Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
I love creamy salad dressing, but in this Louisiana summer heat, light and tangy vinaigrettes call to me. This probiotic sun-dried tomato vinaigrette has it all. It is creamy, probiotic, flavorful, but not too heavy. It’s brightened and lightened up with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
When I first tested this recipe, I used the super dry sun-dried tomatoes that come in a little bag. It was okay, but I knew it could be better. So I tested another batch with some sun-dried tomatoes packed in extra virgin olive oil, and wow! Sooooo good! I even used the olive oil from the jar of tomatoes in the dressing for more flavor. This is all to say that you should absolutely spring for the fancy tomatoes packed in extra virgin olive oil if you really want this dressing to slap. Also, you absolutely need to try this dressing on my super-summery zucchini and squash pasta salad!
Fermented Ingredients in This Balsamic Vinaigrette
I love packing recipes with fermented ingredients! While I haven’t gotten around to making my own balsamic vinegar yet, this recipe does include my homemade fermented pickle brine, rich in live microbes and probiotics. And for balsamic vinegar, as my idol, Ina Garten, says, “store-bought is fine!”
Pickle brine really sends all my homemade salad dressings to the next level. You can use any leftover brine from any fermented vegetables, though. Roasted garlic sauerkraut brine or leftover horseradish pickle brine are my favorites. I tend to use fermented pickle brine because my pickle recipes yield the most brine.
Probiotic Sun-Dried Tomato Salad Dressing
Fermented vegetable brine and yogurt both add lots of probiotics to this dressing. You can substitute fermented vegetable brine if needed, though. Some great options are store-bought pickle brine, pepperoncini brine, olive juice, or extra vinegar.
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.
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Probiotic Sun-Dried Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette
One of the best salad dressings for summer! It’s creamy, yet bright, light, and so flavorful. Try it on my corn and summer squash pasta salad recipe.
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons thick Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fermented pickle brine
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained*
- 1 tsp garlic granules/powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a wide-mouth jar. This recipe makes about a cup of dressing, so a 16-oz mason jar works great for blending and storing.
- 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)
- Serve right away, or store the dressing in an airtight jar/bottle in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Try this dressing on my Grilled Corn and Summer Squash Pasta Salad
- If you love this easy recipe, please leave a five-star review below!
Notes
*for extra sun-dried tomato flavor, you can use the olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes instead of plain olive oil.
Hi! Can’t wait to try this. Above the recipe you mention fermented pickle brine but I don’t see it listed in the recipe ingredients.
whooooopsies! thank you so much for commenting! I just edited the recipe and added the pickle brine as it should be 🙂