This post may include affiliate links.
This raspberry vinaigrette recipe makes fresh berries into a delicious dressing made with maple syrup and balsamic. It’s ready in 10 minutes!
I’m all about savory sweet combos, so this raspberry vinaigrette recipe really couldn’t get much better in my book! To me, a green salad with berries, nuts, and lightly sweet dressing is one of the best side dishes there is.
Here I’ve taken ripe red raspberries and dressed them up with a little balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup. The result is the perfect blend of tart, savory, and sweet that will smother your salads to perfection. Side bonus: it’s a healthy salad dressing, too!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Very simple and quick recipe. I didn’t have a full cup of raspberries so I added blueberries. I was pleased with the outcome.” -Reno Chef
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh raspberries: I like using fresh berries here: they have a sweeter, fresher flavor. Frozen can work as a substitute, but you might need a little more sweetener.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This is my favorite heart-healthy oil for salad dressings.
- Balsamic vinegar: This accentuates the fruity flavor of the berries. This one is also especially a great place for those fancy flavored vinegars you can get in specialty olive oil and vinegar stores. Standard balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar work, but you could even use raspberry vinegar if you happen to have it on hand.
- Maple syrup: This brings a gentle sweetness; honey or agave syrup work too!
How To Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
This raspberry vinaigrette is based on my strawberry salad dressing, another favorite! Adding fruit to a salad dressing is one way to make it healthier than most salad dressings. Blending in fruit makes the dressing creamy without adding more oil. So you can get away with less oil and more flavor! Using this fruit trick, this one weighs in at only 43 calories per tablespoon.
As with any salad dressing, the quality of ingredients, like olive oil and vinegar, is key to good flavor. It turns out tangy, bright, and sweet on a salad! Here’s how to make this raspberry vinaigrette (or jump to the recipe below)
- Blend: In a small blender or immersion blender, blend together raspberries, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
- Strain: Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer (to remove the raspberry seeds).
- Taste and adjust. Add more maple if the berries are tart, more salt if the flavors feel flat, and a tiny splash of water if it’s too thick.
Best Ways To Serve It
A sweet dressing like this raspberry vinaigrette is perfect on salads that also have a sweet element, like berries or other fruit. Here are a few salad recipes we’d recommend to get you started: but feel free to play with the concepts to make them your own:
- Strawberry Salad or Strawberry Spinach Salad with candied pecans
- Blackberry Salad for a double berry hit
- Spinach Apple Salad or my favorite Crisp Apple Salad
- Pear Pomegranate Salad or Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
Why Your Vinaigrette Might Taste Bitter
When you blend olive oil, the blending process can sometimes make it taste bitter or a little metallic on the finish. Here are some ways to avoid it:
- Add the oil at the end and whisk it in
- Use a milder olive oil here — use a really high quality one for drizzling and dipping
- Don’t skip the salt
- Don’t use homemade vinegars which can accentuate the bitter flavors
Flavor Variations To Try
- Raspberry-Dijon: Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, which adds savory notes to the flavor
- Herbed: Add a few fresh basil or mint leaves for a fresh and herby note
- Creamy: Add 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt after straining, then more to taste
Storage Tips
Store this raspberry vinaigrette in a jar refrigerated for up to 1 week. If it separates, give it a shake before serving.
Dietary Notes
This raspberry vinaigrette recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, refined sugar free, and naturally sweet.
Easy Raspberry Vinaigrette
This raspberry vinaigrette recipe makes fresh berries into a delicious dressing made with maple syrup and balsamic. It’s ready in 10 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or raspberry vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small blender or with an immersion blender, blend all ingredients.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container.
- Serve immediately, or store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Simple Recipe with great taste. Thank you I had a bunch of raspberries I picked that I needed to use up and this is great as I like salads.
hi.
Just made your raspberry vinaigrette recipe.
we didn’t care for it.
I was wondering why it had a bitter taste/off taste.
The raspberries were red and ripe. very good. I used fresh homemade raspberry vinegar, new bottle of olive oil, and organic maple syrup. Blended well, strained it, and chilled overnite.
We both said the same thing about the flavor. very bitter and a weird taste. Wasted some salad greens
didn’t like it at all…
sorry
I’m so sorry! I haven’t tried it with homemade raspberry vinegar, I wonder if it provides a different profile than the storebought we’ve tried.
Great fresh taste
Do you know if I can freeze this?
I’m not sure, sorry!
Very simple and quick recipe. I didn’t have a full cup of raspberries so I added blueberries. I was pleased with the outcome.
Can you substitute Avocado oil for the Olive oil in both your Raspberry Vinaigrette & your Strawberry Vinaigrette salad dressings?
Thanks for your help!
Kindest regards,
Arlyne
Yes! Some avocado oils have a distinctive taste and it would come through in the dressing but be good!
I cannot have maple syrup (allergic). what can I substitute?
Honey