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Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

Prickly pear vinaigrette makes a vibrant fuchsia dressing with jewel-like color by whisking prickly pear puree into a smooth Dijon emulsion. It’s tangy, lightly sweet, and emulsified with olive oil for a pourable salad dressing.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Prickly pear vinaigrette
  • 0.5 cup prickly pear puree Vibrant fuchsia base; use a smooth puree for best color and texture.
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar Adds bright tang that balances the fruit.
  • 1 tbsp honey Sweetens while keeping the dressing light.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Helps emulsify the vinaigrette for a creamy consistency.
  • 0.5 cup olive oil Whisk in slowly to form a stable emulsion.
  • 1 shallot, minced Minced shallot provides a gentle bite.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Season to taste.
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper Season to taste.

Method
 

Make the vinaigrette
  1. In a bowl, combine prickly pear puree, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and minced shallot. Whisk until fully blended and glossy.
  2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream at room temperature until the mixture turns smooth and slightly thicker. Season with salt and black pepper.
  3. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, tang, and seasoning as needed. If you’re not serving right away, cover and refrigerate in a glass jar up to one week.
  4. Before serving, shake the jar well to re-emulsify. Use immediately over salad or as a light drizzle.

Notes

Pro tip: whisking the olive oil in gradually is what creates the stable emulsion and that jewel-toned look. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week; shake well before each use. Freezing is not recommended since the emulsion may separate. If you want a lower-sugar swap, replace the honey with an equal amount of maple syrup or a sugar-free honey-style syrup and whisk again before serving.