Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Wanna break up with store-bought salad dressing? Try my take on an easy, all-purpose, homemade sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.

It’s no secret that store-bought salad dressings aren’t exactly good for us. Most brands use poor quality oils, unnecessary sweeteners, starches, chemical stabilizers, and preservatives. Yikes. Not the kind of stuff I personally wanna douse my greens with.

As a longtime convert to homemade sauces and dressings, I like to make one or two as part of my weekly meal prep, which sets me up for optimal vegetable consumption throughout the week.

This sun-dried tomato vinaigrette is an all-purpose favorite. Can we just talk about the gorgeous orange color for a second? It beckons to me each time I open the fridge and I suddenly find myself thinking, “I should have salad today.”

This dressing is tangy, bright, a tad garlicky, and packed with umami, thanks to the savoriness of sun-dried tomatoes. It’s perfect for steamed or roasted vegetables, crunchy green salads, and grain bowls, too.

What’s In This Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

This recipe calls for the classic vinaigrette cast of characters: vinegar, oil, mustard, and a bit of sweetener (maple syrup or honey) to balance everything out. Garlic adds a bit of spice, and the sun-dried tomatoes lend a sweet-savory note and beautiful color. In my opinion, balsamic vinegar is the best for this sauce, but you can use almost any acid you have.

How to Make This Dressing

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients [except the olive oil] in a standard blender, Vitamix, or Nutribullet, and blend until smooth. Add the oil at the very end to avoid over-processing it. Transfer the vinaigrette to a lidded container and keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Tips for Making the Best Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing…

• Dry tomatoes vs. jarred in oil. I prefer the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes that are sold dry versus those packed in oil. If you choose to use oil-packed ones, be sure to drain them well before adding to the blender.
• Reconstitute [if needed]. If your sun-dried tomatoes are on the older side and you suspect they’re too dry to blend into the dressing, reconstitute them by soaking them in warm water for ~10 minutes before adding to the blender.
• Use the good olive oil. Since the ingredient list for this dressing is so short, be sure to use the best quality ingredients you have access to. The olive oil, in particular, will determine the overall quality of the dressing. I recommend California Olive Ranch.
• Add oil at the end. If it gets blended for too long, olive oil can sometimes take on an unpleasant bitter flavor. To avoid over-processing, add it to the blender at the very end – after all the other ingredients are pureed.

More sauce recipes…

• Easy Peanut Sauce
• Vegan Mushroom Gravy
• The Best Vegan Pesto
• Cilantro-Lime Tahini Dressing

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

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