Easy Strawberry Balsamic Salad Dressing made with fresh strawberries, white balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil in 5 minutes! Perfect summer salad dressing!!
I've updated this post with new photos and a better layout to make it more user-friendly. And, although I gave it a new name to be more descriptive, the recipe is unchanged (and it's still my favorite salad dressing!).
I love strawberry season! The sun is shining, summer is approaching, and fresh ingredients are easier to find. Fresh herbs, fresh berries... it's quite easily my favorite time of year.
This recipe was inspired by a salad that I used to order for lunch at work years ago. I enjoyed it so much, that I developed my own strawberry salad recipe and this strawberry dressing and have been making it ever since!
So, the next time you load up on strawberries to make a fresh fruit salad or strawberry crumble, buy enough so you can make this dressing, too!
Let's just say, you might as well bookmark this strawberry balsamic salad dressing recipe now, lol! Seriously though, once you get a taste of it, you will be sharing the recipe with EVERYONE! It's so good!!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This strawberry vinaigrette dressing is a prime example of a tasty AND nourishing dressing! It has the perfect combination of flavors - tangy and slightly sweet white balsamic vinegar with sweet strawberries. Yum!
- Easy Recipe The 'hardest' part is washing the strawberries and removing the stems, lol. There's no need to slice the strawberries. Just put them in the blender whole (without the stem) and blend everything together.
- Simple ingredients This incredible dressing is made with just four ingredients including juicy strawberries, white balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and extra virgin olive oil. Salt and black pepper are optional. Thankfully, you don't need Dijon mustard or poppy seeds to make a delicious strawberry dressing. 😅
- Naturally creamy This is a more of a creamy strawberry salad dressing. The strawberries help to give the dressing some substance.
- Kid-Approved While an herby Green Goddess Dressing is for more adventurous eaters, this strawberry dressing is for everyone. It's pleasantly sweet and incredibly delicious.
Dietitian Tip
Some kids prefer the taste of white balsamic vinegar because its sweeter and has a lighter flavor than traditional balsamic vinegar.
In fact, my youngest, who happens to be my pickiest eater, likes it drizzled on a salad without anything else added (even on shredded kale, if you can believe that!). She calls it a "sweet salad". Whatever works!
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberries Use fresh, ripe strawberries. Sweet strawberries add natural sweetness and a pretty pink color to the dressing without having to use artificial food coloring or tons of sugar. Strawberries are high in vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamins, manganese, folate, fiber, and more.
- White Balsamic Vinegar This type of vinegar is a milder version of your classic balsamic vinegar. It's made from white grapes and adds a little bit of tartness to this dressing.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Rich in monounsaturated fats and full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Can use avocado oil, walnut oil, or another neutral flavored oil instead.
- Maple Syrup Use pure maple syrup. It contains a variety of minerals and has a lower glycemic index than sugar.
How To Make Strawberry Balsamic Salad Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a small blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- White balsamic vinegar can be found in the same section of the grocery store as white vinegar and traditional balsamic vinegar.
- Store this strawberry salad dressing in the refrigerator. Unlike traditional balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipes, this strawberry salad dressing should not be stored at room temperature.
- Store this dressing refrigerated in an airtight container. A mason jar works well. Just give it a good shake before serving.
- Use good quality olive oil and white balsamic vinegar for the best flavor.
- If you would like to thin out the dressing, add one teaspoon of cold water at a time. Blend the dressing again and retest. Repeat until you have reached your desired consistency.
Questions You May Have
Yes, but defrost them first. In my experience, frozen strawberries aren't as sweet, so you may need to add a little more maple syrup to get the same level of sweetness.
Regular balsamic vinegar. The dressing will have a stronger flavor, darker color, and still taste delicious. I would think that apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar could also serve as an easy substitute.
If you do not have pure maple syrup, you can add a small amount of cane sugar or simple syrup instead. Cane sugar is less expensive and easier to find. If you use sugar instead of maple syrup, you may need to add a small amount of water.
This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette dressing should last in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. Be sure to keep it stored refrigerated in an air-tight container or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
More Homemade Dressings
More Side Dishes
- Green Goddess Salad with Green Goddess Dressing (Homemade)
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing (No Oil, No Mayo)
- Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
- Top 9 Holiday Side Dishes (30 Minutes or Less!)
Did you make this easy strawberry balsamic vinaigrette recipe and love it? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below to let me know. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Balsamic Salad Dressing
Equipment
- Personal Blender (like a NutriBullet) I use a Nutri Bullet blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries Washed well. Stems removed.
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup pure maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste (optional). I add a pinch of each, salt and pepper, when making this recipe.
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend for 30 seconds to a minute, or until desired consistency is reached.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste, as needed.
Notes
- The intensity of the strawberry flavor and thickness of this dressing will depend on the strawberries you use. When I use fresh picked strawberries, the dressing tends to be thicker and sweeter than when I buy strawberries from the grocery store in the off season.
- Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the dressing out, as needed.
- Honey or sugar can be used in place of the maple syrup.
- Use this salad dressing for salad or to add flavor to avocado toast, chicken, salmon, and more.
- Store this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing refrigerated in an airtight container. A mason jar works well.
Ann says
Delicious and simple. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Kristi Ruth RD says
Thank you, Ann! I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Amy R. says
Made this dressing last night to use on strawberry spinach salad. So good!!
Kristi says
So great!! It's my favorite!!
Laura says
This he just the right amount of sweet and balsamic kick. This is going in the tried and true recipe for summer
Kristi says
I totally agree! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Laura says
This sounds amazing. I love all the “seasonal idea's", youve quickly become my new favorite food blogger! 🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓