Homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette

Strawberry Vinaigrette is one of my favorite dressings for summer salads. It’s delicious on a fresh spinach salad with strawberries, nuts and cheese, and pairs well with just about any leafy greens, including kale and arugula.

The combination of sweet strawberries and slightly-tart white balsamic vinegar makes a balanced, flavorful dressing that takes just a minute to blend up.

I can’t remember the last time I bought salad dressing. If you’ve never made homemade vinaigrette before, I really encourage you to try.

It’s simple to do, and so much healthier than bottled dressings.

One of my favorite warm-weather meals to make is pan-seared chicken tenderloins or feta-stuffed chicken with a side of strawberry spinach salad tossed with homemade strawberry vinaigrette.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Sweet and tangy taste – I love the combination of opposing tastes in this dressing. The tangy white balsamic is the perfect balance for the sweet strawberries.

Delicious dressing for light summer salads – This vinaigrette gets its creaminess from pureed strawberries, perfect for drizzling on top of fresh summery salads.

I love that it’s not heavy like mayo and buttermilk-based salad dressings. My homemade lemon vinaigrette recipe is another light option.

Healthy – This vinaigrette is a simple blend of heart-healthy olive oil, fresh strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

Stays emulsified – If you’ve made homemade vinaigrettes before, you know that the oil and vinegar separate after a little bit of time. The same is true of some bottled dressings that you need to shake before using.

The strawberries in this recipe, however, suspend the oil and vinegar droplets, keeping it emulsified.

Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe

This vinaigrette contains whole fruit, so a blender is needed to make it.

The recipe yields about a cup of dressing, so a compact blender like my Cuisinart stick blender or this Ninja Pro personal blender, is enough to get the job done.

Ingredients Needed

• extra virgin olive oil
• white balsamic vinegar
• fresh strawberries
• lemon zest
• salt and pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Not all olive oils are the same. Unrefined extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is more vibrant and flavorful than regular olive oil, making it the better choice for vinaigrettes.

As a bonus, EVOO is higher in mono-unsaturated fats (the good kind).

White Balsamic Vinegar – Strawberries take center stage in this vinaigrette so the sweet notes of white balsamic vinegar go really well, while providing a tangy bite. Dark balsamic is more over-powering and affects the color of the dressing.

You can substitute white balsamic with white wine vinegar.

White Balsamic vs White Wine Vinegar: The production of white balsamic starts with grapes, and produces a mild, slightly-tart vinegar. On the other hand, white wine vinegar starts with white wine and is tart and slightly-acidic. Both have a fruity flavor and are interchangeable depending on your preference.

Fresh Strawberries – Use the ripest strawberries possible that are still good to eat, for the best flavor and sweetness.

You can substitute with frozen berries; just thaw them in the fridge overnight.

Lemon Zest – The zest of a single lemon adds a bright citrus flavor to the vinaigrette.

How to pick the best lemons for zesting? While lemons with smooth, dark yellow skin make the best lemon juice, lemons with a bright yellow skin are best for zest.

Sugar (optional) – The fruit provides all the sweetness necessary, in my opinion. However, the flavor depends on the strawberries, so add a little sugar, as needed.

Instructions

Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.

1. Wash and dry strawberries. Cut off tops and cut in quarters for more accurate measuring.
2. Combine strawberries, olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. If using an immersion stick blender, put everything in a tall container like a large liquid measuring cup. If using a regular blender, put everything in the blender’s container. Blend for one minute until completely smooth.
3. Taste the vinaigrette, Add more salt, oil, vinegar, or optional sugar, as desired.
4. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

• This homemade vinaigrette recipe does not contain any preservatives so only make as much as you can use within 3 days.
• If the vinaigrette isn’t sweet enough, add in some sugar or honey, beginning with a small amount. (You can always add more, but you can’t take it out if you add too much at once.)
• If the vinaigrette is too sweet, add in some oil or vinegar.
• To make it more tart, increase the amount of vinegar or substitute white wine vinegar in place of white balsamic.

How many strawberries to use for this vinaigrette recipe?

Measuring strawberries isn’t an exact science, unless you weigh them. If you want to break out the kitchen scale, you need about 5 ounces (142 grams) of the fruit.

But for this blended vinaigrette, precision doesn’t matter all that much.

That being said, you can’t measure whole strawberries in a measuring cup. Nor can I tell you to use x amount of strawberries since the berries are wildly different shapes and sizes.

This is how I measure one cup of strawberries for this recipe: First, trim off the green stems. Then, quarter the strawberries (or more for larger berries). Finally, fill a one-cup measuring cup so there aren’t a lot of empty spaces.

In case you’re wondering, it took me 6 medium-size strawberries.

Ways to Use Strawberry Vinaigrette

Green Salad – Strawberry vinaigrette goes wonderfully on green salads with avocadoes, cucumbers and fruit; aged cheeses like feta; and nuts like pecans, walnuts or pine nuts.

By far my favorite way to enjoy this vinaigrette is drizzled on this easy strawberry spinach salad.

Fruit Salad – Strawberry vinaigrette also adds a touch of creaminess and tart flavor to fruit salads. If you’re making a fruit salad for Easter dinner, Mother’s Day brunch or summer outdoor dining, strawberry vinaigrette served on the side makes it extra special.

More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

• Homemade Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing