A recipe for Maple Walnut Vinaigrette! Walnuts are blended with maple syrup, vinegar, oil, and spices to create a creamy autumn dressing.
Foodie Extravaganza
Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you.
We take turns hosting and this month it’s Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook! December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day and Lauren challenged us to bake with, cook with, or make a beverage with maple syrup.
For some international bloggers who can’t find maple syrup, they’ll be joining the fun with honey as a substitute. I am sharing a Maple Walnut Vinaigrette recipe for the event.
Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!
Maple Walnut Vinaigrette
I had such a hard time narrowing down what exactly I would make using maple syrup. My mind automatically tends to go towards sweets, but in this month filled with cookies and other indulgent treats I was really craving a salad.
I came across our host Lauren’s newly posted recipe for Maple Walnut Vinaigrette and it sounded like the perfect inspiration for the season.
This vinaigrette comes together easily with a quick whirl of the blender. Maple syrup is combined with walnuts, apple cider vinegar, seasonings, and equal parts walnut and canola oil to create a sweet and nutty dressing perfect for autumn and winter salads.
I paired the vinaigrette with a mixture of baby spinach, arugula, candied walnut pieces, dried cranberries, apples, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled goat cheese.
Lauren served hers with Brussels sprouts, spinach, romaine, walnuts, bacon, and apple.
Pears, roasted sweet potato or squash, feta, or other baby greens would also be great additions.
Looking for more salads and salad dressings?
Try my:
Check out what everyone else made:
- Basbousa – Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe
- Bangin’ Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles
- Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking
- Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime
- Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara’s Multicultural Table
- Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm
- Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast from Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook
- The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love
Maple Walnut Vinaigrette Recipe
Adapted from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Maple Walnut Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) walnuts
- 1 small shallot peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) walnut oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) canola oil
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, walnuts, shallot, garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper. Puree until smooth.
- While continuing to blend, slowly pour in the walnut oil and canola oil. If the mixture is too thick, blend in a little more oil or vinegar to taste and reach desired consistency.
- Pour into a bottle, cover, and refrigerate for up to a week.
Rebekah @ Making Miracles
That sounds like such a refreshing and delicious dressing! You’re right – a big green salad sounds about right to balance all the Holiday goodies right about now. 🙂
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures
What a delicious looking dressing. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing, Tara.
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
Your dressing looks perfect. And I like your salad choices -particularly the dried cranberries! I really should make this again, because you’re right – I’m getting sugared out!
Elaine Matthews
What a great vinaigrette!! I am thinking of all the great salads I could make with this!! Perfect combinations of flavors!
Caroline
Sounds like such a delicious dressing! A lovely alternative to sweeter recipes.
Wendy Klik
This is the perfect Fall or Winter Salad dressing. Thanks for sharing.
Tavo
I haven’t tried anything like this before! A new salad dressing staple!
Angela
What a fabulous dressing! Love the sweetness and creaminess. Perfect on top of all of my fall veggies. Thanks for sharing!
Marlynn
This is such a wonderful, easy dressing to whip up at home! So much better than store-bought!
Liz
Ok this is so perfect for fall!! I’m still craving salads but this dressing makes them feel more seasonal!
Pam
What a great recipe! Just a genius combination of flavors that work so well together.