Name: Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups ripe strawberries; 8 cups mixed salad greens; 1/2 red onion; 1/3 cup sliced almonds or pecan pieces; 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles; Fresh ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey); 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 6 tablespoons olive oil

This easy strawberry salad recipe features a creamy homemade balsamic dressing and sweet ripe berries. It’s the perfect side dish!

Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette | A Couple Cooks

Ready for a killer strawberry salad recipe? Strawberries are a natural pairing with the acidity of a balsamic vinaigrette. In fact, strawberries and balsamic vinegar are often paired together in Italian desserts (here’s our spin on it!). So for this salad, we used our favorite vinaigrette method to whip up a creamy balsamic dressing that perfectly accentuates the bright red sweet berries. Paired with red onions and toasted almonds, it was a simple and delicious way to enjoy seasonal berries!

How to make homemade salad dressing?

Making homemade salad dressing is cheap and easy. It’s also a healthy alternative to using purchased salad dressings, which can contain additives and preservatives! When Alex and I first started cooking at home, we were inspired to throw out all our store bought salad dressings and star making homemade salad dressing! Using just a handful of ingredients, you can whisk up salad dressing make of whole foods and no additives.

Homemade dressing: a few tips!

Here are a few tips to making homemade salad dressing:

Use the correct ratio of acid to oil. Having enough oil is important to get a creamy emulsion. If you want less oil, use less of the overall dressing! A healthy fat like olive oil is part of our philosophy of a healthy diet.
Use a medium bowl and whisk in the oil gradually. Whisking in the oil gradually is key to forming a creamy emulsion, which allows the dressing to stick to the salad leaves instead of being too wet.

What’s in the best strawberry salad?

Strawberry salad is a pretty classic dish, so our best strawberry salad stays true to form. Here’s what’s in our favorite strawberry salad recipe:

Ripe strawberries: Finding ripe strawberries is the number one key to a good strawberry salad! If you don’t have access to local berries, try to buy in the summer when strawberries are in season and find the ripest strawberries that you can. If you’re looking to mix it up with the type of berry, try our Blueberry Salad or Blackberry Salad.
Creamy balsamic dressing: Strawberries are a natural pair with the acidity of balsamic vinegar, which makes the berries shine! See above for our tips on how to make homemade salad dressing. It’s so simple, you’ll never go back!
Cheese crumbles: Cheese crumbles make a killer strawberry salad, though they’re not required. For vegan, simply omit the cheese crumbles and it’s just as good!
Nuts: Add nuts for crunch in this salad; you can use any you’d like! We recommend pecans, walnuts, or sliced toasted almonds.
Red onion: The color and flavor of red onion is our final touch to bring a savory flair to this salad. Here’s a tip to get rid of onion breath: soak the onion slices in cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving! This mellows the flavor and softens the risk of onion breath.

Let us know if you try try our strawberry salad recipe in the comments below! Want a soup with your salad? Try our Moroccan Cauliflower Soup.

Looking for more homemade salad dressing recipes?

Here are a few of our favorite homemade salad dressing recipes:

This strawberry salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten free, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free. For vegan, omit the cheese crumbles.