Made with fresh raspberries, honey and a mild olive oil, this sweet and tangy Raspberry Vinaigrette is light, vibrant, and surprisingly, endlessly useful in the kitchen!
There’s something quietly satisfying about making your own dressing. A few good ingredients, a quick blitz or whisk, and suddenly even the simplest salad feels remarkable. This Raspberry Vinaigrette is one of those recipes; straightforward, adaptable and built around fresh, seasonal flavour.
Paired with red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of honey, this vinaigrette uses fresh raspberries to bring that telltale sweet and tangy flavour and thicker texture that bottled versions rarely manage.
It’s the kind of recipe that earns a permanent place in your fridge. Spoon it over leafy greens, drizzle it on roasted vegetables, or use it to bring a little brightness to grain bowls. It can also double as a marinade or a dip for fruit! Once you’ve made it once, you’ll start finding reasons to make it again.
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Why You’ll Love this Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe
- Easy to make. This vinaigrette comes together in minutes with minimal equipment. But you can also make it by hand if you don’t have (or don’t want to dirty!) your blender or mini food processor.
- Seasonal. When raspberries are in season, this homemade dressing is considerably more affordable than store-bought specialty dressings.
- Customisable. You can easily adjust the sweetness or acidity to taste, depending on the natural sweetness of your raspberries. Want a more savoury option? Add a finely chopped shallot. Want a creamy version? Mix in some greek yogurt!
- Surprisingly versatile. This Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing works across salads, vegetables, grains, fruit and even proteins!
What Is a Vinaigrette?
At its core, a vinaigrette is a simple emulsion of oil and acid. Traditionally, that means vinegar and oil, with a little something to bring it together, usually mustard or honey, and then whisked or shaken together until emulsified. From that base, the variations are endless; think citrus juice, garlic and ginger, herbs and fruit can all be added to create a vinaigrette.
So how does a vinaigrette differ from a dressing? Think of it like this: all vinaigrettes are dressings, but not all dressings are vinaigrettes. Vinaigrettes are lighter, thinner and fresher, and they complement the other ingredients rather than saturating them, like other salad dressings, which usually include eggs, dairy or other stabilisers. These dressings include western thousand island dressing and ranch dressing, tahini-based dressings, Japanese wafu dressing, French remoulade and creme fraiche herb dressing, and German salatsauce, to name but a few.
A good vinaigrette doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s about balance, a little tasting as you go, and letting the ingredients do their thing. This Raspberry Vinaigrette follows that same idea, using a simple base and fresh fruit to create a dressing that’s fresh, vibrant and easy to adapt.
Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients
Made with fresh raspberries and a simple oil-and-acid base, this Raspberry Vinaigrette keeps it simple with a short ingredient list. The ingredients are outlined here, with exact measurements in the recipe card below:
- Raspberries. The star of the dressing, providing natural tart-sweetness and that unmistakable berry flavour. Fresh raspberries work best here as they contain less liquid.
- Extra virgin olive oil. You want the raspberry flavour to stand out, so choose a mild tasting olive oil. A neutral grapeseed oil could also work if you don’t have any extra virgin olive oil.
- Red wine vinegar. Adds depth and structure, giving the Raspberry Vinaigrette its backbone and helping balance the sweetness of the fruit (and honey!).
- Lemon juice. A small squeeze lifts the flavours and keeps the dressing tasting fresh rather than heavy. While not an optional ingredient, you could, if you really had to, leave it out and let the red wine vinegar carry the acidity.
- Honey. Rounds everything out with a soft, floral sweetness, smoothing the sharper edges of the vinegar and lemon, while acting as the binding agent to emulsify the vinaigrette. You can substitute the honey for maple syrup, agave or rice malt syrup, but add a little at a time and adjust as needed.
How to Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
This Raspberry Vinaigrette is made in just a few easy steps. Once the ingredients are combined, a quick taste and adjustment is all it takes to get the balance right.
- Add all the ingredients. Add the fresh raspberries, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and honey to a blender or small food processor.
- Blend. Blend for about a minute, until the raspberries have been blended and the dressing looks cohesive and lightly emulsified.
- Taste and adjust. If your raspberries are tart, add a bit more honey. If the dressing tastes a little too sweet rather than fresh, add more lemon juice or vinegar. Tweak until it tastes yummy to you!
- Straining (Optional). You could strain the dressing through a fine sieve if you prefer a smoother finish, but you will lose some of the bulk, as well as making the vinaigrette significantly thinner. It’s up to you and how you’re serving the vinaigrette!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Fresh. Use ripe raspberries for the best flavour.
- Customise flavour. No punnet of raspberries is the same, so blend, taste and adjust with more honey or lemon juice as needed.
- Keep it mild. You don’t want to use your fancy drizzling olive oil for this recipe as it will overpower the delicate raspberry flavour. A mild extra virgin olive oil is the way to go.
- Change the texture. The fresh raspberries and honey make for a thick emulsion. For a thinner dressing, add a tablespoon of water and blend again, or strain the dressing through a fine sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.
How to Serve this Raspberry Vinaigrette
This Raspberry Vinaigrette works beautifully with mixed leaf salads, especially those that include goat’s cheese, feta or toasted nuts. It pairs well with roasted beetroot and grain bowls.
It’s also lovely spooned over simple tomato salads, used as a finishing drizzle for roasted veggies or served as a fruit dip. It can also double as a marinade.
Store the dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If it separates, simply shake or whisk before using. The colour may deepen slightly over time, which is completely natural.
Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe FAQs
Can I use frozen raspberries?
Fresh raspberries are best for flavour and texture, but frozen raspberries can work in a pinch. Make sure to thaw completely and drain the excess liquid.
Can I make this without a blender?
Yes. Mash the raspberries well with a fork and whisk everything together for a more rustic dressing.
Can I substitute another vinegar?
White wine vinegar would work nicely if that’s all you have on hand. If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you could also try omitting it and adding more lemon juice.
Does the vinaigrette need to be strained?
Not at all! Straining the Raspberry Vinaigrette is purely a texture preference. Straining it will also yield less dressing.
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Or explore all our dressings and sauces!
Once you’ve made this Raspberry Vinaigrette, it’s hard to go back to bottled versions. It’s fresh, adaptable and tasty, exactly the kind of recipe worth keeping on hand. If you’ve tried making this dressing be sure to leave me a comment and let me know! Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram, I always enjoy seeing what you guys are cooking from the blog!
Recipe
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup raspberries, fresh
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Add the raspberries, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and honey to a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth, glossy and fully emulsified, about 1 minute.1 cup raspberries, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey
- Taste and adjust; no punnet of raspberries is the same, so taste and adjust the balance with a little more lemon juice or honey if needed.
- Serve as a dressing for salads and grain bowls, as a dip for fruit, or even use it as a marinade.
- Store the Raspberry Vinaigrette in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, whisking the dressing well before use.
