A homemade blackberry vinaigrette recipe is just what you need for all your fresh salads, especially when blackberries are in season. Drizzle the sweet, tart, and tangy dressing over your favorite salad greens, sandwiches, and hearty cheeses, or you can use it to marinate grilled bison, chicken, or steak.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic: I recommend using two fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Blackberries: Fresh blackberries are in season from late spring through the end of summer. The flavor of the dressing will vary depending on the ripeness of the berries you use. Ripe blackberries produce a sweeter dressing, whereas the less ripe berries will make the dressing more tart, requiring honey for a little extra sweetness.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Balance the flavor of the vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds creaminess to the dressing.
- Honey: Add some honey to balance the tartness of the blackberries if they are less ripe or if you enjoy a sweeter-tasting dressing.
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil as a base for blackberry vinaigrette.
- Spices: Finish the homemade dressing with salt and black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- Use fresh lemon juice, lime juice, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic vinegar.
- Replace the honey with maple syrup, agave nectar, or a sugar substitute like monk fruit.
- Include fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, or thyme.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
Process the simple ingredients for the blackberry vinaigrette dressing with an immersion blender or food processor. Use a mortar and pestle if you prefer to muddle the ingredients by hand. I recommend combining the ingredients in a large liquid measuring cup so you can pour it through a fine mesh sieve to strain the dressing.
How to Make Blackberry Vinaigrette
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine garlic and blackberries into a paste using an immersion blender or food processor.
Use a mortar and pestle if you prefer to muddle the ingredients by hand. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup.
Step 2: Stir balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey (if using) into the berry mixture.
Step 3: Slowly pour olive oil over the measuring cup while whisking the ingredients together by hand or with an immersion blender to emulsify.
Then, taste and season with salt and black pepper.
Step 4: Pour the dressing through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container for storage and discard the seeds.
Expert Tips
- I recommend blending the ingredients, tasting, and then adjusting the salt, pepper, sweetener, oil, and vinegar until you find the perfect balance.
- Feel free to skip the straining step if you don’t mind having blackberry seeds in your dressing.
If you enjoy this recipe, pair it with one of these healthy lunches!
Serving Suggestions
Use the homemade blackberry vinaigrette to dress a cucumber salad, vegetable chopped salad, or arugula spinach salad. Drizzle the delicious dressing over smoked brie or sliced goat cheese for charcuterie boards or a cheese board.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container like a mason jar for one week. The dressing will thicken once refrigerated because of the olive oil. I recommend removing it from the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to use it, then give it a good stir.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen blackberries to make the vinaigrette?
Use fresh or frozen blackberries to make the blackberry salad dressing. If using frozen berries, thaw them first. Frozen blackberries will produce a thinner dressing, so be ready to adjust the oil and vinegar accordingly.
More Dressing Recipes:
Blackberry Vinaigrette
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 package blackberries, 6 ounce, washed and rinsed
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey, optional
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- Combine garlic and blackberries into a paste using an immersion blender or food processor. Use a mortar and pestle if you prefer to muddle the ingredients by hand. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup.
- Stir balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey (if using) into the berry mixture.
- Slowly pour olive oil over the measuring cup while whisking the ingredients together by hand or with an immersion blender to emulsify. Then, taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container for storage and discard the seeds.
- I recommend blending the ingredients, tasting, and then adjusting the salt, pepper, sweetener, oil, and vinegar until you find the perfect balance.
- Feel free to skip the straining step if you don’t mind having blackberry seeds in your dressing.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.