Sweet, tangy, creamy, and dreamy, Balsamic Marinated Strawberries with Ice Cream is the easy and elegant dessert perfect for any occasion. With that balance of sweet and savory, this unexpected treat will be an instant classic.

When you start with fresh, seasonal ingredients, it doesn't take a lot to allow them to shine. Whether it's Fresh Summer Cherry Salsa topping a grilled steak or this sweet treat, you only need a handful of ingredients to create a dish everyone will love.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy Process - There is no cooking required for this elegant dessert. The hardest part is the waiting while the strawberries macerate.
Make Ahead - Not only do you need to let the strawberries chill and macerate, but they get even better the longer they sit, allowing all of the flavors to marry. This is the perfect dessert to make a day in advance.
Familiar Flavors - If you love strawberries and vanilla ice cream, you will love this. The balsamic vinegar enhances both the natural sweetness and also tang of the strawberries and adds a mysterious savory element.

Ingredients

Balsamic Marinated Strawberries with Ice Cream combines fresh strawberries with easy pantry staples you already have. Not only is it easy to make, but it's also easy to shop for.

Vanilla Ice Cream - When you're only using a handful of ingredients you want to ensure you're using the highest quality for the maximum amount of flavor. Cosmic Bliss Vanilla Ice Cream is made with real specks of Madagascar vanilla beans and grass-fed milk. It is USDA certified organic.
Strawberries - Is there any more classic pairing than strawberries and cream? Pick juicy, ripe berries for this recipe.
Aged Balsamic Vinegar - Sweeter, thicker, and more concentrated in flavor than the balsamic you might use in a marinade or vinaigrette dressing. This adds sweetness, a savory note, tangy, and complexity to the strawberries.
Cane Sugar - Balances the tang of the vinegar while enhancing the natural sweetness of the strawberries.
Black Pepper - Adds an earthy hint of spice the compliments the sweetness and the savory bite of vinegar.
Balsamic Glaze - Adds another layer of brightness and sweetness.

How to Make Balsamic Marinated Strawberries with Ice Cream

This ice cream dessert is elegant enough to entertain with, but easy enough to make a Tuesday night feel special. The best part you can make the strawberries ahead of time, allowing them to fully macerate with the balsamic and sugar.

Time needed: 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Creamy vanilla ice cream is combined with balsamic macerated strawberries.

Mise en Place
Slice your strawberries into a fairly even size.
Mix
Add the strawberries, sugar, balsamic, and black pepper to a bowl and stir to combine.
Refrigerate
Allow the strawberries to refrigerate for at least two hours. This can be made the night before.
Assemble
Place a couple of scoops of the strawberries into the bottom of a parfait glass. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the top.

Variations for Balsamic Marinated Strawberries with Ice Cream

This same recipe can be made completely dairy free. Swap out the vanilla ice cream for Cosmic Bliss's Madagascan Vanilla Bean made with coconut milk. It is completely dairy free.

Substitutions

I used cane sugar for this recipe. However, you can use other types of sweeteners such as honey, brown sugar, and sugar substitutes. Use what you like and what you have.

Storage

The strawberries for this recipe can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator. They will slump even more and become more syrupy but will be equally as delicious.

Top Tips for Balsamic Marinated Strawberries with Cream

This entire dessert can be made ahead of time. Scoop your softened ice cream and place the scoops onto a baking sheet. Allow the baking sheet to free until you're ready to serve.

When it comes to the strawberries, you want to make sure that you use fresh strawberries for this recipe. While frozen strawberries are great for some recipes, these strawberries aren't cooked, instead allowed to marinate, or macerate, in the sugar and balsamic vinegar. This will give you the best texture and flavor profile.