Balsamic Vinegar

• Balsamic vinegar and strawberries pair famously well. The sweet, deep flavor of the dark wine vinegar enhances the fruitiness of strawberries without adding too much sweetness to the salad. Use balsamic vinegar to make a simple vinaigrette with olive oil and seasonings, or mash some of the strawberries and whisk them into the vinaigrette. This strawberry dressing works particularly well with tossed salad with strawberries, crumbled feta cheese and walnuts. As an alternative, drizzle some syrupy balsamic reduction on top of the salad for taste and decoration.

Honey Mustard

• Add a dash of honey to give a sweet and mellow note to dressings made to complement the strawberries in a tossed salad. Classic honey-mustard dressing uses the spiciness of mustard to balance the sweetness of honey. Combine strong Dijon mustard, whole grain French mustard or dry mustard with honey, along with cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar or a combination of both. Whisk together or blend in a food processor and gradually add a neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Flavored Vinegars

• Naturally mellow vinegar types, such as apple cider vinegar, can be used to make vinaigrettes that don’t overpower the taste of delicate ingredients like strawberries. A touch of smokiness with paprika in the vinaigrette complements a tossed salad of mixed greens and strawberries enhanced by shredded cheddar cheese and toasted walnuts. Flavored white or red wine vinegars, such as elderberry or raspberry vinegar, also bring depth of flavor and smoothness to strawberry tossed salad dressings.

Citrus Juices

• Lemon juice is a popular salad dressing ingredient; it is used to add zing to vinaigrette and may serve as a substitute for vinegar. Lime juice tends to be sweeter and more aromatic than lemon juice, which has a dominant sour note. Orange juice is even sweeter. Both lime and orange juice and zest can be used to make a dressing for a tossed salad containing strawberries as well as avocado, whose richness is pleasantly cut by the citrus fruits’ acidity.