Make this easy Raspberry Vinaigrette with simple, wholesome ingredients like ripe raspberries, honey, and Balsamic vinegar. Homemade salad dressing blended in under 15 minutes perfect for pairing with dark leafy greens or to use as a marinade for fish or pork.
Homemade salad dressings like poppy seed dressing and White Balsamic Vinaigrette elevate a bed of greens to gourmet level fare. This fruity raspberry vinaigrette recipe is no exception.
This dressing is a real showstopper. It’s ripe with flavor, rich in color, and pairs easily with a bevy of food choices. Better yet? I use six ingredients to create this gorgeous vinaigrette in a total of fifteen minutes. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
The classic raspberry flavor pairs naturally with dark leafy greens. It’s an excellent accompaniment to Strawberry Spinach Salad or Strawberry Poppyseed Salad. Try it as a marinade for pork or fish. Regardless of how you choose to incorporate it into your meal, your family will savor every bite of sweet, tangy flavor.
Ingredients and Notes
Below is a visual reference of the simple ingredients to make raspberry vinaigrette with notes on substitutions and ingredients.
Raspberries – You can use fresh or frozen raspberries. If frozen, thaw before. For fresh berries, rinse before use. Fresh berries do dry out as they sit in the store, so if they are looking a little dry, use a ½ cup more (about 8 oz total).
Honey – There is no refined sugar in this recipe, so the honey lends a little more sweetness that pairs extremely well with the balsamic and berries.
Balsamic Vinegar – You can use regular or white balsamic. White balsamic is less syrupy and has a cleaner aftertaste. Regular balsamic is shown in the photos.
Light Oil – I use an extra light tasting olive oil, although it does still have a stronger flavor than canola or grapeseed oil, which are alternatives you could use. I generally do not recommend an extra virgin olive oil as these have a stronger oil flavor that doesn’t mix as well with the berries.
Lemon Juice – For best flavor, use fresh squeeze, although bottled will work in a pinch.
Strainer – a cheesecloth or mesh strainer will both work well. The strainer is just to remove the seeds. You want a thicker puree, not just juice.
Step by Step Recipe Guide
Step by step instructions with tips!
- Completely thaw the raspberries if frozen or rinse fresh berries and puree in a blender or food processor.
- Pour the puree in a cheesecloth. You can use a metal mesh strainer in a pinch. Just make sure the holes are small enough to prevent seeds straining through.
- Close the cheesecloth and tie with a rubber band. Squeeze all of the juice out of the raspberries until you have about ¾ cup. If you don’t yield ¾ cup, add a little water and mix thoroughly with puree mixture and restrain the cheesecloth/puree.
- In a bowl or mason jar, add the raspberry juice, balsamic vinegar, oil, honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and well combined.
- Let the dressing sit for about 2 hours in the fridge so the flavors can best meld and bring out the raspberry flavor. The dressing can settle a bit in the refrigerator. Shake or whisk just before pouring.
- I don’t add any pepper directly to this dressing, but I do love freshly ground pepper on my salads.
*Recipe Tip– the vinaigrette can be a bit thin depending on your specific ingredients. If you would prefer a thicker dressing that grabs more onto the lettuce and salad, you can add up to 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Start with a teaspoon at a time. In a small bowl, mix equal parts cornstarch and dressing until the cornstarch is well mixed in a slurry. Then mix the slurry thoroughly into the rest of the dressing.
More Delicious Dressing Recipes To Try
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Serving Ideas: This dressing works both as a darkly sweet dressing to Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and Strawberry Spinach Salad. It is also a delicious marinade for pork tenderloin, and chicken thighs or breasts for grilling and baking.
How long does raspberry vinaigrette last? The dressing lasts approximately 2 weeks in a sealed bottle. Refrigerate after opening and shake well before serving.
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Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 oz raspberries, fresh or frozen thaw if frozen, rinse if fresh
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey more to taste if you prefer or rasberries aren’t as ripe
- â…“ cup balsamic vinegar regular or white balsamic vinegar is fine
- 2 tablespoon quality olive oil
- pinch Salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse the raspberries. In a blender, puree the raspberries. Place in a cheesecloth and crush through the pulp to remove most of the seeds. If you do not have cheesecloth, you can use a mesh strainer. You should yield about ¾ cup of raspberry puree.
- Take the ¾ cup of strained puree and stir in honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon, and salt. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
- Drizzle over salad just before serving or use as a marinade for chicken or pork.
Notes
- Raspberries tend to dry out in the store or refrigerator, so the amount of juice can vary. If the raspberries look a little dry or wilted, use a bit more.
- If you can’t get ¾ cup, *in a pinch* add a little water and mix through the cheesecloth/puree.
- Blue Cheese – substitute Feta or Goat Cheese.
- Grape Tomatoes, Avocado, Apple Slices, or Red Onions make great additions if you would like to try them out.
-  Radicchio – a bright purple lettuce, this is a great addition for both color and a crunchy lettuce texture.
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