Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette

This amazingly delicious, vibrantly-hued Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette is spectacular drizzled fresh greens and pairs well with other Fall produce and ingredients.

If you’re looking for a delicious dressing for fall salads, this Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette is perfect and will receive lots of rave reviews. It has a funny story of how it came into being.

A while back, I shared a recipe for Pumpkin Crumb Muffins. There’s been tons of response from readers who’ve made them and loved the results. But one interesting comment I got went like this…

“Looks delicious – but what to do with the balance of the can of pumpkin?”

MY OTHER RECIPES

Do you ever have this problem? A recipe calls for a cup (or sometimes even less) of pumpkin puree and you’ve got a decent amount left in the can that’s too good (and too expensive) to toss out. Lot’s of times when I’m shopping, the only size available is the huge 29-ounce can. Yikes, that really leaves me with a lot leftover!

Libby’s (the experts here in America on all-things-pumpkin) say that the puree is good in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also say it can be frozen up to 3 months although I think it tends to not be as smooth after freezing.

Other ideas? I thought you’d never ask. I’ve got lots of them – like these Baked Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts. They’re one of most delicious recipes that’s ever come out of The Café kitchen and my seasoned taste-testers have attested to this.

Another idea is this Pumpkin Buttermilk Pound Cake. It’s a real crowd pleaser and seems to get better and better (if you have any left, that is!).

Want something really fun and crazy-pumpkin-delish? Try this Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup, it makes a great lunch or a delicious light dinner and it’s super healthy too! It can also be made without the chicken and served in pretty little bowls as an appetizer soup. I add a tiny scoop of rice and a sprig of fresh cilantro.

I was thinking about other ways to use up partial cans of pumpkin puree and had the crazy inspiration to try using it in a salad dressing. This vibrant-hued Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette is the result and it’s become a huge hit at our house. We’ve been enjoying all sorts of salads with a splash of this amazing dressing over the last week and one evening I drizzled it over grilled chicken for a delicious fall flavor feast.

The star ingredients are pumpkin puree and pure maple syrup. A clove of garlic, a squeeze of Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar enhance the simple combination. A slow drizzle of extra virgin olive oil is all that’s needed to emulsify and finish it off.

Oooops! I almost forgot something really important! Lots of fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped, add a freshness and an extra layer of fabulous flavor.

There you have it. Try this dressing with simple greens like arugula, butter lettuce or leaf lettuce. It goes great with apples, pears, grapes, dates, raisins, figs and pomegranates. I love to pair it with walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, pepitas, almonds, goat cheese, Feta, Parmesan, Gorgonzola and all sorts of other things. I can’t wait to hear how you serve it!

If you’re looking for a delicious way to celebrate fall, whip up a batch of this Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette. It won’t take more than 5 minutes and I have a feeling once you taste it, you’ll be opening up a can of pumpkin just for this! (don’t worry, remember I’ve got lots of ideas for the rest of the can…).

4.41 from 10 votes

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Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette

An amazingly delicious, vibrantly-hued dressing that pairs well with so many ingredients. It's also spectacular in a simple salad of fresh greens.

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Salad Dressing

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Servings: 20 1 tablespoon servings

Calories: 55 kcal

Ingredients

• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 medium clove garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Combine pumpkin puree, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl or a glass jar. Whisk well to combine.
2. Add olive oil slowly, in a thin stream, whisking continually. (It's important to add the oil very slowly or the dressing will separate.)*
3. Add the fresh thyme and stir well. If you like your dressing a little thinner, add the water and stir until incorporated. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

*Don't skip the mustard, even if you're not fond of it. Mustard is important in a dressing like this as it acts as an emulsifier, meaning it helps hold the dressing together and keep it from separating. You can read more about how emulsifiers work here.

Calories 55kcal

Fat 5g

Sodium 61mg

Potassium 12mg

Carbohydrates 1g

Sugar 1g

Vitamin A 9.5%

Vitamin C 0.2%

Calcium 0.3%

Iron 0.4%