Raspberry Vinaigrette

Add a zesty burst of fresh flavor to your next salad with this Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing recipe! It's easy to make this healthy salad dressing with fresh or frozen raspberries. And it's perfect for tossing with salads, using as a chicken marinade or drizzling over your favorite summer bowl!

When the weather starts to heat up, I start to crave fresh fruit. Probably because when Summer produce is in season, the flavors are so amazing, I want to eat fruit any way possible!

Give me all the Mango Smoothie Bowls, Jerk Shrimp Salads with Pineapple and Oranges and fresh Strawberry Bruschetta! 

When it comes to this raspberry vinaigrette dressing, I love that I can drizzle it all over everything, while getting a burst of vitamin C! It's also quick and easy to mix up in just 5 minutes.

It's great on a classic spinach salad along with berries, red onion, broccoli, and nuts. But the bright flavors also pair wonderfully with grilled chicken, as a marinade or as a finishing sauce.

Using fresh, in season berries is great. But let's be real, frozen can be more convenient. Thankfully you can use either fresh or frozen berries to create this healthy salad dressing. Either one makes a salad dressing that tastes so much fresher than anything store bought!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Ways to use it
• Frequently asked questions
• More healthy salad dressings
• Recipe

Ingredients

• Raspberries - You can use either frozen or fresh raspberries in this recipe. Just make sure if they're frozen that there's not any ice that's formed on the outside of the berries, due to freezer burn. Adding ice-covered berries to the dressing will water it down.
• Extra virgin olive oil - A good quality, mild tasting oil is best since the flavor will come through in the dressing. However, you can use any olive oil you have on hand. 
• Red wine vinegar - Make sure to get red wine vinegar (not balsamic vinegar or red drinking wine) for the right taste. White wine vinegar can be used if that's all you have, but it will change the final taste slightly.
• Maple syrup - Pure maple syrup is preferred for a natural sweetener. You can also swap it out for monk fruit sweetener to reduce the total calories and carbohydrates. Or, if you aren't concerned with making the recipe vegan, you can also use honey.
• Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice really pays off in flavor, but bottled can be used in a pinch. 
• Garlic - Whole cloves that have been freshly minced are best to use. Already minced garlic will work as well, but I do not recommend subbing in garlic powder.
• Salt - Feel free to adjust to your taste preferences or dietary needs. Use less to reduce the sodium.

Instructions

1. Measure the ingredients. Load everything into a blender or food processor. A smaller sized appliance, such as a Nutribullet, is ideal. If the bowl of the blender is too large it may push the berries to the sides, preventing them from blending properly.
2. Blend! Process until everything is combined and liquified into a smooth dressing. Scrape down the sides if needed to make sure all of the berry bits are mixed up. If the dressing is too thick for your taste, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Ways to use it

The fresh flavor in this Raspberry Vinaigrette is so good paired with a number of foods! Here are a few suggestions to try out at home.

• Salad dressing - Make a fresh salad with any combination of the following ingredients for a delicious nutrient packed meal!
  • Spinach
  • Mixed greens
  • Kale
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Red onion
  • Broccoli
  • Crumbed feta
  • Blue cheese
  • Or sub out the dressing in this Grilled Peach Salad, Kale Beet Salad, Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, or Crispy Goat Cheese Avocado and Strawberry Salad!
• Marinade - Coat boneless skinless chicken breasts in the dressing and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the vinaigrette marinade and cook over medium-high heat on the grill or in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Depending on the thickness of the chicken, you'll want to cook it for 6-8 minutes per side.
• As a dip - Serve alongside meat like Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Lemon Rosemary Chicken or Pork Chops to use it as a dipping sauce. Or serve it with a veggie tray to use it as a fresh and flavorful veggie dip.
• As a finishing sauce - Brush it onto grilled meats at the end of the grilling process, similar to how you would use bbq sauce. It's great on grilled chicken or fish!

Frequently asked questions

• Can you make this dressing low carb? Yes, you can substitute the maple syrup with monk fruit sweetener to reduce the carbohydrates by 2.4 grams per ounce. This will also reduce the calories down to 67 calories per serving. A serving of the dressing is 1 ounce or 2 tablespoons.
• Is this recipe vegan? Yes, this recipe is naturally vegan and gluten free as well!
• Does the dressing need to be refrigerated? Yes. Transfer the finished dressing to a jar or airtight container and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
• How long will the salad dressing last in the fridge? Raspberry vinaigrette will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How much dressing should I toss in a salad? While this really comes down to personal preference, the general rule is 2 tablespoons of dressing for every 2.5 ounces of salad.

More healthy salad dressings

Try these other easy salad dressing recipes to amp up the flavor of all your salads!

• Chipotle Vinaigrette
• Almond Butter Turmeric Salad Dressing
• Honey Lime Dressing
• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing
• Lemon Tahini Dressing
• Miso Vinaigrette

Recipe