This strawberry vinaigrette dressing is sweet and tart, to boost the flavor of any salad. Plus, it uses just 3 ingredients (salt and pepper not included) and takes under 15 minutes to make! Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Low-carb, and Keto friendly!
When it comes to salad dressings, I have to admit I’d fallen into the habit of making my ‘usual’ olive oil and vinegar style dressing for far too long. This strawberry salad dressing, though, is sweet, tangy, and creamy, and is great for serving with lots of leafy greens like spinach or kale.
It can even be adapted to your tastes. I leave this recipe 100% sugar-free, allowing the fresh strawberries to bring out the sweetness themselves. However, if you prefer something a little bit sweeter, then a dash of sweetener is optional.
Oh and, the pinkish-red color of this salad dressing is sure to capture anyone’s attention, making this a wonderful option for serving at large gatherings and parties.
Ingredients You Need And Variations
- Strawberries: The star of this recipe, choosing the best strawberries is key. Using ripe, in-season strawberries will lead to a sweeter vinaigrette (with no need for additional sweetener)
- Apple cider vinegar: My favorite choice of ‘acid’ when combined with strawberries. However, you could also use White wine vinegar, or try with white or normal balsamic vinegar, for different flavors.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can swap out the olive oil for another healthy neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. I love to use EVOO though for its many health benefits.
- Salt and pepper: To taste
- Sweetener (optional): If using the right strawberries, you shouldn’t need any additional sweetener. However, if you do find that you want something a little extra then maple syrup or agave are good vegan options or a little erythritol for a keto-friendly option. Vinegar and honey (other sweetener) is always a good combination.
Other Ingredient Options
The best thing about the simplicity of this strawberry dressing, is that it can be played around with and adapted.
- You can use fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries for this dressing. If using frozen, it’s best to allow them to thaw slightly so they take less time to reduce.
- You could add a little orange, lemon, or lime juice for additional ‘acid’, with a bright, fresh flavor.
- Feel free to experiment with additional ‘seasonings’ in the strawberry vinaigrette, such as crushed garlic, herbs, mustard, etc. For heat, you can add some red pepper flakes, crushed chili, or even some homemade chili oil.
- Add some poppy seeds to the dressing for extra nutrients and pops of texture.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. Prepare the strawberries
Start by washing the strawberries well and removing the stems (these are edible and can be used in smoothies).
Next, mash the strawberries lightly with a potato masher or fork.
Step 2. Reduce The Berries
Place the mashed strawberries in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to about half. This will really intensify the flavor and will only take 5-10 minutes.
Step 3. Sieve The Mixture
Once the strawberries have reduced, press them through a sieve to gather all the juice and remove all the excess seeds and flesh.
Alternatively, you can blend the mixture into a puree texture, if you don’t mind having the seeds in the mixture too.
Step 4. Mix The Dressing
Once the berry mixture has cooled down slightly, mix it with the remainder of the dressing ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Feel free to adjust the acid and (optional) sweetener as you see fit. Then the strawberry dressing is ready to use immediately.
FAQ’s and Tips
This strawberry salad dressing has several uses that work well:
It is the classic dressing choice for a strawberry and spinach salad (sliced strawberries, spinach, red onion, nuts, and dairy or Vegan feta cheese) or this strawberry kale salad. It also pairs well with kale and other leafy greens including chard, collards, chicory, etc.
This could also pair wonderfully with salads like this Quinoa & Avocado Salad (feel free to swap the apples for strawberries instead).
You could also use it to drizzle over fresh, sweet fruit dishes and mixed fruit salads.
Top Tip: This strawberry dressing recipe is also great for gifting. Pop into a cute jar with a label and noted use-by date. You can even include a little card to let your recipient know how to make their own.
Store this strawberry dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I wouldn’t recommend freezing it.
If you want to retain all the nutrients of raw strawberries, there is a heat-free option of this dressing. For the best flavor macerate the strawberries by letting the crushed berries sit in the vinegar and sweetener for an hour or so, to draw out the syrupy strawberry juices and infuse the fruit with the flavors more.
You can add even more flavor by first allowing the vinegar to infuse with the strawberry tips for an hour and then using this infused oil for the dressing.
If you don’t have lots of time, then you can make this strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing even quicker (within five minutes) by omitting all cooking and infusing steps.
Instead, simply combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender and voila! It won’t be quite as flavorful but is still a delicious sweet tart blend and very ‘fresh’ in flavor.
Related Recipes
For more fruity salad dressings and condiments, you may like this
If you give this recipe a go, then let me know your thoughts in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
Strawberry Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 cups strawberries fresh
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- sweetener: maple, agave, honey, or erythritol (for keto) optional
Instructions
Prepare the strawberries
- Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
- Mash the strawberries lightly with a potato masher or a fork.
Reduce The Berries
- Place the mashed strawberries in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to about half. This will really intensify the flavor and will only take 5-10 minutes.
Sieve The Mixture
- Press the strawberries through a sieve to gather all the juice and remove all the excess seeds and flesh.
- Alternatively, you can blend the mixture into a puree texture, if you don’t mind having the seeds in the mixture too.
Mix The Dressing
- Once the berry mixture has cooled down slightly, mix it with the remainder of the dressing ingredients.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Feel free to adjust the acid and (optional) sweetener as you see fit. Then the strawberry dressing is ready to use immediately.
Video
Notes
- You can use fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries for this dressing. If using frozen, it’s best to allow them to thaw slightly so they take less time to reduce.
- You could add a little orange, lemon, or lime juice for additional ‘acid’, with a bright, fresh flavor.
- Feel free to experiment with additional ‘seasonings’ in the strawberry vinaigrette, such as crushed garlic, herbs, mustard, etc. For heat, you can add some red pepper flakes, crushed chili, or even some homemade chili oil.
- Add some poppy seeds to the dressing for extra nutrients and pops of texture.
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