Blackcurrants are one of my favorite ingredients that is far too often underutilized. These little berries are a great balance between sweet and tart, which makes them optimal for things like this delicious blackcurrant salad dressing.
I love making salad dressings with uncommon ingredients because it is a way to spruce up some boring old leaves with a fresh and vibrant taste. While this blackcurrant salad dressing is basically a vinaigrette, it has a few extra ingredients that elevate it beyond anything store-bought.
In this recipe I use whole blackcurrants, but you can get away with blackcurrant juice if that’s all you can find. In fact, that would make this salad dressing even thinner, which is great for more delicate leaves. If you do use whole berries, and have lots of leftovers, try my tasty blackcurrant compote which goes great on a variety of baked goods and ice cream!
What Are Blackcurrants?
Blackcurrants are berries from a shrub of the same name. It is also called cassis (most commonly known for the liqueur creme de cassis). The berries are grown in bunches, usually in Northern/Eastern Europe, and in Asia.
Due to the flavor profile, blackcurrants are used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as drinks. The most famous use in cocktails is in the Kir Royale but I especially love it in my Black Latvian cocktail. It is common to see blackcurrants in pies, cakes, and ice cream, as well as on game meats like duck and venison.
How To Make An Easy Blackcurrant Salad Dressing
Blackcurrant berries make up the base of this salad dressing, but there are a few more ingredients to round out the tart and sometimes astringent flavor.
Ingredients
- 200 grams Blackcurrants – You can use fresh or frozen berries. If you want to use blackcurrant juice, use one cup and then half the rest of the ingredients completely.
- 150 ml Sunflower Oil – or other neutral oil like grapeseed or Canola
- 60 ml Red Wine Vinegar – 1/4 cup
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 large Shallot
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise – you can use storebought or homemade mayonnaise, whichever you prefer. This ingredient helps with the emulsification and gives the final salad dressing an extra creamy consistency.
- Salt – to taste
This blackcurrant salad dressing is so easy to make because there is no cooking involved. In fact, there’s barely any chopping. Just add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend.
I make this entire salad dressing in a cup with my Kitchenaid cordless stick blender and it takes about 2 minutes. If you find the dressing is too thick you can add a few teaspoons of water until you are happy with the consistency.
I love this dressing over a simple salad of fresh greens and salty cheese. In fact, greens, feta, and this blackcurrant salad dressing makes a great starter at dinner parties, and is so easy to make.
If you have plenty of leftover frozen blackcurrants try making a fresh and delicious blackcurrant tart. It is a great way to present a unique but tasty dessert at a dinner party.
Blackcurrant Salad Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Blender | stick or stand
Ingredients
- 200 grams Blackcurrants You can use fresh or frozen berries. If you want to use blackcurrant juice use one cup and then half the rest of the ingredients completely.
- 150 ml Sunflower Oil or other neutral oil like grapeseed or Canola
- 60 ml Red Wine Vinegar 1/4 cup
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 large Shallot
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise you can use store bought or homemade mayonnaise whichever you prefer. This ingredient helps with the emulsification and gives the final salad dressing an extra creamy consistency.
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender or a vessel to use a stick blender and let run until you have an even consistency. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
- Optional: If you find the dressing is too thick add a few teaspoons of water and blend again until you get your desired consistency. If you prefer a dressing of uniform color you can run the dressing through a sieve to catch any berry particles that did not blend.
