Looking to up your salad dressing game? This Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette will impress with it’s slightly sweet, vibrant summer flavors.

I’m one of those gals who is totally happy drizzling a bit of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar over my salad. Yep, I actually like to taste my veggies. BUT, sometimes I want something extra special. That’s when I mix up a dressing like this. It's a perfect dressing for brunch or whenever you want to make your guests feel special.
A balsamic basil vinaigrette with strawberries is a vibrant dressing for green and fruit salads alike. It’s creamy, tangy, and a little sweet from the strawberries and a touch of honey. Plus, it comes together in less than 10 minutes—your blender does all the work for you.
FAQs
Store the vinaigrette in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Depending on the salad dressing that you’re making, the oil you choose can make a big difference. For a basic oil and vinegar dressing, I prefer the flavor of extra virgin olive oil. But, for a vinaigrette like this one, you want to choose a neutral oil to let the flavor of the fresh strawberries and basil shine through. I chose avocado oil because it has a very mild flavor. You could also use olive oil (not extra virgin) or grapeseed oil.
If you don’t have a blender, a food processor will sort of work. BUT, the dressing won’t be as smooth and creamy since the oil can’t incorporate properly. The structure of the blades are simply different in a food processor.
Ingredients for Strawberry Balsamic Dressing:
Fresh strawberries: Along with being rich in antioxidants, they're also high in vitamin C.
Basil: Fresh basil adds a mild pepper taste with subtle notes of mint.
Lemon juice: Adds brightness and acidity.
Avocado oil: It's a neutral flavored oil that lets the fresh ingredients shine.
Balsamic vinegar: It brings the perfect combination of sweet and tart to pair with the strawberries.
Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and a touch of cinnamon.
How to make Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette:
- Preparation for this vinaigrette is super easy since your blender does most of the work for you.
- Start by removing the stems from your strawberries and cutting them in half.
- Add the strawberries and the rest of the ingredients to the blender. Begin blending at a low speed, gradually increasing speed until ingredients are well blended. If the dressing is a little thick for you, gradually add a little more oil until you reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer the dressing to a jar with a tight fitting lid. That’s it—super easy, and super delicious.
Serving Suggestions:
- Toss together with a Tropical Fruit Salad.
- Pair with peppery greens such as arugula, or hearty greens like kale.
- Dress a wedge salad with it. Add something slightly peppery to the wedge, such as radishes.
- Drizzle over blackened or jerk style chicken.
- Add some pickled jalapeño to spice things up a bit—it makes for a delicious dip for cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.
Inspired Fresh Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for supporting Inspired Fresh Life.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Avocado oil: Any neutral flavored oil will work for this recipe.
- Strawberries: Try using raspberries or kiwi.
- Fresh basil: Fresh oregano, thyme, or even some mint blended in could work. However, I haven't made it with the alternative herbs.
- Whole30 friendly: Simply omit the honey to make this vinaigrette Whole30 compliant. You can substitute fresh orange juice or date nectar, but not entirely necessary.
- Vegan: Substitute date nectar, for the honey.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure to shake well before each use. If the vinaigrette thickens too much after being stored, add a little water to thin, and shake well. Remove the dressing from the fridge for about 10 minutes before adding water, as this will allow the oil to soften.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Are you following along on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook?
More Salad Dressings to Love:
Explore all the dressings and condiments from Inspired Fresh Life.
Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette
Looking to up your salad dressing game? This Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette will impress with it’s slightly sweet, vibrant summer flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preparation for this vinaigrette is super easy since your blender does most of the work for you.
- Start by removing the stems from your strawberries and cutting them in half.
- Add the strawberries and the rest of the ingredients to the blender. Begin blending at a low speed, gradually increasing speed until ingredients are well blended. If the dressing is a little thick for you, gradually add a little more oil until you reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer the dressing to a jar with a tight fitting lid. That’s it—super easy, and super delicious.
Notes
- Simply omit the honey to make this vinaigrette Whole30 compliant. You can substitute fresh orange juice or date nectar, but not entirely necessary.
- For a vegan option, substitute date nectar for the honey.
- Make sure to shake well before each use. If the vinaigrette thickens too much after being stored, add a little water, or more extra virgin olive oil, and shake well. Dressing will be easier to shake after removing from the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size ¼ cupAmount Per Serving Calories 222Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 0mgSodium 81mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 1gSugar 6gProtein 0g
Note: Nutritional information is an approximation. Different brands and/or quantities will change the nutrition profile.
Cathy
Ill be trying this while I have the fresh basil in my garden !!
Inspired Fresh Life
I think you would love it.
Carole
This dressing sounds wonderful. Can't wait to try it.
Brandi Wharton
I hope you enjoy Carole. It's one we really enjoy 🙂