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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Updated: Oct 23, 2023 by Gustavo De Obaldia

    Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing with Spinach Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Comments
    strawberry balsamic dressing with spinach salad pin.
    strawberry balsamic dressing with spinach salad pin.
    strawberry balsamic dressing with spinach salad pin.

    Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing is a delicious and easy-to-make salad dressing that combines fresh strawberries' sweetness with balsamic vinegar's tanginess. This dressing is perfect for drizzling over a spinach salad, roasted vegetables, or grilled stuff, and it can be whipped up in just 5 minutes. Give your meals a burst of flavor with this irresistible vegan and gluten-free dressing!

    labeled bottle with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

    This dressing is not only delicious, but it's also healthy. Fresh strawberries provide a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, while balsamic vinegar and olive oil provide healthy fats and anti-inflammatory properties.

    Fresh strawberries are a great dairy-free alternative that brings in creaminess, and the lemon juice and maple syrup add depth and complexity to the flavor without adding unhealthy fats or sugars.

    To use this homemade salad dressing sauce, simply drizzle it over your favorite salads, roasted veggies, or grilled meats. It pairs particularly well with spinach, arugula, or mixed Spring greens, but feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍶 Substitutions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥢 How to serve 
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🥡 Storage
    • 📚 More salad recipes
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette recipe is made with just a few delicious ingredients.

    ingredients to make strawberry balsamic dressing.

    For the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette:

    • Ripe strawberries - the star of the recipe. Adds sweetness, creaminess, and color.
    • Thick balsamic vinegar - brings complexity and an Italian touch!
    • Freshly squeezed lemon juice - yum! Adds acidity and enhances the strawberries' flavor.
    • Extra virgin olive oil - adds texture and flavor.
    • Pure maple syrup - this is optional, in case the strawberries are just slightly sweet. This way, you can keep refined sugar away.
    • Fine sea salt and black pepper - to elevate all the rest of the ingredients' flavors.

    For the Green Spinach Salad:

    We like to make a combination of greens, including:

    • baby spinach
    • arugula
    • spring greens
    • avocado
    • pecan nuts

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 Instructions

    This salad dressing involves 2 simple steps.

    1. Washing and preparing your ingredients.
    2. Blending everything with any type of mixer.
    chopping fresh strawberries into quarters.

    Chop strawberries into halves or quarters.

    adding thick balsamic vinegar into the food processor.

    Add strawberries and the balsamic vinegar, with the rest of the ingredients, into the blender's jar.

    food processor jar with ll the ingredients for the vinaigrette before blending.

    Season with salt and pepper.

    food processor blending ingredients of strawberry balsamic dressing.

    Blend until creamy.

    Prepare a salad with baby spinach, arugula, your favorite greens, and any type of nuts. We also like adding fresh strawberry slices to the salad bowl.

    🍓 Did you know? 🍋

    Lemon juice contains citric acid, which can enhance the flavor of strawberries. When you add lemon juice to strawberries, the citric acid in the juice interacts with the strawberries' natural sugars, helping balance out their sweetness and enhancing Citrus, Sweet, and Sour Flavorsmake their flavors more pronounced.

    Read on: how to make a homemade vinaigrette.

    🍶 Substitutions

    • Strawberries - you can use leftover strawberries that have no mold on them. You can also use strawberry jam (in which case you wouldn't need the maple syrup). Frozen strawberries also work; see how below.
    • Thick balsamic vinegar - feel free to use regular balsamic, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even champagne vinegar.
    • Extra virgin olive oil - you can substitute it for avocado oil or any other neutral oil. You can also skip oil altogether to make salad dressings compliant with a Whole Foods Plant-based diet. You will get a creamy texture by blending strawberries on this balsamic vinaigrette.

    📖 Variations

    If you love mustard, you can make a variation by adding Dijon mustard and removing the lemon juice.

    You can also add finely chopped red onion or shallots to intensify the dressing's flavor.

    🥢 How to serve 

    creamy strawberry balsamic dressing over a spinach and arugula salad.

    Serve this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette with your favorite greens salad. We also love adding pepitas, pecan nuts, toasted almonds, candied nuts (recipe), and sliced strawberries.

    If you like fruity salads, go for peach and mandarin orange slices, they pair fantastically with this dressing.

    Use this light sauce on top of grilled or roasted veggies as well.

    When we used to eat dairy, we loved this strawberry salad with goat cheese, but since shifting to a plant-based diet, we have started using vegan feta cheese with this creamy balsamic dressing.

    🍽 Equipment

    Food processor - if you don't have a food processor (affiliate link), you can use an immersion blender (affiliate link), a nutribullet (affiliate link), or a high-speed blender (affiliate link).

    🥡 Storage

    Store this vinaigrette in a BPA-free (affiliate link), tightly sealed, air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    You can freeze the balsamic vinaigrette in an airtight container, but it doesn't stand up well to freezing for more than 3 months.

    📚 More salad recipes

    Try out our vegan kale salad for a delicious fall and winter healthy salad option that also includes a fantastic balsamic vinaigrette.

    This couscous and lentil salad is fantastic when you want to have a salad but still feel like having something warm.

    If you want to add big-time protein to your summer salad, go for this Chickpea and avocado salad; perfect to nurture your body after training.

    ❓ FAQ

    Can I use frozen strawberries to make this dressing?

    Yes. Frozen strawberries can be a convenient and cost-effective option for making this dressing, especially when fresh strawberries are not in season or are not readily available.
    To make a strawberry dressing with frozen strawberries, you can first thaw the strawberries by leaving them at room temperature for a few hours or by placing them in the refrigerator overnight. Once the strawberries are thawed, you can blend them in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients until they are smooth.

    In summary, this Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing is a delicious and healthy addition to any meal. It's easy to make, versatile, and packed with nutrients and flavor. Give it a try and see how it can elevate your dishes to the next level.

    ⭐ If you try this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    📋 Recipe

    creamy strawberry balsamic dressing over a spinach and arugula salad featured.

    Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

    Author: Gustavo De Obaldia
    Looking for a delicious and healthy dressing to add to your salads? Try this Vegan Strawberry Balsamic Dressing recipe! Made with fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and a few other simple ingredients, this dressing is not only tasty but also vegan and packed with nutrients. Give it a try and take your salad game to the next level!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Tipo Sauces & Dressings
    Cocina American, Healthy, Holidays
    Servings 17 tablespoons (8.5 oz)
    Calories 17 kcal

    Equipment

    May favorite food processor: Cuisine Art
    (affiliate link)
    Food Processor (affiliate link)
    Kitchen Ceramic Knife Set.
    (affiliate link)
    Ceramic knives (affiliate link)
    cutting board.
    (affiliate link)
    Cutting board (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 ½ cup strawberries fresh, whole
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin, or sub for avocado oil, flaxseed oil
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze thick balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • pinch black pepper freshly ground
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Blend. Add the balsamic glaze, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until well combined and smooth.
    • Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning if needed.
    • Refrigerate. Pour the dressing into a jar or container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
    • Shake. Give the dressing a good shake before using it to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
    • Enjoy your delicious homemade strawberry balsamic dressing on your favorite salads or as a marinade for grilled tofu or vegetables.

    Video

    Notes

    If using frozen strawberries, first thaw the strawberries for a couple of hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 17kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 29mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    17
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    29
    mg
    1
    %
    Potassium
     
    18
    mg
    1
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    1
    g
    0
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    7
    mg
    8
    %
    Calcium
     
    2
    mg
    0
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Affiliate Disclaimer

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

    VOFGF

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandra says

      March 22, 2023 at 9:42 pm

      5 stars
      This strawberry balsamic dressing looks delicous and easy to make! Will give it a try on the weekend with a spinach salad. Thanks for this lovely recipe!

      Reply
    2. Sara Welch says

      March 22, 2023 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this for lunch today and it was a sweet success! Quick, easy and refreshing; definitely, a new favorite spring salad!

      Reply
    3. Beth says

      March 22, 2023 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      I love making homemade dressings and I love even more that this only takes 5 minutes - perfect!!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        March 23, 2023 at 1:54 am

        Thanks for your review, Beth! Yes, definitely, that's one of the best things about this vinaigrette recipe! It is completely hassle-free and it is made ina. breeze!

        Reply
    4. Nancy says

      March 22, 2023 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing is so satisfying. I can have it everyday.

      Reply

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