Strawberry Balsamic Dressing (Oil-Free!)

This easy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing recipe blends up in 5 minutes! It's a refreshing balance of sweet, tangy, and slightly creamy. (Vegan, gluten-free, refined oil-free.)

This easy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing blends up in 5 minutes! It's so healthy, vibrant, and a great way to perk up your salads... especially in the summertime.

We simply combine fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar, mustard, tahini (or yogurt), and pure maple syrup. Then stir in the optional poppy seeds if you wish!

The result is a refreshing balance of sweet, tangy, and slightly creamy... with no added oil! (Plus it's naturally sweetened.)

Ingredients for Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

For this recipe, you'll blend together in a small high-speed blender:

• Fresh strawberries: You'll need 5 ounces ripe strawberries, which is about one heaping cup. I measure them after they're hulled (after removing the stems). It's important your strawberries are ripe and sweet because it's a main flavor component in this dressing. I purchase organic whenever possible.
• Balsamic vinegar
• Pure maple syrup: This is a great natural sweetener. Just a tablespoon helps enhance the sweetness and balance the flavors. But feel free to use more or less as desired, depending on how sweet your strawberries are.
• Tahini: This is a condiment made from ground sesame seeds. It adds body, richness, and slight creaminess to the dressing. (I use it in place of refined oil in this recipe.)
• Dijon mustard
• Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. You can also add black pepper to taste if desired.
• Poppy seeds: These are completely optional so you can leave them out if preferred. I like the texture they add, and we'll stir them in after blending to keep them intact.

Customizing

Yogurt option: Add a dollop or two of vegan yogurt (plain & unsweetened) for an even thicker, creamier consistency. (Either use this in place of the tahini, or in addition to it - whatever you prefer.)

Variations: You can also swap in white balsamic instead of regular balsamic, add garlic, a squeeze of fresh lemon, or blend in a teaspoon of chia seeds for a thicker dressing.

Other berries: Raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries could be swapped in as well, or you can use a combination of berries. (Just be aware blackberries and raspberries have harder seeds, and blueberries tend to change the texture of the dressing to more gel-like upon storing.)

Fresh herbs: For a garden twist, try adding fresh basil or fresh mint! (I haven't tried this variation, but suspect they would be delicious.)

Adding oil: If you include oil in your diet, a tablespoon or so of good quality extra-virgin olive oil can be added if you wish.

Serving

Use this homemade dressing on a simple spinach salad, mixed greens salad, or whatever sounds good! One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is on this Berry Crunch Salad. (Made with fresh berries, citrus, greens, and maple-vanilla candied nuts.)

Storing

Store the leftover dressing in a sealed mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for about 4 days, so it's a great dressing to make ahead of time!

For more inspiration, also browse all salad dressing recipes.

If you're enjoying this oil-free strawberry balsamic dressing recipe, also check out:

• Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
• Strawberry Baked Oatmeal
• Blueberry Salad Dressing
• Strawberry Cream Popsicles

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, X (Twitter), or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.