Fresh strawberries are one of the many reasons to love June in Ohio. Since my great-grandparents farmed strawberries, I was spoiled rotten with everything strawberry as a kid. I also love strawberry and spinach salad, so it was instinct to make it for a light dinner the night after our week one CSA pickup. I had just come home after a day of running around and realized we didn’t have any salad dressing that would go with strawberries. Neither one of us wanted to go to the store, so I decided to make a vinaigrette myself, something I hadn’t done in eons. And now afterwards I’m wondering, why not? Am I really that spoiled that I buy what I can so easily make myself? This recipe is so simple and sinfully sweet that I hope I convince you to try it too!
Easy Honey Vinaigrette that works really well with a strawberry salad. A sweet and savory combination of summer goodness!
Ingredients
- Salad Greens - I used a Mesclun mix of spring greens and spinach
- 1 to 2 cups of sliced strawberries
- 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons of Organic Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of whole Fennel Seed, lightly crushed to release the flavor
- Fresh Ground Pepper per your preference (1-2 cranks of my grinder is what I used)
Instructions
- Wash the greens and tear into bite-size pieces. Spin dry in a salad spinner.
- Hull the strawberry stems with a huller by grabbing the leaves with the huller, pressing into the strawberry slightly, then giving it a little twist while you pull.
- Mix the strawberries into the greens.
- In a container that has a tight lid for shaking, like a salad dressing shaker bottle, or a plastic bowl with a screw on lid, add the White Balsamic Vinegar, the Olive Oil, the Honey and a couple cranks of fresh Ground Pepper.
- Crush the Fennel Seed slightly using a Pestle and Mortar, or simply use two spoons nested, so you can crush the seed a bit to release the flavor quicker. Add to the salad dressing mixture.
- Shake well and let rest while you prepare the rest of your meal.
- Shake, then drizzle the Honey Vinaigrette on individual bowls of salad when you're ready to eat. This is super sweet so a little bit goes a long way.
- Enjoy from Dorine at The Zest Quest!
