In 15 minutes, you can make Raspberry Vinaigrette with a bright, deep fruit flavor by using both fresh berries and a spoonful of preserves. Blending the dressing followed by a quick pass through a sieve means a silky smooth dressing every time.
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A good Raspberry Vinaigrette should taste like raspberries, not sugar, as many versions do. You’ll find all kinds of uses for this simple, versatile dressing. I love to drizzle it over a baby spinach salad with goat cheese, spoon it onto grilled chicken or pork, or toss it with a bowl of mixed greens and toasted walnuts for a side worth looking forward to.
I used to make this dressing with only fresh raspberries and it was good, but not worthy of sharing. One afternoon I started to make it and realized I was short on fresh berries, but had preserves on hand. That was the missing piece. The preserves added concentrated flavor to balance the brightness of the fresh fruit. The red wine vinegar and shallots add a savory, tangy depth. And blending everything together before straining gives you a silky smooth dressing without the hassle of smashing individual berries through a sieve.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Total: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups (8 servings)
- Skill level: Easy
Ingredients for Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Fresh Raspberries: Look for fragrant raspberries that are plump and deeply red with no soft spots or signs of juice leaking through the container.
- Raspberry Preserves: Look for good quality preserves where raspberries are the first ingredient, not high-fructose corn syrup or sugar.
- Shallot: I like shallot instead of red onion for vinaigrettes. They have a similar sweetness, but aren’t as sharp.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Use a good quality red wine vinegar. Some of the cheaper brands are very harsh and acidic.
- Honey: If your raspberries are very sweet, start with one teaspoon and taste before adding more. Or if they’re very tart, add a little more.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil that you’d gladly dip bread into.
- Salt and Pepper: Season with salt and pepper at the end, after straining.
Why This Recipe Works
- Raspberry Two Ways: Fresh raspberries and preserves together to give you both brightness and depth in the same dressing.
- Straining the Seeds: If you don’t mind the crunch of seeds in your dressing, you can skip this. I prefer to strain them out to take the texture from gritty to silky.
How to Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
Combine the vinegar, shallot, raspberries, preserves, and honey in a blender; process until smooth.
Slowly stream in the olive oil with the motor running until the mixture emulsifies. Press the dressing through a fine-mesh sieve into a jar to remove the seeds and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Pro Tips
- If your raspberries are very tart, add either extra preserves or more honey before adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- A wide-mouthed mason jar works well for storage and doubles as a shaker when the dressing separates after a few days in the refrigerator, which it will.
- If the oil hardens in the refrigerator, let the dressing sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and shake or whisk to re-emulsify before serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make this vinaigrette ahead and store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If the oil solidifies, a few minutes on the counter and a quick shake or whisk gets it back to the right consistency.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
Fresh Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 small shallot coarsely chopped
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon raspberry preserves or more
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine red wine vinegar, shallot, raspberries, raspberry preserves, and honey in a blender pitcher; blend until smooth.
- With the blender running, slowly stream in the olive oil and blend until the dressing emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a small pitcher, pressing with the back of a spoon to catch the seeds. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to one week.
Notes
- If you don’t mind seeds, you can skip the step of straining them out.
- The recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups dressing. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use within one week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
