Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing is the perfect dressing for this salad. This is my all-time favorite green salad. It is beautiful, delicious, and the strawberry vinaigrette dressing is perfect with it. Best of all, everything in the salad comes straight from my garden.
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How do I Make the Strawberry Vinaigrette dressing.
Berry Vinaigrette dressing follows a basic formula. Start with a berry preserves, Homemade is best (of course). Blueberry raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry are all delicious in a vinaigrette dressing. I make a peach vinaigrette dressing that was sooo good on a salad with slices of chicken bread. Get creative and try different combinations of preserves for the dressing.
What Vinegar Do I Use?
To the preserves (jam), I add the balsamic vinegar. A good quality balsamic, but not an expensive one. The expensive vinegar is aged in barrels for more than 12 years. As balsamic vinegar ages, it becomes thicker and sweeter. A 12+ year balsamic vinegar is thick, syrupy, sweet, and delicious. Using the aged vinegar in a dressing results in a sweeter and thicker dressing. If you prefer a pourable dressing, add a few tbsp. of water to thin the dressing to the consistency you like.
I prefer the taste of the vinegar tang in my dressing and use a salad balsamic. This balsamic isn’t aged and has a thin, pourable consistency. If you prefer a sweeter and thicker, salad dressing used this aged vinegar. If you prefer a sweeter strawberry vinaigrette dressing and don’t want to break the bank, use a salad balsamic and sweeten the dressing with 2 – 3 tbsp. of simple syrup.
Key Takeaways:
- Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing: A versatile and simple dressing made with strawberries, balsamic vinegar, oil, and mustard. You can experiment with different berry preserves for unique flavors.
- Choosing the Right Vinegar: Use regular balsamic vinegar for a tangy, pourable dressing or aged balsamic for a sweeter, thicker consistency. Adjust sweetness with simple syrup if needed.
- Mustard Options: Dry mustard is preferred, but spicy brown or Dijon mustard can be used as a substitute for a slightly different flavor.
- Oil Selection: Olive oil is recommended for the base, but grapeseed, vegetable, or sesame oil work as alternatives based on your pantry staples.
- Creative Additions: Nasturtium flowers are edible and add a spicy bite and vibrant color to salads or as garnishes for vegetable dishes.
- Homemade Touch: Using homemade berry preserves elevates the flavor of the vinaigrette, allowing for personalized combinations and creativity in your dressing.
What Mustard is Best?
A strawberry vinaigrette dressing has four ingredients; strawberries, balsamic vinegar, oil, and mustard. It’s that simple. I have never used prepared mustard, but I think it should work ok. If you don’t have dry mustard powder, use a spicy brown or dijon mustard. Use a teaspoon of the prepared mustard in place of the dry mustard.
What Oil Should I put in the Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing?
I use olive oil for this dressing. However, I have used grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. It is a matter of preference and what you have in your pantry.
What are the Flowers Doing in the Salad?
The flowers in this salad are nasturtiums. FYI, capers are the pickled nasturtium buds. Once the flowers develop, they can be picked and put in salads and used as a garnish. They have a spicy flavor and add a pleasant “bite” to a salad. The flowers are also beautiful as a garnish for a vegetable side dish – green beans, or on my charred corn salad with roasted veggies, or a tomato and cucumber salad.
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FAQ:
Q: Can I use store-bought jam for the vinaigrette dressing?
A: Yes, store-bought jam works perfectly fine. However, homemade berry preserves enhance the flavor and allow for creative combinations.
Q: What type of balsamic vinegar should I use?
A: Use regular balsamic vinegar for a tangy, pourable dressing or aged balsamic for a sweeter, thicker result. You can thin it with water or adjust sweetness with simple syrup.
Q: Can I substitute dry mustard with something else?
A: Yes, you can use 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard, such as spicy brown or Dijon mustard, if dry mustard isn’t available.
Q: What oils are best for strawberry vinaigrette?
A: Olive oil is ideal, but grapeseed, vegetable, or sesame oil are great substitutes depending on your taste preference.
Q: Are nasturtium flowers safe to eat?
A: Yes, nasturtium flowers are edible and add a spicy flavor. They are a beautiful garnish for salads or vegetable dishes.
Q: Can I make the vinaigrette dressing ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! Store the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Shake well before serving.
Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup strawberry preserves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp simple syrup
- ¼ tsp dry mustard
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients together in a bowl
- Whisk together to combine. If the consistency is too thick add up to 3 tbsp. of hot water or simple syrup (for a sweeter dressing), until the desired consistency is achieved. Delicious on a green salad with fresh strawberries.
