This Fresh Mint Vinaigrette is a refreshing summer salad dressing that is perfect for making use of any type of mint from your garden. It’s so simple to make and tastes amazing on fresh summer produce!
Back in April, a sweet lady and regular attendee of my local cooking classes brought me a beautiful present of a mint bouquet from her garden. It was the most fragrant and lovely bunch of mint and so very thoughtful. The bouquet included sweet mint, spearmint, pineapple mint, and chocolate mint. I ended up saving a sprig of each to propagate and plant in my own garden. It’s been the coolest thing because now I can think of my friend whenever I cut some to use in the kitchen!
The fresh mint vinaigrette I’m sharing with you today was created in her honor, as her family is relocating for their service in the military. It’s so special whenever I can create a recipe with a friend or family member in mind because it can remind me of them as I make it through the years. And I plan on making this mint vinaigrette a lot in the coming months, not only because I have a lot of mint growing, but also because it tastes amazing on so many things!
Fresh Mint Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Olive oil – use high quality, bright and fruity olive oil for this vinaigrette. This will keep the flavor profile from being too spicy or muddy. I like California Olive Ranch everyday olive oil for salad dressings.
- White balsamic vinegar – while a white balsamic vinegar tastes very similar to regular balsamic, the light/clear color lets the color of the mint in the dressing shine through and keeps the salad from looking muddy. Delallo white balsamic vinegar is a favorite of mine!
- Lemon juice – a little bit of fresh lemon juice keeps the flavor of this dressing clean and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Honey – a bit of honey is needed to enhance the sweetness of the mint and white balsamic. The honey also acts as a liaison or emulsifier in the dressing, helping hold the oil and acid together.
- Dijon mustard – mustard is also a great emulsifier in dressing, and a little bit is all you need. While you won’t specifically taste mustard in the vinaigrette, the subtle addition pairs really nicely with the fresh mint.
- Fresh Mint – feel free to use any type of mint or combination of varieties in this vinaigrette to make it unique! I used a combination of spearmint and sweet mint.
- Salt and pepper – whenever I make a salad dressing, I like to use freshly cracked sea salt and black pepper at the end, adding just to taste to balance the flavor.
How to Make Fresh Mint Vinaigrette
To make this fresh mint vinaigrette, simply…
- Combine all ingredients except the salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season – this is where you add the freshly cracked sea salt and pepper to taste!
- Store in the refrigerator or enjoy at room temperature!
Using and Storing Fresh Mint Vinaigrette
This fresh mint vinaigrette tastes good on SO many things. Like…
- Fresh sliced tomatoes, stone fruit, watermelon, or cantaloupe
- Mixed berries
- Grilled lamb or chicken
- Drizzle on fresh mozzarella, feta, goat, or halloumi cheese
- On salads with prosciutto
- Store fresh mint vinaigrette in the fridge for up to 5 days. If it becomes slightly solid, simply run your container under warm water for a few minutes and shake it to recombine the dressing.
Are you ready to try this Fresh Mint Vinaigrette? I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes! I’d also love to feature your creation in my monthly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured!
Fresh Mint Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves (either spearmint, sweet mint, pineapple mint, or a combination)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor except for the salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- If the dressing becomes slightly solid, simply run your container under warm water for a few minutes and shake it to recombine the dressing.
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