preferences.
There are no added preservatives, no color, and no chemicals in the homemade version. Isn’t it reason enough to make a batch at home?
The best part is that this strawberry balsamic dressing is super versatile. Use it as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, marinade, etc.
It is vegan, gluten-free, Keto-friendly, low in calories, and contains no refined sugar. You can make a big batch by doubling or tripling the recipe.
If you love a good salad dressing in your salads, here are some more for you
- Sumac Vinaigrette
- Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
- Lemon Garlic Dressing
- Hibachi Ginger Dressing
- Thai Vinaigrette
- Lemon Pepper Salad Dressing
- Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing
Ingredients and Substitutes
Strawberries – Get your hands on bright red and juicy strawberries. Avoid the ones that have soft patches or black marks. You can use fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries to make this strawberry salad dressing.
You can freeze strawberries when they are in season and use them year-round. Read my post on How To Freeze Strawberries.
Oil – I have used extra virgin olive oil in this strawberry vinaigrette recipe, but you can use any good cold-pressed oil of your choice. Try experimenting with flaxseed oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or sesame oil.
Acid – Balsamic vinegar makes a great pair with strawberries, which is why I have used it in this recipe. But feel free to use vinegar like apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, etc.
Maple Syrup – Add some maple syrup for a hint of sweetness. You can also use honey or agave syrup.
Seasoning – I have kept the seasoning basic to salt and pepper. Try adding garlic powder, red pepper flakes, herbs, dijon mustard, etc.
Play with the seasonings for a new flavor profile each time you make this recipe.
How To Make Strawberry Vinaigrette
Start by preparing the strawberries. Rinse 8 oz (250 g) strawberries and chop off their top leafy part. Cut the strawberries into rough slices.
If using frozen strawberries, thaw them until they are softened.
Add
- sliced strawberries
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
into the small jar of a blender or a food processor.
Blend until smooth. Your strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is ready.
Store it in a glass bottle and refrigerate it until use. Shake well before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberry vinaigrette dressing has an exciting flavor profile. It is slightly sweet and tart from the strawberries, acidic from the balsamic vinegar, and there is a hint of salt balancing the whole thing. It’s a perfect dressing to go with any salad.
Fruity, tangy, and subtly sweet, this easy balsamic strawberry vinaigrette is the kind of dressing that lends all the fine flavors to your salads; try it super soon!
You can make this strawberry salad dressing using strawberry jam, too. Just replace strawberries with 2 tablespoon of strawberry jam and skip the sweetener. Keep the rest of the process the same, and you will get a great strawberry jam salad dressing in no time.
Usage Suggestions
Salad Dressing – This delicious strawberry vinaigrette can be poured over your salad recipes. It tastes delicious in green salads such as spinach salad, kale salad, etc. I like to pour it over my strawberry spinach salad, Strawberry Walnut Salad, Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Salad, and Cucumber Avocado Salad.
Fruits – This also works great over a bowl of chilled mixed fruits like watermelon, bananas, kiwi, and berries.
Marinade – Pour strawberry vinaigrette over chicken, pork, fish, seafood, or veggies, and let them marinate for an hour before grilling them.
Gift – Strawberry balsamic dressing also makes a great holiday homemade gift. I am sure your friends and family will be very happy when they see this sweet-tart dressing as a gift.
Others – Use it as a sandwich spread or dipping sauce.
Storage Suggestions
It’s best to make this strawberry vinaigrette dressing fresh. You could refrigerate it for a maximum of 3 days if you made an excess of it.
Store it in an airtight container, and always use a clean, dry spoon to remove the dressing.
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Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 8 ounces strawberries (250 g, fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
Instructions
- Start by preparing the strawberries. Rinse the strawberries and chop off their top leafy part. Cut the strawberries into rough slices.
- If using frozen strawberries, thaw them until they are softened.
- Add the sliced strawberries, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper into the small jar of a blender or a food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Store it in a glass bottle and refrigerate it until use. Shake well before using.
Video
Excellent. I used it as the dressing for a fresh spinach and strawberry salad. I additionally added some pecans, feta cheese and red onions. with the strawberry balsamic dressing it was perfection. I will definitely be making it again.
This is such a delightful recipe! The flavour profile and brightness of the strawberry taste is wonderful. The hint of maple syrup perfectly highlighted the sweetness of the berries perfectly.
I used ‘regular’ olive oil and white balsamic vinegar along with 250 grams of strawberries measured after their their stems were removed.
My plan is to use the dressing with crisp Romain lettuce, sliced strawberries, candied walnuts, slivered red onion, and warm nut-crusted rounds of goat cheese! Oh boy . . . I can’t wait!
Thank you Neha for sharing your creativity nd expertise. I have just discovered your site and I will definitely be exploring more!
I recently had a salad from a restaurant with a strawberry vinaigrette and couldn’t stop thinking about it. This recipe was amazing and so easy to whip up! I happened to have vanilla balsamic vinegar in my pantry so I made it with that and skipped on the honey. Worked out just great.
Happy to hear 🙂