Strawberry balsamic vinaigrette

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is a wonderfully colorful, fruity and gently sweet-tart dressing that's perfect for simple greens, salads with strawberries and more. It's easy to make, stores well and is perfect to brighten up your plate.

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I first shared this salad dressing when I shared my spinach and strawberry salad, but I thought it also deserved a bit of a feature on it's own as it's good for more than just one salad.

Salad dressings are, to me, a bit like jams - you might find some good ones, but many just taste a bit "meh". Too sweet, a strange texture or just not tasting fresh. But if you make your own, things can be very different. They're really so easy to make (dressings/vinaigrettes in particular!) and you can really taste the difference - so much so it's hard to go back! Plus, you can get creative with the flavors.

What's the difference between a dressing and a vinaigrette?

Sometimes the names vinaigrette and salad dressing are used almost interchangeably. Though technically there are a couple differences. A vinaigrette can be a dressing but not all dressings are vinaigrettes.

A vinaigrette is oil-based and relatively simple, typically including something acidic, either vinegar or citrus, with some minor additions like mustard or shallot. Traditionally, a vinaigrette uses an oil to acid ration of 3 to 1, though personally, I think it depends on the acid and for many 2 to 1 is better.

Dressings are a much more diverse category and include everything from creamy ranch to blue cheese dressing and green goddess. You can think of them more of a cold sauce, in a way. 

This raspberry balsamic vinaigrette is maybe a little borderline between the two, but it does have an oil and vinegar base, just with a good amount of fruit in there too. Either way, it's quick, easy and a delicious addition to many a salad.

Ingredients in strawberry balsamic vinaigrette

• Strawberries - I like to use fresh strawberries which I definitely recommend. However you could also use frozen berries, just defrost them first.
• Olive oil - I recommend using virgin or extra virgin olive oil as they have a much better, more distinct flavor. Extra virgin is generally a little stronger so if you are less sure then use virgin olive oil.
• Balsamic vinegar - the berries already have some acidity but they're helped along by balsamic vinegar which pairs really well. If you are not as keen on balsamic, a wine vinegar would also work though the flavor will be a bit different
• Honey - while the berries are already sweet, just a little honey helps balance out the more sharp vinegar flavor. You could use a little sugar or maple syrup as a substitute. Or, if you prefer more tart, you can skip this.
• Dijon mustard - this helps give more depth of flavor and also helps the mixture emulsify. You only need a little or the flavor will take over. 
• Salt and pepper - just a little of each helps round out the flavors.

To make the vinaigrette, it's as simple as blending everything together. The mixture emulsifies thanks to a combination of the berries, honey and mustard.

This tends to be a bit on the thicker side, as dressings go, so it may more blob than drizzle. But the flip side is that it stays combined rather than separating, even after storing for a few days in the fridge.

Serving ideas

Probably not too surprisingly, this pairs particularly well with salads that have strawberries in them. It's delicious on my spinach strawberry salad, as I said, but would also work with other combinations. The dressing is also great with a super simple mixed greens salad, too, and would work with things like beet salad.

Other ingredients that would work well in a salad using this would be things like avocado, chicken or maybe salmon. Cheese like goat cheese or feta would work well, as well as various nuts.

Beyond salads, you could drizzle it over chicken as a bit of a sauce, or pair with cheeses, such as drizzled on goat cheese toast instead of the membrillo under the cheese.

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette has a lovely creamy texture and bright flavor, balancing a bit of sweet and tanginess. It's a great way to brighten up your salad plate with minimal effort.

Try these other salad dressings (and salad ideas):

• Preserved lemon vinaigrette
• Maple vinaigrette in my beet apple salad
• Lemon basil vinaigrette
• The cooked yolk-based dressing in Luang Prabang salad (Laos salad)
• Plus see more dressings, jams, sauces and other condiment recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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