Why You’ll Love It
It’s delicious. Raspberry vinaigrette tastes like a cross between raspberry jam and a red wine vinaigrette. It’s tangy and sweet, with a hint of tart raspberry flavor. It’s versatile. This dressing goes well over a spicy Arugula Salad, or a spinach salad, and can brighten up any other salad ingredients you need to use up. You can use fresh or frozen berries. If you have fresh berries that are starting to become soft, this is the perfect way to avoid wasting them. And if you prefer to use frozen berries (which are more cost effective) they will work in this dressing, too! Just make sure to let them thaw first. It’s low in oil. Using raspberries in this dressing not only adds flavor, but it also helps you cut the oil required in half! The raspberries naturally thicken the dressing when you blend them up. It’s flexible. If you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand, you can easy swap it for apple cider vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar, as a delicious alternative. (I’ve heard that raspberry vinegar exists, too! But I haven’t tried that, yet.) If you don’t need a vegan recipe, you can also use honey instead of maple syrup. It’s nutritious. Raspberries are a good source of vitamin c, potassium, and fiber.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What is raspberry vinaigrette made of?
Fresh or frozen raspberriesRed wine vinegarShallotExtra virgin olive oilMaple syrupSalt
It’s so simple, but the flavor is ultra-impressive! For extra tangy flavor, you can add a splash of lemon juice, or a squeeze of Dijon mustard. Or, if you prefer a sweeter dressing, you can add a little more maple syrup. The taste will change slightly each time, depending on how sweet the raspberries are that you use. Note: This recipe makes a relatively small batch of dressing (about 3/4 cup) which is the smallest batch I can make in my blender. If you are planning to use this as part of your meal prep routine, you might want to double it so you’ll have more for the week ahead.
How to Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Add the ingredients to a blender. Place the raspberries, olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, shallot, and salt in a blender and blend until very smooth. If you’re using a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix, it should mostly pulverize the raspberry seeds, too. If you’re using a food processor, you may need to double this recipe, so there is enough bulk to help the blades break everything down. Note: Even if you don’t totally break down the raspberry seeds, the dressing will be delicious. And there will be extra fiber in each bite! Alternatively, you can press this dressing through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds, for a super-smooth result.
- Adjust. Taste the dressing, and make any adjustments, as needed. For more sweetness, add an extra splash of maple syrup. Or, if you prefer a more tangy dressing, you might want to add a little extra vinegar, instead. You can also add a pinch of black pepper or a clove of garlic, for a little spice. Once the dressing is perfect, pour it into a jar and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. You can store this dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy! Serve this salad dressing over your favorite fresh ingredients, like salad greens, fresh raspberries or sliced peaches, and your favorite protein.
More Salad Dressings
Looking for more homemade salad dressings? Try one of these!
Lemon Poppy Seed DressingHoney Balsamic DressingItalian DressingChampagne VinaigretteApple Cider Vinaigrette
If you try this raspberry vinaigrette dressing, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!