This creamy cranberry salad dressing brings just the right balance of sweet, tart, and savory to your greens. Not to mention that showstopper, gorgeous color! It's quick to make, whether you start with fresh cranberries or use leftover cranberry sauce. And with just 1½ grams fat and 70 calories per ¼ cup serving, it's a refreshingly light option during the holidays.
The natural acidity of cranberries gives this dressing a lively kick that pairs beautifully with greens, roasted vegetables, and grains.
As written, the flavor leans savory, although you can easily adjust the flavors if you prefer a sweeter, fruitier dressing. I also like to bump up the sweetness and use it for slaw, instead of my usual vegan coleslaw dressing.
The high pectin content in cranberries creates a naturally thick and creamy dressing and even prevents separation. Aren't cranberries just magical?!
Just one tablespoon of tahini (cashew butter is also good) adds a touch of richness, without making it heavy.
Try it on a hearty kale salad, drizzle it over roasted sweet potatoes, or use it as a spread for your Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich!
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How to Make It
If you have leftover cranberry sauce on hand you can skip this step. If you're starting with fresh cranberries, add them to a small pot along with two tablespoons each maple syrup and water.
Over medium-high heat, bring to a low boil. Then reduce the heat to medium. Stirring occasionally, cook until the cranberries burst and the liquid thickens, about 10 minutes.
Let the cranberry sauce cool for 10-15 minutes, then add to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Serving
Drizzle this cranberry dressing over kale or spinach salads, roasted potatoes, root vegetables, quinoa bowls, or Brussels sprouts.
It's also delicious paired with Vegan Cornbread Dressing, Vegan Turkey Roast, and other Thanksgiving favorites.
Helpful Tips
- Stock up while you can. Fresh cranberries have a short season, so I always like to grab a few extra bags in November, or as soon as I see them hit store shelves. They freeze well and are perfect to have on hand for dressings, sauces, and quick appetizers like cranberry salsa. For dessert, try my Cranberry Cream Pie, Apple-Cranberry Compote, or Dairy-Free Cranberry Ice Cream.
- How to freeze cranberries: There's no need to wash them first. Just pop the bag straight into the freezer. Once frozen, they'll keep their flavor and color for up to a year.
- Taste as you go. The natural tartness of cranberries allows us to make this dressing without vinegar. Although, a small splash of good quality balsamic tastes good here, too. Since their tartness can vary, be sure to taste the dressing and add more sweetness or acidity if needed.
Recipe
Cranberry Salad Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
Option 1 - Using Cranberry Sauce:
- ¾ cup homemade cranberry sauce
OR - to make it from scratch:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries - (6 ounces)
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
Then add:
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon tahini or cashew butter
- 1 teaspoon whole grain or Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt - plus more to taste
- 1 small clove garlic - see Notes
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- If starting with fresh cranberries: In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, cook for about 10 minutes, until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Blend the dressing: Add the cranberry sauce to a blender along with the lemon juice, maple syrup, tahini, mustard, salt, garlic, thyme, and ½ cup water.
- Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a splash more water as needed for your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or maple syrup to balance tartness.
- Transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate. Keeps up to 5 days.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
TofuAnnie says
I love all things cranberries and rhubarb. I wonder if a tiny bit of prepared horseradish might be an interesting added flavor to this dressing since it starts out on the savory side. Or maybe as a separate dressing, not overpowering the original taste. I'll have to try both!
I once had a plant-based sandwich when traveling, that had a whole cranberry/horseradish smear on the bread. It was magical!
Thank you Lori for all of your hard work and for sharing your expertise with all of us. I can't wait to try this on my next kale salad and if I try the bit of horsey, I'll let your community know how it turned out, but first the original one!!