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Strawberry Vinaigrette with Chipotle |  |
Whole Food, Simply Prepared. Real Food, Fresh & Inventive. Beautiful Color! Mere Minutes to the Table. Fun Picnic Food. Not just easy, Summer Easy. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Potluck & Party Friendly. Easy DIY. Weight Watchers Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free.
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This recipe fits into a special collection of recipes I call
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stuff we could easily buy
but for one reason or another
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choose to make from scratch
at home in our own kitchens.
COMPLIMENTS!
- "Wow. So strawberry-y." ~ One happy husband.
Summer Is the BEST ...
... for so many sun-filled, sand-footed, late-sunset reasons but for food lovers, summer is punctuated by the almost overwhelming abundance of fresh vegetables and for fruit lovers, swoon, fresh fruit.
Stop into a local you-pick farm or farmers market week after any week: the fruit will change, some available for only a sweet minute (dang you, local strawberries), a few that hold several weeks (hello, peaches).
In my kitchen, that means leaning on supermarkets for fruit aside from brief periods of local fruit.
In my shopping experience, that means being incapable of leaving a store without big cartons of strawberries, blueberries, a melon or two, even a lug of peaches .. and so on.
That's why you'll see recipes like this, a quick and easy strawberry salad dressing, posted not in mid May when local berries are at their peak but instead now in mid June.
Very intentionally, recipes like this take advantage of supermarket strawberries shipped in from ... where, Florida? California? Mexico? It changes, week to week.
So if you've got special strawberries, go for it.
But if Driscoll's is your summer dream? You'll not be disappointed.
What's In Strawberry Vinaigrette with Chipotle? Strawberries + Pantry Ingredients!
In all my recipes and most well-written recipes, every ingredient serves a purpose. Each one matters. Each one contributes to the overall dish. It's not that an ingredient can't be substituted by something else but when choosing the substitute, it's important to understand why the original ingredient was present in the first place.
- Strawberries Be sure to choose red, ripe strawberries for this salad dressing but I promise, supermarket berries for the win!
- Puréed Chipotle in Adobo Sauce Not familiar with this? Maybe you've seen recipes calling for "one" chipotle (they're spicy!) or "one teaspoon" adobo sauce (it's smoky) from a small tin labeled "chipotle in adobo". One day, I just decided to purée the entire tin altogether and ever since, that simple purée is a staple in my kitchen. It keeps for months in the fridge, ready to use a teaspoon or two or three at a time. Much recommended! More info? Check this out, chipotle in adobo sauce.
- Garlic & Shallot These two are used in small amounts but do ensure the salad is savory vs sweet like the poppy seed dressing in Seven-Layer Strawberry Salad with Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing. That said, if you're making the Vinaigrette ahead of time to serve later, consider omitting both the garlic and shallot, they tend to take over a bit, the dressing is still good but less strawberry-ish and the very point of this recipe, of course, is strawberry flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar Use a high-quality vinegar, red wine vinegar helps retain the pretty pink strawberry color.
- Honey I use honey for a touch of sweetness and all its health benefits. It's calorie dense and I tend to like dressings on the sharp side, so you may elect to use more honey than the single tablespoon called for.
- Grapeseed Oil This is what we call a "neutral" oil, that means it adds richness and texture to the Vinaigrette without taking away from the other flavors. I've taken to keeping a bottle on the counter, right next to the olive oil and am surprised how often I turn to it for salads, drizzling, etc.
- Salt Salt is soooo important here, both in the Strawberry Vinaigrette itself and again when assembling the salads themselves. First, the garlic, shallot and salt are processed on their own; the salt gives the food processor's blade something to grab onto, this trick is really useful whenever it's important for ingredients to be very finely processed. Second, at the finish, additional salt may be added to taste to the Vinaigrette, it really bumps the strawberry flavor. Third, once it's time to assemble the salads themselves, the greens themselves are seasoned with salt before being dressed with the Vinaigrette.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- STRAWBERRIES This recipe is all about the strawberries but that isn't to say that other fruit can't serve as substitutes. Mango? Raspberries? Both sound good! These do have lower water content than strawberries, you might need to adjust the Vinaigrette a bit if it comes out too thick.
- PURÉED CHIPOTLE in ADOBO SAUCE It's easy to make this, just purée a small can of chipotle in adobo sauce, see chipotle in adobo sauce. But hot sauce is a good substitute. Our everyday house hot sauce is Frank's Original, it's the one that chefs always recommend.
- GARLIC Use a medium-size clove of fresh garlic, but just in case "your" medium and "my" medium are different, I always recommend measuring ingredients by weight, not size. If you like, or if making the dressing ahead of time, omit the garlic entirely.
- SHALLOT I keep a few shallots on hand all the time, they're slightly sweeter than regular onion. But size makes a difference here too. A shallot is smaller than an onion and since we're only using the equivalent of about a tablespoon, that means less waste if the remainder is thrown away. That said, other onions will definitely work, a small bit of yellow onion or green onion or red onion, even Spiced Pickled Red Onions. If you like, or if making the dressing ahead of time, omit the shallot or other onion entirely.
- HONEY As is common for from-scratch salad dressings, I call for honey to introduce a touch of sweetness but other sweeteners would work too, maple syrup and agave for vegan choices, say. A little sugar? Of course.
- RED WINE VINEGAR I like this choice a lot but other gentle vinegars will also work, especially ones that are fruity. Think white wine vinegar, unseasoned rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fig vinegar, sherry vinegar, etc. Try to avoid harsh white vinegar but even it will work, it just might need more help for a balanced, pleasant end product.
- GRAPESEED OIL This lovely neutral oil isn't common, it's even a little hard to find albeit worth seeking out. (I get it at Whole Foods.) But other oils will definitely work, especially another so-called "neutral" oil which won't put its own flavor stamp on the Vinaigrette. A plain vegetable oil is also a neutral oil but is highly processed. Another fruity oil might work as well, I love the artisan oils from O Olive Oil.
- SALT FYI, unless otherwise specified, all my recipes (including this one) are tested with Morton's Kosher Salt. And I must admit, the conversions between Morton's and Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt make my eyes cross. If using Diamond Crystal, use about 3/4 the specified amount, then season to taste.
What Makes This Recipe Special
Why would anyone go to the trouble of making a Strawberry Vinaigrette from scratch? Here are a few reasons. Why do you make it? Let me know in the comments!
- Perfect for summer!
- Punched up with strawberry flavor!
- Beautiful color!
- Not really available to purchase, at least for now.
- Makes for intoxicating salads, either pretty side salads or big salad suppers.
- Ready to get started? Here's your recipe!
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STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE with CHIPOTLE
Time-to-table: 10 minutes
Makes about 3/4 cup, easily doubled or tripled or even quadrupled
-
STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
- 1 medium clove (2g) fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon (7g) shallot (or another onion)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (assumes Morton's Kosher Salt)
- 1 cup roughly chopped (112g) ripe fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons (27g) red wine vinegar (or another fruity vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup or agave for vegan)
- 2 teaspoons puréed chipotle in adobo sauce (what's this?) or hot sauce to taste
- 3 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil or a light olive oil)
- Additional salt, vinegar, honey, puréed chipotle and oil to taste
-
FOR SIMPLE SIDE SALADS
- Salad greens (spinach, butter lettuce, leafy green lettuce, arugula, etc.), chopped or torn if needed
- Salt for the greens
- Strawberry Vinaigrette for the salad greens
- Pepper to taste
- Sliced fresh strawberries (be generous!)
- Thin-sliced cucumber
- A few fresh blueberries
- Cheese crumbles (feta, blue, cotija are all good) or shavings (Parmesan or other drier cheeses)
- Strawberry Vinaigrette, a drizzle or dots for garnish
-
FOR DINNER SALADS
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Salt for the lettuce
- Strawberry Vinaigrette for the salad greens
- Pepper to taste
- Sliced fresh strawberries (be generous!)
- Thin-sliced cucumber
- A few fresh blueberries
- Cheese crumbles (feta, blue, cotija are all good) or shavings (Parmesan or other drier cheeses)
- Your choice of protein (rotisserie or grilled chicken, grilled or Roasted Shrimp)
- Strawberry Vinaigrette, a drizzle or dots for garnish
MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE A mini food processor works for a single batch, a larger food processor is needed for multiple batches at the same time. It helps to scrape the sides and lid before each new addition and then again at the end for one last pulse.
First pulse just the garlic, shallot and salt together until the garlic and shallot are both really fine, it may take multiple pulses and scrapes.
Add the strawberries and pulse until the strawberries liquify.
Add the vinegar, honey and puréed chipotle, pulse until well combined.
A tablespoon at time, add the oil and pulse until the vinaigrette thickens and emulsifies. (If your processor allows, drizzle in the oil from the top while the processor is running.)
ADJUST TO TASTE Take a little sample, tasting for strawberry, heat, saltiness, sweet, sharpness and overall balance. Since we really want to taste the berries, consider that first: each addition risks reducing the rich berry flavor profile. At this point, I do find that a little extra salt makes all the difference (including magnifying the strawberry flavor) and usually means I can stop adjusting to taste.
But still. If you'd like a little more smokiness and heat, add a little puréed chipotle. I also like my dressings a bit sharp, you may want a touch more honey, a touch more oil, to create the balance you like.
LET's EAT! The pretty strawberry color gets lost when it's tossed with salad greens. So my take is to toss the greens with some dressing but reserve some to drizzle or dot over top. Strawberry Vinaigrette is really versatile to use. These salads are just suggestions, please do use as suits your taste and table!
INDIVIDUAL SIDE or SUPPER SALADS Toss all the greens with a little salt, then a little Strawberry Vinaigrette and pepper. Divide the dressed greens on individual plates.
Now garnish the plates with fresh strawberries, a little cucumber, a few blueberries, a little cheese and a protein for a supper salad. Now drizzle or dot the individual salads with a bit more Strawberry Vinaigrette.
ONE SALAD for the TABLE In a large salad bowl, toss all the greens with a little salt, then some Strawberry Vinaigrette and pepper. Gently mix in some fresh strawberries, cucumber, blueberries and cheese, saving some aside for garnishing the top. Scatter extra berries, cucumber and cheese over top. Now drizzle a bit more Strawberry Vinaigrette over top.
LEFTOVERS The Vinaigrette itself keeps several days though the color does darken. The salads are best assembled right before serving.
This recipe works really well with supermarket strawberries, especially that "second crop" that appears mid-summer and are usually riper than spring's first crop. No puréed chipotle in adobo sauce? No problem, it's easy to make, just by puréeing a small tin of chipotle in adobo sauce (More Info.) But don't worry, hot sauce is a good substitute, just add to taste.
FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more.
If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2023/06/strawberry-vinaigrette.html .
Seasonal Eats: Early Summer Across the Years
Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Chickpea & Chicken Salad Grilled Balsamic Chicken Minnesota Sloppy Joes Lifetime Pancakes Chicken Burgers with Fresh Spinach, Feta and Garden Tzatziki Sauce Rhubarb Cake Finn Crisp with Marmalade & Cheese Coconut Cream Pie Salmon with Crispy Crust
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- ANOTHER TAKE Spinach Salad with Fruity Vinaigrette, Fresh Fruit & Maple-Glazed Pecans A big green salad with a rainbow of fruit.
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- THE COLLECTION The Homemade Pantry Recipes for foods we could buy but choose to make from scratch.
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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.
Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.
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2023
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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna