Offset Acidic Vinaigrettes With An Unlikely Fruit

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Making the same old salad dressings can get boring, especially if you always opt for whatever's in the pantry. A really simple way to give those vinaigrettes an upgrade is to incorporate some kind of fresh fruit into them. Whether it's a French-inspired raspberry vinaigrette or just a squeeze of orange in your usual recipe, fruit juice can add a pleasant zing and freshness to your salad, and the natural sweetness will help balance out any acidity. But while citrus and stone fruits may seem like the obvious choice, there's one unlikely fruit you need to try: blueberries.

We spoke to Sally Vargas, author of "The Blueberry Cookbook" about mistakes to avoid with blueberries, and she said that a big one was not using them for savory dishes like salad dressings. These fruits are great for gently balancing acidity with natural fruit sugars, and all you need to do is smash some into a balsamic vinaigrette for a sweet and tangy flavor. Plus, blueberries not only sweeten up a vinaigrette, they also give it a gorgeous color.

As Vargas suggests, you can simply smash some blueberries into a recipe you already have, or you can blend them with olive oil, balsamic, and lemon juice. Add a little chopped shallot for bite, or if you want to veer towards the sweet side, drizzle in some honey. For a thicker dressing, use more berries as they're packed with thickening pectin. Generally, about a half cup or less should do per 1 cup of oil. It's really about taste though, so use as much or little as you please. 

A dash of mustard helps make the vinaigrette creamier, as does a dollop of yogurt. And fresh herbs, like basil or mint, will bring a nice brightness of flavor. As for the berries, fresh, in-season sweet blueberries provide the best flavor, but frozen ones can work great too, just defrost them first.

And if you're unsure of what to pair a blueberry vinaigrette with, try it out with a grilled chicken salad, a steak tip salad, or a kale and balsamic berry salad. Most things should work, and if you don't have enough blueberries, here are some of the other best fruits to blend into a vinaigrette.