Easy Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

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This blackberry balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing is a very easy and delicious salad dressing that anyone can make. With just a few ingredients, you can make your own homemade salad dressing that’s healthier and more delicious than what you can purchase in a grocery store! 

Why Make Your Own Salad Dressing? 

Salad dressings are one of the easiest and most delicious items that truly anyone can make. In most cases, any salad dressing can be made for MUCH cheaper than what you would buy in the store. This is especially important if you like to use a lot of dressing. 

Making your own salad dressing is also a great way to control the ingredients in your food. Store bought salad dressings are notorious for using mystery vegetable oils or fake sugars. 

Ingredients in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture of a balsamic vinegar, liquid oil and other additions like spices, mustard and a sweetener. For this blackberry version, you will notice chopped fruit is added. The balsamic vinaigrette is most often used as a salad dressing but it can also be used as a meat marinade.

How to Make a Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Making a balsamic vinaigrette is one of the easiest sauces to make. For this blackberry balsamic vinaigrette, all ingredients are added to a blender and blended until smooth. Once everything is done, use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and secure the lid to store in the refrigerator until use.

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Where to get Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar can be found in many grocery stores. They are usually placed near the olive oil and other cooking oils. 

When you are looking for balsamic vinegar, be sure to look at the ingredients. If possible, be sure to purchase a balsamic vinegar that does NOT have caramel color. Added caramel color should not be necessary for making a good balsamic vinegar.

If you cannot find a good balsamic vinegar at your local grocery store, I suggest you look at Azure Standard. Personally, I’ve found that they have great options for balsamic vinegar with great ingredients. 

How to Store Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

How you store this homemade salad dressing will highly depend on how quickly you anticipate using it. If you will be using the salad dressing within a week or so, you may be able to keep the salad dressing on your counter. If you anticipate using it intermittently across a month or so, I recommend keeping it in the refrigerator. 

When you store homemade salad dressing in the refrigerator, keep in mind that the oil in the dressing will separate and harden. I recommend that you take out the dressing a few hours before using. This will allow the oil to warm up so it can be reincorporated by shaking. 

If you forget to take out the salad dressing ahead of time, you can run the bottle under some warm water until the oil melts a bit. After you see the oil has started to melt, shake the jar until well incorporated.

The Shelf life of Homemade Salad Dressing

Homemade salad dressing has a shorter shelf life than a store bought version. It’s best to prepare your salad dressing as close to use as possible. However, if you’re in the salad season of the year, you may not want to prepare your dressing every day. 

If you prepare a larger amount of dressing for future use, I recommend using it as soon as possible. As a guideline, I suggest using all of the prepared salad dressing within 1-2 months. If you make enough to last for 1-2 months, be sure to store in the refrigerator between uses. 

Ingredients and Tools

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• ¾ cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup Avocado or olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard 
• 1 tbsp Honey or maple syrup (optional but recommended) 
• 1 Cup Blackberries
• 1 ½ tsp each dried basil & oregano
• 1 tsp Salt – I Like to use Redmond Real Salt for the minerals
• ½ tsp pepper 

A high speed blender or an immersion blender

A canning jar with an airtight lid

Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Add blackberries to your blender. (if you’re using an immersion blender, use a jar or bowl that will allow you to blend the blackberries well.)

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Add the oil and remaining ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth.

Once your salad dressing is mixed, transfer into a jar.

Your salad dressing is ready to use! Either use immediately or secure an air tight lid and store in the refrigerator.

Add your desired amount of dressing to your salad and enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette FAQ:

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Why Make My Own Salad Dressing? 

Salad dressings are one of the easiest and most delicious items that truly anyone can make. In most cases, any salad dressing can be made for MUCH cheaper than what you would buy in the store. This is especially important if you like to use a lot of dressing. 

Making your own salad dressing is also a great way to control the ingredients in your food. Store bought salad dressings are notorious for using mystery vegetable oils or fake sugars. 

What Are The Ingredients in a Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette?

Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture of a balsamic vinegar, liquid oil and other additions like spices, mustard and a sweetener. For this blackberry balsamic, you will notice chopped fruit is added.The balsamic vinaigrette is most often used as a salad dressing but it can also be used as a meat marinade.

How is Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette made?

Making a balsamic vinaigrette is one of the easiest sauces to make. For this blackberry balsamic vinaigrette, all ingredients are added to a blender and blended until smooth. Once everything is done, use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and secure the lid to store in the refrigerator until use. 

Where Can I Get Balsamic Vinegar?

Balsamic vinegar can be found in many grocery stores. They are usually placed near the olive oil and other cooking oils. 

When you are looking for balsamic vinegar, be sure to look at the ingredients. If possible, be sure to purchase a balsamic vinegar that does NOT have caramel color. Added caramel color should not be necessary for making a good balsamic vinegar.

If you cannot find a good balsamic vinegar at your local grocery store, I suggest you look at Azure Standard. Personally, I’ve found that they have great options for balsamic vinegar with great ingredients. 

How do I Store Balsamic Vinaigrette?

How you store this homemade salad dressing will highly depend on how quickly you anticipate using it. If you will be using the salad dressing within a week or so, you may be able to keep the salad dressing on your counter. If you anticipate using it intermittently across a month or so, I recommend keeping it in the refrigerator. 

When you store homemade salad dressing in the refrigerator, keep in mind that the oil in the dressing will separate and harden. I recommend that you take out the dressing a few hours before using. This will allow the oil to warm up so it can be reincorporated by shaking. 

I forgot to take my salad dressing out of the fridge before I needed it. How do I warm up the dressing fast?

If you forget to take out the salad dressing ahead of time, you can run the bottle under some warm water until the oil melts a bit. After you see the oil has started to melt, shake the jar until well incorporated.

What is The Shelf Life of Homemade Salad Dressing?

Homemade salad dressing has a shorter shelf life than a store bought version. It’s best to prepare your salad dressing as close to use as possible. However, if you’re in the salad season of the year, you may not want to prepare your dressing every day. 

If you prepare a larger amount of dressing for future use, I recommend using it as soon as possible. As a guideline, I suggest using all of the prepared salad dressing within 1-2 months. If you make enough to last for 1-2 months, be sure to store in the refrigerator between uses.