PUTTANESCA VINAIGRETTE

People are always raving about my homemade dressings and this puttanesca vinaigrette is a prime example. This dressing is a marvel. It has chopped olives, capers, red onions and sweet roasted red peppers mixed into a zippy tomato laced red wine vinaigrette. When I say a salad dressing is drinkably delicious, I mean this one!

Why you will love this Puttanesca Vinaigrette

There is so much to love about this incredibly flavorful dressing. It's a salad dressing that eats like a meal! I jest, but this one is a truly special sensory experience. The layers of flavor are a symphony in your mouth. First, the base of this one is red wine vinegar and olive oil with a little tomato paste for tang and pure maple syrup for sweetness. Then we add chopped red onions which pickle in the dressing. The stars of the show are the olives, capers and sweet red peppers. It has texture, color and flavor galore. This dressing will transform dull mixed greens into an exciting salad that looks and tastes fancy but is super easy to make.

What is Puttanesca?

Puttanesca refers to a super flavorful Italian sauce that people usually eat with pasta. This pasta sauce consists of a tomatoes and herbs with black olives, anchovies, capers and garlic. It has an amazing and slightly sordid history which I won't go into. If you are curious just do a quick google search for a laugh. I love a good puttanesca sauce because it has so much intense flavor and comes together really quickly. Plus it seems fancy because of the olives and capers although it's a really easy recipe. This puttanesca vinaigrette is a riff on the traditional dish. I was inspired to make a salad sauce that has elements of traditional puttanesca but vegan.

Ingredients for Puttanesca Vinaigrette

The ingredients for this dressing are mostly pantry staples. Luckily it can be made year round. They are all packed with flavor and make this not only tasty but very pretty.

• Red onion- Adding tiny diced red onions to a vinaigrette dressing is a total game changer! The bite of red onion is tamed by pickling in vinegar and maple. All the sweetness comes out and it's delicious.
• Roasted red bell pepper-  Jarred roasted red peppers give more sweetness, tang and texture to this salad dressing. Plus the vibrant red color is amazing!
• Pitted Calamata black olives- Greek calamata olives are my fave because they are firm textured and have a distinct tang that is so delicious.
• Green olives with pimiento-Green, pimiento stuffed olives give this dressing a milder flavored olive and another visual interest. 
• Tomato paste-Adding a little tomato paste to the vinaigrette gives it a little more body and a depth of flavor that is really delicious.
• Red wine vinegar- Red wine vinegar is one of my favorites because it is versatile and has a great tangy flavor that goes well with everything.
• Extra Virgin Olive oil- Good, quality olive oil gives vinaigrettes a great flavor and mouthfeel. Plus it helps distribute the flavors throughout the salad.
• Pure maple syrup-I always use pure maple syrup to sweeten my salad dressings. It has a very mild flavor and since it is liquid, there is no need to wait for sugar to dissolve. It combines effortlessly.
• Salt-Salt helps bring out the flavors. Leave it out if you are trying to cut down although this may not be the dressing for you if you are.
• Red pepper flakes-Red pepper flakes are optional. They give a tiny spicy kick to this intensely flavored dressing.
• Oregano- Oregano is the ultimate in herbaceous flavors. It is intense and fresh tasting and gives this a punch of flavor. Use fresh if you have it!
• Capers- These little pickled flower buds add an instant fancy vibe to any dish. They also give a little briny flavor which mimics the anchovies in the original puttanesca.

How to Make Puttanesca Vinaigrette

This recipe is super easy to make! You don't need a blender, food processor or even a whisk. With a sharp knife, a cutting board and a jar you can shake, you will have this delicious homemade dressing in minutes! Here is how you make it!

• Chop the tasty ingredients- With a sharp knife, carefully chop the onions, roasted peppers, and olives into tiny pieces.
• Assemble the dressing- Add the chopped ingredients to a small jar with the olive oil, capers, vinegar, pure maple, salt, crushed red pepper and oregano.
• Shake it up! Simply put the cover on and shake the dressing until it is well combined.

What kind of salad goes with Puttanesca Vinaigrette

Puttanesca vinaigrette is an incredibly flavorful salad dressing that will instantly upgrade any salad. It goes particularly well with delicate greens like spring mix, baby spinach, frisée and arugula. Pictured is a delicious panzanella salad made with fresh bread croutons, vegan feta cheese and peppery arugula. This combo goes especially well because the bread mops up the delicious flavors and the salty feta tastes amazing. Another idea is a puttanesca pasta salad. Mixing this gorgeous dressing with cooked and chilled pasta and then adding chopped cherry tomatoes and cucumbers is incredible.

Other Salad Dressing Recipes you will love

• Basic Herby Vinaigrette
• Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Creamy Lemon Tahini
• Sweet Balsamic Dressing
• Tahini Caesar Dressing