Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

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Creamy strawberry poppyseed dressing is a sweet, tangy way to top your salads during berry season. Using fresh strawberries, this dressing is ready in minutes.

My kids have always eaten tons of berries, especially strawberries.

Most of the time the fruit doesn’t even have a chance of making it into a recipe like chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes or strawberry doughnuts. Wash, stem, eat, repeat.

When I do get a chance to create with them, I love making this strawberry poppyseed dressing. 

It’s creamy without needing dairy, and both lightly sweet and tangy. In short, it’s the perfect thing for topping all your summer salads.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Whether you’re like me and have lunch salads daily or opt for a big dinner salad once in a while, this creamy dressing is perfect for changing up your usual.

Strawberry poppy seed dressing is fairly similar to my blueberry vinaigrette, but has the lovely sweetness of strawberries. Poppy seeds add just enough nuttiness without turning the dressing into a gritty mess.

This strawberry poppy seed dressing also has a lovely creamy texture without a drop of dairy in it, so it’s great for anyone avoiding dairy.

Plus, it comes together quickly. All you need is a blender, immersion blender, or food processor!

how to make poppyseed dressing

To make this recipe, you’ll need about 4 ounces of strawberries.

Because the size of strawberries can vary greatly, we’re using weight here. Four ounces can be anywhere from ½ to 1 cup of berries!

Don’t have a food scale? Four ounces is approximately one quarter the size of a standard clamshell of strawberries.

Hull the strawberries to remove the stem and any top white area. You can use a special strawberry huller, or simply run a paring knife at an angle inside the berry.

Wash the strawberries and pat dry, then add to your blender or processor. Add the rest of the ingredients: olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and poppy seeds.

Blend until completely smooth and emulsified. The dressing should be very creamy. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to your preferences.

If you’d like the dressing to be thinner, turn on the blender and slowly add a small amount of water while it is mixing until the desired consistency is achieved.

Storage tips

Store strawberry poppyseed dressing leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Mason jars with reusable lids are perfect for this!

You might notice the dressing separates slightly during storage. This is normal and happens to store-bought dressings too!

Simply give the jar a quick shake before pouring it onto your salad.

This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days. I do not recommend freezing it.

How to serve strawberry poppyseed dressing

You can serve strawberry poppyseed dressing over any salad you like. 

I happen to think it is particularly delicious over a spinach salad with fresh peas, almonds, and chicken. Swap it with the dressing in my strawberry spinach salad for double berry flavor.

This is the perfect dressing for summer salads, but you can also try it on top of grilled chicken or even grilled vegetables.