Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette
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This copycat Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette will brighten up any salad! Inspired by the Cafe Zupas strawberry harvest salad. Filled with berries, olive oil, and champagne vinegar for an irresistible salad topping.
This post was originally published March 10, 2015. It has since been updated with helpful tips and new photos.
Recipe Features:
- Quick and easy- You can have this vinaigrette ready in 10 minutes!
- Perfect with any salad combo- Try it with chicken salad and you’ll fall in love.
- Make-ahead- You can keep this stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you are anything like me, having a great stack of salad recipes to get you through the summer is life changing. I’m talking about hefty salads that will have you full for the entire day. Loaded with chicken, bacon, veggies… Anything goes to keep that oven off and the temperature of our home cool.
Often overlooked, salad dressings can be the star of the show and really make-or-break the meal. That’s where this strawberry vinaigrette recipe comes in. It is dreamy.
I kid you not when I say it takes zero time to make and is loaded with flavor. Even my pickiest salad eater becomes giddy when he finds this on the menu!
Strawberry Vinaigrette Ingredients:
Inspired heavily by the Cafe Zupas strawberry vinaigrette dressing, this one follows a list of simple ingredients:
- Strawberries- We always have frozen berries on hand, which makes it convenient to whip this up in a pinch, but fresh will work too.
- Lemon- Fresh lemon juice or bottled will work with this dressing. Of course, I do recommend fresh when possible. Not only is it loaded with extra vitamin C, it tends to taste a little less tart.
- Sugar- You can always substitute this with honey if desired.
- Vinegar- See notes below.
- Olive Oil- Reach for a light olive oil, or something with a more mild flavor. This helps it to not overpower the berries and still give you great salad coverage.
Champagne Vinegar Substitute
If you can find it, try the champagne vinegar. It is unbelievable and one that we use for more than just this strawberry dressing recipe. It’s ideal for marinades, sauces, pan de-glazing, and even savory dips!
However, I know it can be tricky to find in store. In that case, make an even swap for white wine vinegar. Equally as delicious and more common in grocery stores.
How to Make Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette:
This strawberry champagne dressing is sweet, a little tart, and oh-so elegant. Like most of my recipes, I tried to keep this as simple as possible. Let’s walk through the steps…
- Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vinegar in a high powered blender.
- Pulse until smooth, about 5 pulses.
- Drizzle in the oil and pulse until just combined.
- Taste, add additional sweetener if desired.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- It is best to use a high powered blender or food processor (affiliates) for this recipe. You want a nice drizzle without all of the teeny tiny strawberry seeds so a quality mixer is key.
- We love this brand of champagne vinegar, found on Amazon or specialty grocery stores.
- You can substitute the frozen strawberries for an equal amount of fresh berries.
- White wine vinegar is a good substitute for the champagne in a pinch.
No, champagne vinegar does not contain alcohol. It is, however, made from the same grapes that are used to make champagne and pinot noir.
This strawberry vinaigrette dressing recipe has a very light and mild flavor. The biggest taste you will pick up on is the berries. A very light tartness is added by the vinegar and it pairs perfectly with the sweet berries.
While both are similar, as they are made to coat a salad with flavor, they are equally as different.
Vinaigrette is mainly a mixture of oil and acid (vinegar). They coat the salad easily and provide a robust flavor. Dressings lean more towards the consistency of a sauce. Most are mayonnaise based and include milk.
Yes, and no. A simple vinaigrette can be the healthier option. Especially when it includes a base of just oil and vinegar. However, this recipe contains a fair amount of sugar and fruit. I would not consider this the healthies option.
This salad dressing will last up to 4 to 5 days if stored properly. Keep sealed tightly in the refrigerator. We find that mason jars are a great way to keep the vinaigrette fresh. Optionally, you can purchase a salad dressing container.
More Strawberry Recipes:
- STRAWBERRY HARVEST SALAD
- Fresh Strawberry Lemonade
- Easy Strawberry Sauce
- Homemade Strawberry Fruit Roll Up
- Cake Mix Strawberry Cupcakes
- Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam
- How to Make Candy Strawberries
- Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
- No-Bake Strawberry Cake
- Fresh Strawberry Whipped Cream
More Vinaigrette Recipes:
Strawberries and champagne were meant to go together. If you want a really decadent treat add some of those candied pecans to your salad.
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Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 16 oz frozen strawberries (thawed)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vinegar in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Add the olive oil and pulse until combined.
- Serve over your favorite salad.
Video
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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How many days can it be stored in the fridge?
It’ll stay fresh for about 5 to 7 days. Shake or stir before using, since natural separation is normal.
Jessica, this vinaigrette is amazing!! Thank you!
Super easy to make too!!
I’m so glad you liked it, Lori! It’s one of my favorites.
easy and great
Thank you, Marion!
Can fresh strawberries be used instead of fresh?
I have never tried, but I’m sure they could. I would make sure they are thawed and drained before adding them.
The recipe says to use frozen. I think that is gross
Thank you for your feedback! I totally get that using thawed frozen strawberries might not be everyone’s first choice, but they can actually bring a great burst of flavor to a vinaigrette, especially when fresh strawberries aren’t in season. I’d love for you to give the recipe a try—you might be surprised at how delicious it turns out! If you do, I’d love to hear what you think.
This recipe is perfect! I swapped out the sugar for honey. I found champagne vinegar at my local Publix. The dressing tastes fresh and delicious! Thank you!
My pleasure! Thank you for the great idea of using honey in place of the sugar. I need to try that ASAP!
I followed this exactly and it is SO delicious. Well, I think I did. I didn’t measure the lemon juice, but I used all the juice from two small lemons.
For those having trouble finding champagne vinegar, I found it at Williams-Sonoma, a specialty kitchen store.
Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you liked it! It is still one of our favorite dressings to serve with a salad!
This makes way more than enough for 1 salad right? Do you think it would stay good in the fridge? How long? Thanks for sharing this recipe. Sounds delicious!
Yes. It makes 20 servings at 2 tablespoons each. I’ll add that into the recipe.