Did you know you can make your own vinaigrette? This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette only takes about 5 minutes to make from start to finish. It’s so flavorful and is a great use of any leftover strawberries you may have in your refrigerator.
This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is such an easy salad dressing to top your favorite summertime salads. It’s naturally gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Making your own vinaigrette at home doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it just takes a few simple ingredients.
Instead of purchasing a salad dressing at the grocery store, just make it at home. It tastes fresher and I like to know exactly what is going in my dressing. No hidden ingredients here!
Plus, it’s so fun (and tasty!) to add in whatever flavors and spices you like best! It truly makes your salad one of a kind.
What’s the difference between vinaigrette and salad dressing?
Are the terms vinaigrette and salad dressing interchangeable? Not quite. A vinaigrette is a type of salad dressing. But not all salad dressings are a vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette is made from a combination of oil and acid. Typically, for the oil I use olive oil or avocado oil depending on what flavors I want to come through in the vinaigrette. However, you can use whatever oil you would like.
The acid component of a vinaigrette is usually a citrus or vinegar of some sort. Balsamic vinegar is used in this recipe, but apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white vinegar are also great choices.
How to Make Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
To make this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette recipe, combine strawberries, oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper to a food processor.
Process for a few minutes, until the vinaigrette is completely smooth.
How do you store strawberry balsamic dressing?
You should store your strawberry vinaigrette in the refrigerator. Place the dressing in an airtight container with a lid and store about up to a week.
I like to mix or shake the vinaigrette while it’s in the container before serving again.
What other berries would be good in this salad dressing?
Strawberries are such a versatile fruit, but other berries would work well in this recipe, too. I think a blueberry balsamic dressing would be quite delicious. Blueberries are very flavorful when ripe and the flavors would really come through.
Raspberries and blackberries are also great choices for a berry balsamic dressing. Just replace whatever berry you want with the strawberries in equal parts.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Keeps in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 week. The dressing may separate as it sits. Give it a good shake or whisk before serving again.
Freezer: Not recommended. The texture changes once thawed and won’t re-emulsify smoothly.
Serving Suggestions
This dressing was made for my gluten-free strawberry spinach salad, and the two together are one of my favorite summer meals. It’s also great on my grilled peach burrata salad or drizzled over roasted chicken thighs with a simple green salad. If you’re putting together a summer spread, set it out with my farmer’s market salad and let everyone dress their own plate.
Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries - hulled and quartered
- ⅓ cup avocado oil - or olive oil
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey - or maple syrup if vegan
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard - or dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- Add strawberries, avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), mustard, salt and pepper to a food processor.
- Process for 1-2 minutes, until smooth.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Note: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. Always check your balsamic vinegar and mustard labels to confirm.
- Vegan Option: Swap the honey for maple syrup.
- Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake or whisk before serving again.
- Frozen Strawberries: Thaw them slightly before blending. Fresh will give a brighter flavor but frozen works in a pinch.
The family loved it and was a great way to use up the last of the fresh strawberries.
In the off season would frozen strawberries work?
They will! Just let them thaw a bit before putting in the food processor.
You have the nutritional values here, but you don’t state the quantity that has those exact values. Is it 1 Tablespoon, 2 Tablespoons?
Approximately 2 tablespoons. The recipe makes just over 1 cup of dressing and there are 8 servings.
Delightful. Drizzled over greens, cucumbers, and sliced strawberries. Simply and yummy!
So glad you liked it, April! I appreciate the kind review!
If I don’t have a food processor could I use like a smoothie blender?
Hi Melissa! Yes, that should work just fine! You may just need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides or move things around to get the strawberries to blend.
So delicious! I left out sweetener only because the strawberries are so in season and the balsamic i used was perfect sweetness.
So glad you liked it Heather! And yes, totally – if you have super ripe strawberries that are in season, no need for the sweetener!
Thank you! This is delicious. How long does it store for in the refrigerator?
Thank you again
Hi Robert – I keep this up to a week in the refrigerator. You may need to shake it or whisk it before using again if it starts to separate. Hope this helps!
Perfect
Thank you
Amazing flavor when used with Dancing Skelton 25star dark balsamic vinegar! Uses: Salads, chicken, pork, lamb sauce or marinade. My new “go-to”!
Made this with some nice ripe berries I picked the other day. Followed recipe exactly. It’s OK, but it doesn’t seem to have much flavor.
Totally fair! Strawberry flavor can vary so much even when they’re ripe, and this recipe really depends on that natural sweetness. You can always add a little extra honey or balsamic to boost the flavor if needed!