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Home » Condiments, Dressings & Sauces » Prickly Pear Vinaigrette Recipe

Prickly Pear Vinaigrette Recipe

Oct 17, 2014 · by Valentina · 12 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

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This Prickly Pear Vinaigrette is full of lemony, raspberry-like flavors, and it's subtly sweet. Prickly pear recipes are so unique and delicious, and this one will elevate any salad!Small bottle of bright magenta prickly pear vinaigrette.This might just be the most beautiful vinaigrette I've ever made. (Did you even know a vinaigrette could be beautiful?)

You didn't think I was just going to show you How to Eat and Juice Prickly Pears without providing any Prickly Pear recipes for them, did you? 😉

3 Cactus Pears with black background

Let's review . . .

What are Prickly Pears?

  • Also called Cactus Pears, Cactus Figs, or Tuna fruit, they're native primarily to the southwestern United States, Mexico, other Latin American countries, as well as in Africa, Australia and the Mediterranean -- where there is a lot of sun and heat.
  • Prickly Pears are not actually a member of the pear family. They were given this name only because the they resemble pears in shape and size.
  • The plants they come from have very sharp, needle-like spikes and colorful flowers.
  • The pads on the same plant as the Prickly Pears are also edible. They're called Nopales.

prickly pear vinaigrette with a heart shape swirled in it

What do Prickly Pears taste like?

Not only is it a stunning magenta color, but the flavor is lovely. It's lemony, raspberry-like and quite sweet.

Prickly Pear Vinaigrette will turn your greens, vegetables and other fruits, into a dreamy deliciousness!

Below is a Papaya-Avocado Salad with the Prickly Pear Vinaigrette drizzled over it. Lovely!

Papaya Avocado Salad with Cactus Pear Lemon Vinaigrette in a papaya half.

More Ways to Use this Vinaigrette

Not only is this a fabulous salad dressing, but it can also be used as a marinade or a sauce for fish and chicken. Imagine a bit drizzled over grilled shrimp. Yum!

How long will it keep?

The vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

More Prickly Pear recipes:

  • Agua de Tuna
  • Prickly Pear Syrup
  • Cactus Pear Sorbet
  • Papaya-Avocado Salad with Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

Thank you to Melissa's Produce for the Prickly Pears for recipe testing.

Cactus Pear-Lemon Vinaigrette | cpplomgpmtjeweelemds.com

Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

Valentina K. Wein
This Cactus Pear-Lemon Vinaigrette is full of lemony, raspberry-like flavors, and it's subtly sweet. Delicious over almost any salad!
Makes about 1 cup
Print
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Condiments, Sauces, Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 21 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 prickly pears
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Place a fine mesh strainer in a slightly larger mixing bowl and set it aside.
  • Peel and cut the cactus pears into quarters (heres how). Then add them to a blender and pulse until you have a smooth purée.
  • Pour the cactus pear purée into the strainer and, use the back of a large mixing spoon to help you drain all of the liquid into the bowl. (All of the tiny seeds will be held back in the strainer.) Get as much of the juice as possible -- you will need approximately ⅔ cup.
  • Add the lemon juice, vinegar and seasonings to the juice and mix. Then gradually whisk in the oil.

NUTRITION

Calories: 21kcal
Keywords great for salads, unique dressings, exotic fruit recipes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sue/the view from great island

    October 17, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    I wish I could taste this! I see cactus pears from time to time in the store, so I'll be sure to grab some next time --- you are right, it's an astounding color!

    Reply
    • valentina

      October 17, 2014 at 9:15 pm

      Thanks, Sue. Hope you enjoy try them! 🙂

      Reply
    • Brittney

      September 16, 2022 at 7:11 pm

      How long can this be stored? Can it be canned?

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 17, 2022 at 10:54 pm

        Hi Brittney, Thanks for writing in. This vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks. And for canning vinaigrettes, this is a good reference. I'm going to add this info to the post so I really appreciate you asking. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
  2. Alena

    October 21, 2014 at 8:34 am

    Wow this looks awesome! Definitely need to try it asap! 🙂

    Reply
    • valentina

      October 21, 2014 at 10:07 am

      Thanks so much Alena. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Melissa M

    November 22, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    I've been trying to find recipes for prickly pears! My mom use to make prickly pear jelly, of course I thought I had forever before I would lose her so I didn't get the recipe.

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 22, 2014 at 10:32 pm

      Hi Melissa, I hope you try the vinaigrette and enjoy it. Here's a recipe I found for prickly pear jelly -- maybe it'll be similar to the version your mom made. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Beets

    April 10, 2021 at 10:05 am

    What other fruit would you use instead of prickly pear?

    Reply
    • valentina

      April 10, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      Hi There. You could switch it out for pureéd raspberries or strawberries. I'd guess you'd want about 1/2 cup. Hope this helps. Enjoy! 🙂 Valentina

      Reply
  5. Niya

    May 11, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    Can I substitute red wine vinaigrette with acv?

    Reply
    • valentina

      May 12, 2022 at 10:39 am

      Hi Niya. Yes, I think apple cider vinegar would work well. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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