Close up of my jam vinaigrette with a salad

A Perfectly Simple Jam Vinaigrette

Do you have a random jar of leftover jam stuffed somewhere in your fridge? I bet you do! Chance are, you have more than one too. What to do… what to do? Use it up in this simple, tasty jam vinaigrette recipe! Assemble straight in the jar, shake-shake-shake, use, immediately, or pop back in the fridge until you’re ready. This trick works like a charm with all sorts of jams, jellies, preserves, and marmalades. So don’t let those half used jars just sit there wasting away… make this jam vinaigrette instead!

A Jam Vinaigrette That’s Simple and Tasty

3 from 3 votes
Recipe by Susanna Grace Course: SidesCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

1

minute
Calories

171

kcal
Total time

4

minutes

Finally, a way to use the last bits of those abandoned jam jars in your fridge! Dump your ingredients straight in the jar and shake. Serve over your favorite greens and call it a day.

Ingredients

  • 1 used jar 1 Jam, such as strawberry (about 1-2 Tablespoons)

  • Pinch Salt, Cracked Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 Oil, such as extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 Vinegar, such as champagne or apple cider

Directions

  • Grab a jam jar that has at least a spoon or two’s worth left in the bottom.
  • Add your pinches of seasoning and top with oil and vinegar.
  • Close the lid securely and shake until well combined and smooth.
  • Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until needed. Make sure to shake thoroughly before serving! The more you shake, the thicker and more creamy your dressing will become.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • This method works well for all sorts of jams, jellies, preserves and marmalades! Feel free to combine flavors as well. Just think how good the last bits of strawberry jam and orange marmalade would taste shaken together. I mean, wowzers.  
  • Other condiments, such as a good quality mustard, work extremely well with this method as well. Add a bit of honey, and boom. You have an amazingly simple honey mustard dressing that’s ready to rock!
  • Make sure to shake before each use to reincorporate the ingredients. It is totally natural for everything to separate as it sits on the counter or in the fridge. 
  • Have fun playing with different oils and vinegars. Think avocado oil and balsamic. Or sunflower oil and sherry. The key is to pair a good quality oil and acid. 
  • I didn’t use fresh or dried herbs in this recipe, however they would both be welcome additions. Just imagine fresh basil, oregano or thyme. A little goes a long way! 
  • Please note the nutritional information below was calculated using a calculator designed by: Verywell Fit. This information is accurate to the best of my knowledge, but should not be taken as medical advice 🙂 

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Nutrition Facts

6 servings per container


Calories171

  • Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
  • Total Fat 16.8g 26%
    • Saturated Fat 2.4g 12%
  • Sodium 1mg 1%
  • Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
  • Potassium 7mg 1%
  • Total Carbohydrate 6.3g 3%

      * The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

      An Untraditional Vinaigrette

      Traditionally, vinaigrettes made using a 3:1 oil to acid (vinegar/citrus) ratio…meaning 1 cup of oil to 1/3 cup of acid/vinegar. If you’ve never made salad dressing at home, you might want to start with the classic ratio first! You may have noticed that my jam vinaigrette recipe above is not traditional. Personally, I prefer a bit more tart, a tad more pucker, a slight zing on the palate as it were. So if you’re like me in that way, I think you’ll end up preferring my suggested 2:1 oil to acid/vinegar ratio a whole lot better than the classic recommendation.

      Seriously, this is one of the reasons I love playing with food! There are endless combinations of flavor even when making something as simple as a vinaigrette. And just because someone tells you to make a jam vinaigrette one way doesn’t mean that’s the only way to make it. I can’t tell you how many times I adjust an ingredient or three based on what I have on hand. What if I don’t have strawberry jam to make this dressing? But I have blueberry preserves? Go for it! Holy wow that will be delicious.

      There are truly so many fun ways to use a vinaigrette! Just imagine how fab a jam vinaigrette would taste poured over this Peach + Champaign Salad…. or how fun it would be drizzled lightly over Roasted Asparagus…. or how wonderful the fruity tart combination would pair with greens and this Limoncello Fizz

      Vinaigrette vs Dressing

      So what is the difference between a vinaigrette and a dressing? Most simply stated, dressing encompasses a much wider variety of sauces… to include blue cheese, ranch, tahini, Thai peanut and more. Whereas a vinaigrette is simply a mixture of an oil and acid, such as citrus juice or vinegar. If you’re the rabbit hole type, like me, a simple breakdown and some incredible recipes can be found here.

      Let Me Know

      Have you every made a jam vinaigrette before? I’d love to know what fun combinations you recommend! Or what sounds good to you based on the random jars you currently have hiding in the fridge.

      While you’re at the sharing and commenting, please Save to Pinterest or Share on Facebook. I need all the support I can get to keep on growing this dream of mine. A place where practical beats perfect- and simple, delicious food is a lifestyle. A place where together, we can begin filling homes and tables with joy.

      Hugs, because handshakes are awkward~

      3 Comments

      1. I wanted a grape salad dressing. I used grape jelly, the vinegar I used was apple cider. The vinegar was way too strong! I added more grape jelly and more salt. I even tried to neutralize it with a small amount of baking soda. Nothing helped. I dumped it down the drain. I feel the proportions are off in this recipe.

      2. Alyssa Coria

        I only had rice vinegar, I used that and it tasted amazing. Next time I think I’ll add some mustard. Thank you so much for this recipe.

      3. Sounds amazing. I have a jar of homemade apricot jam that’s just begging to be made into a vinaigrette!

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