This easy strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing is the perfect way to add bright flavor to your summer salads. With simple ingredients and fresh strawberries, you'll love this sweet vinaigrette.
Strawberry Vinaigrette Recipe
Summertime typically means we're eating a lot of crunchy salads in my house! Whether it's a salad topped with grilled chicken as a meal or a side salad with one pan chicken piccata, the hot summer months just need some good salads.
Strawberries are just so tasty to put on my summer salads! Because when it's 100+ degrees outside, I typically don't want a warm and cozy meal. And in the form of vinaigrette? They are oh-so-divine.
I love to use in-season strawberries in this recipe because it makes the vinaigrette tantalizingly sweet. You can serve this creamy strawberry salad dressing over all kinds of different salads. Use it on this spinach salad with mandarin oranges and berries, a kale salad or any other combination of salad greens.
That's the good thing about homemade dressing. It's versatile and the flavor can be changed up ever so slightly to go with whatever salad you plan to make!
If you love making your own salad dressings, try this homemade ranch dressing!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
This vinaigrette is so sweet, tangy and delicious! Here are a few more reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Making homemade salad dressing will help you feel confident that you are consuming good and wholesome ingredients with no preservatives or additives.
- This strawberry vinaigrette dressing is perfect to make ahead and store for later!
- It only takes five minutes to make homemade strawberry vinaigrette, so it won't really add on any time in the kitchen.
What is a Vinaigrette?
A vinaigrette is composed of three parts oil and one part vinegar that is then blended together to use on green salads.
Vinaigrettes have a classic tangy flavor that can be made both sweet and savory with ingredients added in.
A good vinaigrette will have a well-balanced flavor that will pair wonderfully with your favorite salad.
Ingredients
These simple vinaigrette ingredients are all you need to make this easy recipe:
- strawberries
- honey
- apple cider vinegar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Substitutions and Variations
If you don't like honey or can't have it, agave syrup and maple syrup would be great substitutions to sweeten this delicious vinaigrette. You can also use regular sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer. Just keep in mind it may take a while to dissolve into the dressing.
Apple cider vinegar isn't the only option to make a good vinaigrette. You can use balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar instead. Just keep in mind it will alter the flavor of this recipe a little bit.
Avocado oil is a wonderful substitute for extra virgin olive oil.
Give this fresh strawberry vinaigrette recipe some extra zing by adding fresh lemon juice or lime juice. Dijon mustard is another tasty way to add some extra tang to this salad dressing.
How to Make Strawberry Vinaigrette
Place ripe strawberries, honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and black pepper into a medium bowl or the bowl of a food processor.
Blend with the food processor or an immersion blender (affiliate) to blend all the ingredients until smooth.
Store in an airtight jar for later or use immediately to top your favorite salad!
This delicious dressing is what I use on my strawberry spinach salad. It's such a flavorful vinaigrette that truly makes the salad taste incredible.
How to Store Strawberry Vinaigrette
Store any leftover salad dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I like to use a mason jar!
Some ingredients may settle, so give the dressing a good shake when you pull it out the fridge to use again. Then drizzle it over a fresh salad and enjoy!
Salad Toppings that Complement Strawberry Vinaigrette
From savory to sweet, there are endless possibilities of salad toppings to use that will taste yummy with strawberry vinaigrette. Once you know what salad you're going to make, then you can choose some tasty toppings to go with it.
Fruit: Mandarin oranges, blueberries, fresh sliced strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, mango
Nuts and Seeds: Sunflower seeds, chopped pecans, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, macadamia nuts
Dried fruit: Raisins, dried cranberries, coconut flakes
Cheese: Feta cheese, blue cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese
Other: Bacon bits, croutons, tortilla strips, diced red onion, avocado
Tips for Success
Here are some quick tips and tricks for making this salad dressing:
- For best results, use the freshest strawberries that you can find! Avoid mushy strawberries, but use ones that are ripe enough.
- Make this salad dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. It can be used right away, but the flavors are much better once it's chilled a bit.
- This vinaigrette has a bold flavor, so start with a little bit on your salad and you can always add more later!
Use this dressing on your favorite salad recipes, especially ones with fresh berries. It would also be so good as a dressing for fruit salad.
FAQ
Depending on the ingredients used, yes vinaigrettes are typically very healthy. Most salad dressing are made from more fatty and heavy ingredients which makes them more unhealthy. In contrast, a vinaigrette is just oil and vinegar and any other added ingredients for flavor.
It is best to use fresh strawberries in this easy strawberry vinaigrette recipe, but frozen strawberries can be used as well. Initially, your dressing may be a bit more thick but as the berries thaw out it should thin out. You can also allow frozen berries to thaw before using them if you worry the dressing will be too thick. If the ingredients settle, shake in a jar before using.
More Salad Recipes
If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Strawberry vinaigrette is really easy to make and way better than anything you can buy at the grocery store!
Ingredients
- 4 strawberries, washed and hulled
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor or a bowl using an immersion blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Store in a food-safe, airtight container such as a mason jar.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g
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