Creamy Strawberry Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

You probably already know what pepper jelly is, especially if you are from Louisiana and Texas. We make pepper jelly the same way you make any other jelly or jam, it just also contains peppers. You can use any peppers to make pepper jelly, hot or mild. And a lot of people in the south like to make pepper jelly vinaigrette with the remnants of jelly from a pepper jelly jar.

Basically, you throw all the ingredients into the almost-empty pepper jelly jar and blend! The flavor is a perfect mix of spicy, savory, and sweet. If you can’t get a hold of any strawberry pepper jelly, don’t worry, I wrote this recipe using strawberry jelly or jam + some hot sauce instead. It only takes a few minutes (maybe 5 tops) to throw together, and it sure beats store-bought dressing. You should try it on my Spring Cucumber Strawberry Pasta Salad!

Gut Healthy Strawberry Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

The only “odd” or special ingredient you need for this recipe is fermented vegetable brine. My favorite brines to use are Roasted garlic sauerkraut brine or leftover horseradish pickle brine. Any garlicy fermented vegetable brine will do. I tend to use fermented pickle brine because my pickle recipes yield the most brine.

Fermented vegetable brine is what makes this dressing probiotic, but you can substitute it with store-bought pickle brine, pepperoncini brine, olive juice, or extra vinegar if needed.

Fermented Ingredients in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

I love packing recipes with fermented ingredients! This dressing has two homemade fermented ingredients: vinegar and pickle brine. I use my homemade fruit vinegars, kombucha vinegar, and fermented pickle brine in this recipe.

Equipment You May Need

The only special equipment I recommend, and I recommend this for all salad dressings, is a stick blender. I think if you frequently make salad dressings at home, having a stick blender is a fantastic kitchen asset. Also, this recipe at 1x blends perfectly in a 16-ounce mason jar, but any wide-mouth jar will work great (just make sure it’s big enough).

KitchenAid Hand Blender

Australian Sea Salt

32 Oz Mason Jars

Handmade Mixing Bowls

Regular Mouth Rust Proof Mason Jar Lids

Salad Dressing

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Creamy Strawberry Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

Use strawberry pepper jelly or strawberry jelly + hot sauce to make this creamy pepper jelly vinaigrette! It only takes 10 minutes to make and is the perfect salad dressing for spring! Try it on my Spring Cucumber and Strawberry Pasta Salad

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• Prep: 10 min 10 minutes
• Total: 10 min 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons strawberry jam, jelly, or preserves*
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce*
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fermented vegetable brine (sauerkraut or pickle)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to a wide mouth jar. This recipe makes about one cup of dressing so a 16 oz mason jar works great.
2. Using an immersion (stick) blender, pulse until fully combined and smooth. (You can also blend the dressing in a food processor if you don’t have a stick blender)
3. Serve right away, or store the dressing in an airtight jar/bottle in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
4. Try this dressing on my Spring Cucumber and Strawberry Pasta Salad
5. If you love this easy recipe, please leave a five-star review below!

Notes

• If you have strawberry pepper jelly, use it! If not, you get equally delicious results with strawberry jam/jelly + hot sauce
• If serving after refrigerating: the dressing may separate a little in the fridge. Let the dressing come to room temp and shake it well before serving.
• My favorite fermented vegetable brine to use is leftover roasted garlic sauerkraut brine or leftover horseradish pickle brine.
• Fermented vegetable brine is what makes this dressing probiotic, but you can substitute it with store-bought pickle brine, pepperoncini brine, olive juice, or extra vinegar if needed.

Kaitlynn Fenley Food Microbiologist and Fermentation Specialist

Kaitlynn is a Food Microbiologist and FSPCA-certified fermentation specialist. An alumna of the LSU College of Science, she combines her academic background in microbiology with her Cajun heritage to create safe and delicious recipes.

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