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Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette is made with only 3 simple ingredients, including leftover cranberry sauce. Try this the day after Thanksgiving to enjoy some nice leafy greens with your leftovers. It’s one of my favorite easy gluten-free salad dressing recipes, and it is vegan too!
Originally published November 22, 2017. Updated with new photos and helpful information.
I hope that the day after Thanksgiving you typically have a relaxing day, enjoying time with family or friends after feasting on amazing food. And maybe you are still are feasting on amazing food.
Because the best part of Thanksgiving dinner – leftovers!
Sure, there are plenty of things to make with leftover turkey. But whether you opened a can or made homemade Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce, there always seems to be a smidge left.
What to do? What to do?
Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette Recipe
Yes, seriously. Only three ingredients come together into a velvety smooth and rich-tasting salad dressing. It’s slightly sweet, perfectly tangy, and utterly delicous.
Here is a brief overview so you can see just how easy it is to make. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full quantities and details.
But don’t skip my PRO TIPS below!
What You’ll Need
- Cranberry sauce – any will do. Homemade or from a can. Jellied or whole berry. Just use your favorite.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil – I recommend extra virgin for the best flavor, but you can use any oil you have and like to use in salad dressing recipes.
And a little salt and pepper, to taste.
How to make Cranberry Salad Dressing
Just combine everything in a small blender jar or Magic Bullet and blend until smooth!
Pro tip: If you don’t have a small blender jar or Magic Bullet, many times you can screw the cap off the bottom of a standard blender jar that holds the blade in place. This fits on many standard glass mason jars. Just screw it on and place it on your blender.
Once you’ve blended it all up, you can add it to an epic salad that uses up even more of that leftovers feast. Or it can be the start of something completely new!
Make it a Meal
Use cranberry balsamic vinaigrette on any of these salads:
Or just drizzle it over some greens when you enjoy these recipes made with Thanksgiving leftovers:
You can even use this balsamic cranberry salad dressing as a marinade, like in this Grilled Chicken Salad with Berries!
More homemade salad dressing recipes
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- Greek Yogurt Maple Dijon Dressing
- Hot Maple Bacon Dressing
- Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
More leftover cranberry sauce recipes
- Cranberry BBQ Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Balsamic Beef
- Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings
- Creamy Cranberry Dijon Dip
- Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Streusel Bars from Peas and Crayons
Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a small blender jar, Magic Bullet, or a glass mason jar that can attached to your blender blade (see Note) and blend until smooth.If you don't have one of these appliances, you can whisk it in a bowl, but it might not be as smooth.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to three or four days.
Notes
Did you make this?
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Enjoy!
Love this dressing!!! I am such a cranberry freak, cranberry on my salad sounds perfect to me:-) I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! Hugs, Terra
Thank you! I love that I made an entire batch of cranberry just to “play” with – so many tasty ideas!