Give Your Summer Strawberries A Savory Moment
Every summer I somehow end up with more strawberries than any reasonable person should buy – one can only make so much shortcake! 😅 So a few years back, I set out to find a few savory recipes to put them to use.
My first project? A vinaigrette that tastes unmistakably like ripe strawberries.
Getting that true berry flavor (and color!) front and center came down to one ingredient: white balsamic vinegar. Strawberries looove the rich tang of balsamic, but aged varieties’ deep color and syrupy body very easily overpower a delicate puree. Paler white balsamic gives the same sweet-tangy backbone, while letting the strawberries’ just-picked flavor and rosy hue shine through.
From there, getting the balance right took some testing. My earliest attempts tasted one-note (almost smoothie-like?! 😬), so I kept adjusting with Dijon, shallot, and garlic until I found just the right distinctly-strawberry-but-savory balance.
The result is the strawberry salad dressing I’ve been craving – bright, bold, and most definitely worthy of even the prettiest farmers’ market berries.
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Great Berries Make All the Difference! 🍓
With a goal of creating the boldest berry flavor possible, this recipe took me down a couple of testing rabbit holes. Having used freeze-dried strawberries in baking for an extra-concentrated punch, I wondered if the same idea would hold true here. But it was a total flop: the dressing tasted more like a fruit roll-up, with a terrible slimy texture. Then, thinking preserves would make a nice year-round option, I tried a jam vinaigrette. It was good, but only vaguely fruity – not distinctly strawberry-y.
Lesson learned: there’s no shortcut. Fresh, ripe strawberries are the key to the best dressing.
When in season, smaller berries work best – they have the sweetest, most concentrated flavor. But when good fresh berries aren’t available, frozen are actually the best substitute. Since they’re picked and frozen at peak ripeness, they’re often much better tasting than underripe fruit – be sure to thaw them before blending!
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Buy Now → How to Make Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
I love using a blender for homemade vinaigrettes! It’s quick and easy (no chopping or whisking), and the dressing always emulsifies beautifully, so it’s smooth and doesn’t separate. That’s even more important here, since we’re starting with whole fruit: the blender breaks the seeds and pulp down into a puree that comes together with the oil and vinegar seamlessly.
👩🏻🍳Taste and adjust to your berries! If your strawberries are on the sweeter side, a little more balsamic will balance them out. If the dressing is leaning too tart, a touch of honey will round it out.
Serving Suggestions
Of course, this vinaigrette is ideal for summery salads. I first made it with my Strawberry Arugula Side Salad in mind, where the sweet-tart fruit plays off peppery greens and creamy goat cheese.
But don’t stop at lettuce! A berry dressing might sound like a strange match for grilled meat, but the contrast is seriously so good. I’ve been loving it with Crispy-Skin Grilled Salmon (a surprisingly great match for the spiced BBQ dry rub!) and Smoky Grilled Steak, where it cuts through all that rich char.
I can’t wait for you to try this Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette! If you give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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Fresh Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (5 Minutes)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments, Entree Salads & Bowls Recipes, salad dressing
- Method: No-Cook, Blender, Blended
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Description
Sweet-tart and vibrantly pink, this Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette packs peak-season flavor in every last drop!
The secret is light, tangy white balsamic, which preserves the ripe berries’ bright color, while just enough Dijon, garlic, and shallot ensure it’s never too sweet. Just blend it all up, and in less than 5 minutes you’ll have a summery salad dressing perfect for peppery greens, grilled meats, grain bowls, or anything with creamy cheese and fresh herbs!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled (about 1 ½ heaping cups)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar (see Recipe Notes)
- ½ small shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey (or substitute agave or pure maple syrup for vegan)
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons water, to adjust consistency
Instructions
- Blend the strawberry vinaigrette: Add all listed ingredients to a small blender. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper. Blend until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Add water as needed to adjust consistency – the vinaigrette can be slightly thick and creamy or more drizzly, depending on your preference. Adjust to taste – I like to add an extra pinch of salt or a splash of white balsamic to ensure the flavors pop.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately. My favorite pairing is this Simple Strawberry Arugula Salad, where its tangy-sweet flavor is the perfect complement to peppery baby arugula. It’s also delicious on this Chicken Berry Salad, a heartier mixed greens salad with herbed chicken breast, strawberries, and blueberries. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Strawberries: As the star of the recipe, this vinaigrette works best with peak-season strawberries. Use the ripest berries you can find – smaller berries tend to be more flavorful than larger berries. Depending on the sweetness of your strawberries, you may want to adjust the amount of honey used – through recipe testing, I found 1 teaspoon to be the perfect amount without overpowering the berries. Fresh strawberry substitute: If you cannot find nice fresh strawberries, you can also use frozen strawberries for this recipe. You can blend them straight from the freezer, but the vinaigrette will be very cold, like a smoothie, so thaw first as desired.
- White balsamic vinegar has the sweet-tangy flavor of traditional balsamic, but with a lighter body, more delicate flavor, and pale color. I reach for it anytime I want balsamic flavor without the dark color or syrupy texture. Here, it adds classic balsamic flavor that works so well with strawberries, while preserving the vibrant color of the fresh berries. If you don’t have it, you can substitute regular balsamic – just note your vinaigrette will be darker in color.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
- Storage instructions: Store this fresh strawberry vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It will thicken as it sits – simply stir in a tablespoon of water or vinegar to loosen it up.
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