Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette is the delicious rich and creamy result of having leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving or Christmas. It brings salads over-the-top and has other delicious uses, too.
What to do with Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Are you wondering what to do with leftover cranberry sauce?
I love cranberry sauce, and a Thanksgiving feast simply isn't complete without it. That said, I seem to always have more of it leftover than any other dish.
Here are two delicious ideas . . .
One, make Cranberry Sauce Muffins, or two, make this incredibly tasty Cranberry Vinaigrette.
The Ingredients
- cranberry sauce - I used Spiced Cranberry Sauce, but you can use any you like.
- grapefruit juice - The fresh citrus juice adds a great kick.
- balsamic vinegar - Be sure not to use a glaze!
- Dijon mustard - For cranberry vinaigrette, I prefer a smooth Dijon, not whole grain.
- extra virgin olive oil - Use one you love the flavor of.
- Kosher salt - I cook (and bake) with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
- black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
How to Make it
- In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients together. Then very gradually, mix in the oil. (Or, you can add all of the ingredients to a jar, seal it tightly with the lid, and shake.)
Substitutions
- Grapefruit juice. Both orange juice and lemon juice can be substituted for the grapefruit juice.
- Balsamic vinegar. Red wine vinegar and sherry vinegar are good substitutes for the balsamic vinegar in this recipe.
- Dijon mustard - For cranberry vinaigrette, I prefer a smooth Dijon, not whole grain.
- Extra virgin olive oil. While a tad less flavorful, avocado oil is a great alternative to the olive oil for this vinaigrette.
Recipe Tips
- My instructions below are for using a bowl and whisk, but the easiest (and my favorite) way to make vinaigrettes and dressings is in a jar. If you do have a jar, add all of the ingredients to it, screw the lid on tightly and shake. That's it!
Uses for Cranberry Vinaigrette
- This dressing is the perfect, festive dressing to add to salads during the holiday season.
- The chunks of cranberries make it hearty enough to make a great salad with just lettuce.
- I love it with kale, mustard greens and arugula because the sweetness perfectly balances the peppery or bitter bite in the greens.
- This dressing even has uses beyond salads. It's amazing drizzled into a turkey and brie sandwich.
- You can also use it to marinate chicken!
How long will it keep?
- In a jar or other container with a tight fitting lid, this homemade cranberry vinaigrette should last about 4 days in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature, and shake it before using.
So when you find yourself the day after Thanksgiving not knowing what to do with leftover cranberry sauce, jump over here for this recipe. 🙂
And if you still have more leftover cranberry sauce you can make more muffins. Perfect!
Cranberry Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- a few turns freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients together. Then very gradually, mix in the oil. (Or, you can add all of the ingredients to a jar, seal it tightly with the lid, and shake.)
Claudia Lamascolo
this sounds like the perfect blend of tart and cranberry is so festive for the holiday. I love this change over the regular dressings!
valentina
Thank you! 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Adrianne
Yes Valentina!!! This is perfect for Christmas and Thanksgiving. You have perfected the recipe. I love the sound of the ingredients!
valentina
Awww thank you so much Adrianne! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Brian Jones
That sounds fantastic, such a wonderful flavour combination and a perfect accompaniment for so many different recipes.
valentina
Thanks, Brian!
Diana
Oh I love this! I never know what to do with my leftover cranberry sauce, will have to try this. Thanks!
valentina
Hope you do and hope you love it! 🙂
David
I can just imagine this with some goat cheese and candied pecans... Yum!
Ash-foodfashionparty
A lovely salad and great use of leftovers. I just love balsamic vinegar, this sounds delicious.
valentina
Thank you, Asha. 🙂
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons
What a creative use for leftover cranberry sauce! I always leave the leftover cranberries with my mom, since she loves them so much. But now I wish I had some so I could try this. Next year 🙂
Deb
What a creative recipe to use up that last scoop of cranberry sauce! After last weeks feast a salad is certainly on the menu!
valentina
I just used up the last of the cranberry sauce -- and the dressing. 🙂
Colette
Great use for leftover cranberry sauce! Looks yummy!
valentina
Thank you, Colette! Hope you enjoy!
Bijouxs
Hi Valentina–I use fresh cranberries for the dressing in my Beet & Carrot Salad, but using leftover cranberry sauce is a great idea. Happy Holidays from Bijouxs!
valentina
Thank you, Lynn -- I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!