Name: Raspberry Basil Vinaigrette
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 1 cup raspberries (fresh + sweet); 1/4 cup basil (fresh; loosely packed); 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar; see note 1); 1/4 cup water; 2 tablespoons maple syrup (note 2; honey or brown sugar may be also be used in equal amounts); 1/4 teaspoon dijon

This raspberry basil vinaigrette is ready in 3 minutes, contains a full cup of raspberries, and no oil! Creamy, tangy, sweet and refreshing.

A good salad dressing brings life to a salad! This raspberry basil vinaigrette is light, creamy and so delicious. If you are looking for more delicious homemade dressings you have to check out this Roasted Strawberry Vinaigrette and this Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.

I'm pretty excited about this raspberry basil vinaigrette, because not only does it taste pretty fantastic, but it is SO easy to make, and is good for you!

With a whole cup of raspberries, fresh basil leaves, a splash of red wine vinegar (you can also use balsamic vinegar), and some maple syrup to sweeten, it's simple to prepare and is sweet and tangy.

Reasons you'll ♡ this raspberry vinaigrette

it is oil-free and made with fresh berries
it is vegan, dairy-free, thick and creamy
it's sweet, tangy and fresh

Ingredients you'll need

Raspberries- go for fresh, sweet berries. If your berries are not at all sweet, consider increasing the maple syrup a touch to compensate
Basil- you absolutely need fresh basil for this recipe; use the leaves only and discard the stems
Red wine vinegar- adds a tanginess to this dressing that compliments the sweet berries. You may swap for balsamic vinegar, but the dressing will lose its bright red color
Water- thins the dressing out a touch
Sweetener- enhances the sweetness a touch since raspberries are not naturally overly sweet. Use honey, brown sugar or maple syrup.
Dijon- enhances the flavors of the dressing, but does not taste like mustard

Making the dressing

To make raspberry basil vinaigrette, you'll need a stand or immersion blender. A small food processor may also work. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste and add more maple syrup to sweeten or more water to thin out.

Storage

This dressing tastes best served right away as the fresh raspberry and basil flavors really come through. As it sits in the fridge, the flavors do dissipate a touch, but it's still good. You may store for up to 1 week. I do not recommend freezing the dressing.

How to use this dressing

This dressing was developed to go on the raspberry Panzanella salad and works best on a light spinach salad with additional fresh berries.

More vinaigrettes

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Raspberry Basil Vinaigrette

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 3

Total Time: 3

Print Rate

This raspberry basil vinaigrette is ready in 3 minutes, contains a full cup of raspberries, and no oil! Creamy, tangy, sweet and refreshing.

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup raspberries fresh + sweet
▢ ¼ cup basil fresh; loosely packed
▢ ¼ cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar; see note 1
▢ ¼ cup water
▢ 2 tablespoons maple syrup note 2; honey or brown sugar may be also be used in equal amounts
▢ ¼ teaspoon dijon

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or small bowl.
Blend until smooth.
Taste and add additional sugar or vinegar if necessary.

Tips:

1- Balsamic dressing tastes AWESOME in this dressing but won't give the same red color.

2- since raspberries can vary greatly in their sweetness, adjust the sweetener to taste.

Storage

Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 batch, Calories: 48kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Sodium: 5mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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