More homemade salad dressing recipes
Here are a few of our favorite homemade salad dressing recipes: Why we love this recipe: As cookbook authors who’ve been sharing recipes online for over a decade, this is one of our favorite ways to eat strawberries! We’ve made it dozens of times with rave reviews, and it works with a variety of meals. The flavor combination just pops!
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. Homemade balsamic dressing: Strawberries are a natural pair with the acidity of balsamic vinegar, which makes the berries shine! This homemade dressing is so simple, you’ll never go back. Cheese crumbles: Cheese crumbles make for a perfect strawberry salad, though they’re not required. We like feta cheese or goat cheese. 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.
When Alex and I first started cooking together, we threw out our store-bought salad dressings and start making homemade! It makes a world of difference for a great salad. Here’s how to make strawberry salad (or jump to the full recipe for exact quantities): Step 4: To serve, spread the greens on a plate and top with strawberries, red onion, nuts, cheese crumbles, vinaigrette, and several grinds of black pepper. Other variations on the nuts include hazelnuts, chopped pistachios, candied pecans, or candied walnuts. Want a different dressing? Other salad dressing options include Poppy Seed Dressing, Strawberry Vinaigrette, or Citrus Salad Dressing.
Chicken like pan seared chicken, Parmesan crusted chicken, grilled chicken, or blackened chicken Salmon like baked salmon, pan seared salmon, or grilled salmon Tofu like baked tofu, crispy tofu, or grilled tofu
Try tangy Strawberry Vinaigrette, Easy Vinaigrette or Dijon Mustard Dressing Mix up classics like Green Goddess Dressing, Caesar Dressing, or Ranch Dressing Find all our top Healthy Salad Dressings or learn How to Make Homemade Salad Dressing
Frequently asked questions
4.8 from 4 reviews
2 cups ripe strawberries 8 cups mixed salad greens (mix of spinach and lettuce) 1/2 red onion ⅓ cup pecan pieces, chopped walnuts, or sliced almonds* ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbles** Fresh ground black pepper Optional: make it a main dish with a protein adder***
For the balsamic vinaigrette
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons olive oil
**Cheese is optional but adds a welcome savory contrast. We like feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles. Gorgonzola or Parmesan cheese also work. Omit cheese for a vegan salad and use maple syrup in the dressing. ***Consider adding protein to make it a main dish! Try chicken like Parmesan crusted chicken, grilled chicken, or blackened chicken, salmon like baked salmon, pan seared salmon, or grilled salmon, or tofu like baked tofu, crispy tofu, or grilled tofu. Leftover and make ahead tips: Salads are notoriously suboptimal as leftovers, as they get soggy over time. We like to plate individual salads when serving and simply drizzle the dressing over each plate or bowl. If making in advance, chop the components and store them refrigerated in separate individual containers. Directly before serving, allow the dressing to come to room temperature, then plate each salad. Other salad dressing options include Poppy Seed Dressing, Strawberry Vinaigrette, or Citrus Salad Dressing.
