This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
I generally see tons of blackberries all summer long at the farmers market. And while I love snacking on them, or adding them to yogurt or granola for breakfast, I prefer to mix them into my my savory dishes. Blackberries have a perfect balance of sweet and tart that blends beautifully into main dishes, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to blend them up into a sauce. This Whole30 Blackberry Jalapeño Vinaigrette will be a salad dressing you reach for time and time again this summer, so long as blackberries stay in season.
Make Flavorful and Healthy Salad Dressings at Home
I can’t remember the last time I bought premade salad dressing at the grocery store. Okay, maybe I do, but I can defend myself: it was a year or two ago at work, when I didn’t really have access to a kitchen. I won’t say it was an amazing salad dressing, but at least it made my work lunches that week not too sad. Better than cheap takeout.
But, outside that particular situation, making your own vinaigrettes and dressings at home is incredibly easy. Either you’re just whisking a few ingredients together, like in a simple oil and vinegar dressing, or you toss a few ingredients together in a blender and whiz it up, like with this Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette.
And when you make vinaigrettes at home, you control the ingredients. That means no chemical preservatives and no added sugar. I didn’t have to adjust anything in my salad dressings when doing my first Whole30 experiment, because I was already making my own (obviously things have stayed the same). Trust me, once you start making your own vinaigrettes and salad dressings, you won’t be able to go back to the premade stuff.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Blackberries or Black Raspberries?
Do you know the difference between blackberries and black raspberries? True blackberries have an elongated shape, and the berries don’t separate from the stem. You’ll see little white pieces in the centers of the berries, but don’t worry that’s totally edible.
Black raspberries are more spherical in shape than true blackberries, and they separate from their stems. Surprise! The featured image for this section are actually black raspberries and not blackberries.
Blackberries will be more tart and black raspberries will be more sweet. But whether you have blackberries or black raspberries at your farmers market this week, rest assured: you can use either in this dressing.
Jalapeño Olive Oil
I love this stuff. I reach for it all the time when making salad dressings. This is my favorite jalapeno olive oil; I’ve tried many, but this is the one that I continue to buy time after time.
If you don’t have jalapeno olive oil at home, you can totally substitute with quarter of a seeded jalapeno and an equal amount of olive oil. Or, if you don’t like spice, any good extra virgin olive oil.
Cilantro
I love the spicy, grassy flavor that cilantro adds to this salad dressing.
Don’t like cilantro? You can totally substitute with either basil or mint here, depending on whatever your preference is. Basil will give more of a Mediterranean twist, whereas mint will give the dressing a cooling freshness.
Tips and Tricks
The best part of this salad dressing is that it doesn’t even require a lot of prep work. Just toss all the ingredients in your blender, and voila! The dressing is ready!
If you want to make it even easier to store leftovers, you can blend up the salad dressing directly into a mason jar. The threads on the regular mouth mason jars will fit in most standard blenders. I’ll generally blend up dressings in mason jars for two reasons: first, less cleanup. Second, the smaller size of the mason jar actually speeds up the process because the fruit can’t go too far away from the blade.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend pairing this Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette with spinach salads. The mild bitterness of spinach pairs especially well with berries.
As for meats, this dressing pairs best with chicken, especially dark meat. Here, I’ve paired it with some crispy chicken thighs, making this a hearty spinach salad.
Blackberry jalapeno vinaigrette will also work nicely as a sauce for pork medallions.
What about the leftovers?
Leftover Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette will last for one week in the refrigerator. I’m sure it would last longer in the freezer, but I haven’t tested this theory. This recipe is easy enough to double in quantity, so if you want to do a bit of experimenting, freeze the extras and let me know if it works out.
Whole30 Blackberry Jalapeño Vinaigrette
This Whole30 Blackberry Jalapeño Vinaigrette will be a salad dressing you reach for time and time again this summer, so long as blackberries stay in season.
Ingredients
Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette
- ½ pt blackberries
- 1 lime
- 2 tbsp jalapeno olive oil
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Spinach Salad (for 2 people)
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 chicken thighs, pre-cooked and sliced
- ½ pt blackberries
- ½ cup walnut halves, toasted
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- Blackberry jalapeno vinaigrette
Instructions
Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette
- Add blackberries, juice of one lime, jalapeno olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, and cilantro in a blender and mix until well combined and smooth
- Add salt and pepper to taste
Spinach Salad
- Toss spinach, chicken thighs, blackberries, walnuts, and red onion together in a large mixing bowl.
- Divide salad into two servings, and top with Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette.
Notes
Leftover Blackberry Jalapeno Vinaigrette can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
