Hiya friends! We are back from a weekend away, visiting my brother and his family down in Georgia. It was such a fun time getting all the kiddos together and having some family time that was much overdue. But I’m once again in need of a weekday reset after all the food and drink we enjoyed. So today I’m bringing you a light, bright, amazing balsamic blueberry vinaigrette that’s super simple to make and so fresh and full of flavor. In other words, it’s perfect for summertime and all the salads I’ve been craving!
Homemade dressings are so much tastier than anything you can find in a store. They’re fresher and you get to control the ingredients. Just check the ingredient label next time you go to buy a dressing at the store. It’s scary stuff! So I switched to making my own several years ago and haven’t looked back. (And listen, no judging if you mostly buy your own; they are super duper convenient. I get it! And I usually have a bottle in my pantry for those just-in-case times.) But I must share that it can be seriously SO easy to make your own vinaigrettes! My homemade dressing recipes require a shake in a jar or a quick blend in the blender. That’s it!
And bonus, today’s blueberry vinaigrette is just 5 wholesome ingredients: blueberries, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and honey (plus salt and pepper but I don’t count those). As for making it, just add everything to the blender, blend and you’re ready to go. No really, that’s all you’ve got to do! As simple as that is, let me just share a few quick notes and tips on making this blender dressing.
Notes on making homemade balsamic blueberry vinaigrette:
Blueberries: Fresh, ripe blueberries are key here to give it that great fruit flavor. I’ve not tried this with frozen blueberries, but you would likely need to thaw them completely and blot off any extra moisture so it doesn’t water down the dressing. Oil and vinegar: It helps to use good quality oil and vinegar here to ensure the best flavor. Mustard: Dijon or a Dijon-style mustard is needed here. A plain yellow mustard won’t have the same flavor. Honey: The little bit of honey adds just the right dose of sweetness and helps balance the vinegar in this recipe. You could probably sub agave syrup if needed.
You can also make this ahead if needed. Just give it a good whisk or shake or stir before using to make sure it hasn’t settled. As for any leftovers, they’ll keep in the refrigerator (in a covered jar, bottle or container) for up to 7-10 days. Again, just be sure to give it a good shake to mix it well before adding to your salad.
Here are a few other homemade dressing recipes I’ve shared in case you want to check them out:
Homemade Italian dressing - always great to have on hand Easy lemon vinaigrette - very versatile Homemade soy ginger dressing - seriously addictive Creamy cilantro lime dressing - so creamy and dreamy
And I have several more dressings already featured within other recipes on the blog that I haven’t gotten around to making specific posts for yet. And other favorites to bring you down the road. Sigh. So much food, so little time… 😉 If you want to get more dressings, salads and other recipes, stay in touch! You can sign up for my free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you! But for now, get you some fresh summer berries and get to blending up this delicious blueberry vinaigrette! You’ll be ready to eat ALL the veggies! Coming up later this week I’ve got one of my favorite summer salads to pair with this dressing. So addictive, in that really good, healthy way. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn
Blueberries: Fresh, ripe blueberries are key here to give it that great fruit flavor. I’ve not tried this with frozen blueberries, but you would likely need to thaw them completely and blot off any extra moisture so it doesn’t water down the dressing. Honey: The little bit of honey adds just the right dose of sweetness and helps balance the vinegar in this recipe. You could probably sub agave syrup if needed. Leftovers: This dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days. Just be sure to whisk or stir or shake it really well before using to ensure it’s mixed well.
