Wanna break up with store-bought salad dressing? Try this 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 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 (it may become bitter if so). Transfer the vinaigrette to a lidded container, keep in the fridge, and use up within 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…
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.
The Full Recipe
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Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About 3/4 cup 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This sun-dried tomato vinaigrette is a delicious all-purpose sauce for salads and grain bowls.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (red wine, white wine, or apple cider vinegar, or lemon/lime juice, also work)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or brown mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- 6 sun-dried tomato halves (about 1/4 cup), roughly chopped* (see note below)
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine everything from water through black pepper in a blender, Nutribullet, or Vitamix. Blend until smooth.
- Add the oil and blend again to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. (If you want a more pourable consistency, thin it out with a bit more water/oil.)
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. (Leave out at room temperature for a few minutes before using to return the dressing to a pourable consistency.)
Notes
- For this recipe, I prefer the 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.
- If your 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 115
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
MC says
This is fabulous ! I just made it and I love it. Yes, definitely on salads, bowls, chicken, everything . haha. Thank you for such an easy recipe.
Alexandra Shytsman says
You’re so welcome, MC! Glad you’re enjoying this dressing 🙂
Ann says
Awesome recipe! Absolutely LOVE it! Can this be frozen?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Ann! So glad you like this recipe. I’ve never frozen the dressing myself, but don’t see why you couldn’t. I’d recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray, in case it makes sense for you to defrost it in portions 🙂
Erica says
Alexandra – I am pescatarian, becoming vegan. Feeling low in protein, I cooked farro, quinoa, bulgur – added crushed hemp and flax seeds. Asked my hubby for a dressing recipe – he’s an amazing chef who doesn’t use recipes with his experience.. He pulled up your dressing online though. We love it on the grains!! It was a perfect main dish! Thanks! I’ll be following you for more recipes! Yum!
As a nurse who’s seen too many you g to middle aged people have serious cardiac issues, I’m hoping my husband and others will seek plant-based meals more often. This dressing with the grains is a great start! Happy New Year!
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Erica! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I’m so glad you guys enjoyed this dressing, and love your feedback as a medical professional. I wish more doctors/nurses were plant-based advocates as I suspect it would make your jobs a bit easier 🙂
If you’re feeling low in protein with vegan meals, I definitely recommend incorporating more beans, lentils, and chickpeas, and experimenting with tofu/tempeh too. Happy new year!
Erica says
Just fyi
I took the meal to my vegan friends recovering from Covid – no longer covid virgins. lol.
He’s in remission from adrenal cancer.
He and his wife both loved the dressing on the grains. I gave them lettuce to put on bottom of grains. Taste bud explosion!
I’ll be trying more of your recipes!
Thanks!
Alexandra Shytsman says
Thank you so much for sharing this! Sounds like you’re a great friend. It truly means the world to me that you all enjoyed this.
Karen says
This recipe is awesome! I used balsamic vinegar which I’m obsessed with and it is perfect.
Alexandra says
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback 😀 I’m going to try it with balsamic next time, too.