Tomato Vinaigrette Recipe
This summery Tomato Vinaigrette recipe is delicious on salads, spooned over fish or chicken, or even used as a marinade for grilling! Made with simple ingredients, it is slightly sweet, tangy, and full of tomato flavor! Vegan!
How to Make the Best Tomato Vinaigrette
Tomato vinaigrette is a versatile, vibrant dressing that brings fresh summer flavor to any meal. This charred tomato vinaigrette captures the essence of ripe tomatoes with a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory notes. Whether you’re dressing a simple green salad, drizzling it over grilled fish or chicken, or using it as a marinade, this vegan-friendly vinaigrette delivers restaurant-quality taste with minimal effort.
The key to this recipe’s exceptional flavor is the charring process. By blistering fresh cherry or grape tomatoes in a dry skillet, you caramelize their natural sugars and develop deeper, more complex flavors. The combination of red wine vinegar, maple syrup, fresh basil, and shallots creates a well-rounded dressing that’s never one-dimensional. A touch of honey or maple syrup adds subtle sweetness to complement the tartness of the vinegar, while fresh basil and garlic bring bright, aromatic notes.
This vinaigrette is perfect for summer entertaining and pairs beautifully with light salads, grilled vegetables, or as a finishing touch on fish and poultry dishes. It also works wonderfully as a marinade for grilling. Make it ahead and store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week—just shake well before serving!
Tomato Vinaigrette
This summery Tomato Vinaigrette recipe is delicious on salads, spooned over fish or chicken, or even used as a marinade for grilling! Made with simple ingredients, it is slightly sweet, tangy, and full of tomato flavor! Vegan!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Instructions
Preparation
- Place the tomatoes in a dry skillet and lightly char or blister over medium-high heat, partially covering and stirring occasionally, just until softened and blackened in spots, about 7-8 minutes. Take care that they do not pop as this can burn! You can partially cover with a lid, and if they start popping turn the heat off.
- Place charred tomatoes, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, shallots, garlic, and basil in a blender and blend until combined (but not overly smooth).
- Add a bit more olive oil or water for a looser dressing and adjust the salt and vinegar accordingly.
- Jar and refrigerate.
