Mix up this easy oil-free raspberry walnut vinaigrette as a homemade alternative to store bought. This oil-free dressing is incredibly healthy and made with just six ingredients. It's a delicious fruity addition to your favorite salad.
Making your own raspberry vinaigrette dressing is super easy and significantly healthier than using the store-bought dressings that have tons of added oils and preservatives.
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I recommend avoiding oil as much as possible, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get very refined oils like canola oil, vegetable oil, and soybean oils out of your diet. These oils are highly processed and contain trans-fats (the bad kind). These are not the types of foods you want in your diet.
So, whenever possible, make salad dressing at home!
Why I love this Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Dietary needs - this dressing is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined sugar free
- Quick dressing - ready in less than five minutes!
- Healthier version of a classic - raspberry vinaigrette is delicious, but store-bought versions are usually loaded with unhealthy oils and other preservatives, gums, and emulsifiers. Not this homemade version!
- Just as flavorful - just because it doesn't have oil, doesn't mean it isn't delicious. This raspberry vinaigrette is loaded with flavor and will be the star of your salad
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Fresh or Frozen Raspberries: I used fresh raspberries, but frozen raspberries would also work great in this vinaigrette
- Raw Walnuts: instead of oil as the base of the dressing, we're using walnuts. Walnuts have a mild yet slightly earthy flavor, so they are neutral enough that they don't add significant flavor to the dressing. I like the walnut-raspberry flavor combo, but you can also use another nut like cashews or almonds. Or even walnut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter.
- White Balsamic Vinegar: I like white balsamic vinegar in this dressing because it has a lighter, sweeter, less bitter taste. If you don't have white balsamic vinegar you can sub red wine vinegar or even balsamic vinegar. Just taste and adjust the sweetness, using more maple syrup or even water as necessary.
- Maple Syrup: maple syrup helps balance the vinegar taste and adds more sweetness to this dressing. For a completely fruit-sweetened dressing, you can use date syrup instead
- Salt & Pepper
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
FAQ & Expert Tips
Yes! If you have a food processor, use that instead.
If you don't have a food processor, replace the walnuts with 2 tablespoons of walnut butter or another neutral-tasting nut butter like almond butter. Then, thoroughly mash the raspberries before whisking all the ingredients together. This is a good time for those frozen raspberries, because they will break down into a smoother consistency.
Store covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I usually keep mine in a mason jar.
I recommend eating some sort of fat with your salads because healthy fats like nuts and avocados help with digestion and nutrient absorption of leafy greens.
But, if you'd like to make this vinaigrette fat-free you can omit the walnuts and follow the instructions as normal.
Some store-bought dressings may not be gluten-free. They might be processed in a facility that is not gluten-free. Or contain a not gluten-free ingredient like soy sauce.
My advice: homemade dressing is the way to go. You have full control over the ingredients you use.
What to use this oil-free raspberry vinaigrette with
Raspberry vinaigrette has a sweet, raspberry-forward flavor, so it's not ideal for all salads. Opt for salads that have fruit or another sweet flavor when using this vinaigrette.
Here are a few options that will pair well with raspberry vinaigrette:
More oil-free dressings and sauces
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Oil-Free Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
- ¼ Cup Raw Walnuts
- ¼ Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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