This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Longhorn Steakhouse raspberry vinaigrette copycat is a bright, fruity, lightly sweet dressing with a tangy finish and a silky texture. It takes about 10 minutes in a blender and makes roughly 1½ cups. It’s especially good on salads with strawberries, pecans, and grilled chicken.
What Makes the Longhorn Raspberry Vinaigrette So Craveable?
A good raspberry vinaigrette sits right between sweet and tart. You taste real berry first, then a clean vinegar zing, then a mellow finish from the oil. That balance is why it works on salads with sweet toppings like strawberries, candied pecans, and goat cheese, and on salads with savory grilled chicken or steak.
The texture matters too. The dressing should be smooth and pourable, thick enough to cling to greens but not heavy. Bottled versions often taste flat or overly sugary, so people look for a fresh version they can control.
I don’t have access to the restaurant’s official recipe, so this is a copycat built from the flavor profile: fruity, tangy, lightly sweet, and creamy-looking from a quick emulsion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen and thawed, about 5 ounces)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or raspberry vinegar for extra fruitiness)
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam (adds body and smooth sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (helps the dressing stay blended)
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot (or 1 teaspoon finely grated red onion)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (start here, adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1/2 cup light olive oil (or avocado oil, which stays pourable when chilled)
- 2 tablespoons water (to thin if needed)
How to Make longhorn steakhouse raspberry vinaigrette recipe
Step 1: Blend the Raspberries
Add the raspberries to a blender or the cup of an immersion blender. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds until completely liquid with no whole berries left. If you’re using frozen berries, thaw them first so the puree isn’t icy.
Step 2: Strain Out the Seeds
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour in the puree. Press with the back of a spoon, scraping the underside of the strainer, until only a dry pile of seeds is left. You should have about 1/2 cup of smooth puree. Discard the seeds.
Step 3: Add the Flavor Base
Return the puree to the blender. Add the vinegar, honey, jam, Dijon, shallot, salt, and pepper. Blend for 15 seconds until the mixture is smooth and evenly pink.
Step 4: Emulsify with the Oil
With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil over about 30 seconds. The dressing will lighten in color and turn slightly thicker and glossy. If you’re whisking by hand in a bowl, pour the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Step 5: Taste, Adjust, and Chill
Dip a lettuce leaf in the dressing and taste it, since greens change how the dressing reads. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it’s too thick. Add a pinch of salt if it tastes flat, or another teaspoon of honey if it’s too sharp. Chill 30 minutes if you can, so the flavors settle.
How Close Is This to the Restaurant Version?
This matches the main things you’d notice at the table: a fruity, tangy, lightly sweet dressing with a smooth, glossy pour. It won’t be identical, because I can’t verify the restaurant’s exact formula or the stabilizers a commercial dressing may use.
The biggest difference is texture. Restaurant and bottled dressings often stay thick and uniform for weeks. Homemade will separate a little as it sits, and that’s normal. To get closer, strain the puree well, use the jam for body, and blend the oil in slowly. If you want it sweeter, add honey 1 teaspoon at a time.
What Are the Longhorn Raspberry Vinaigrette Ingredients?
I can’t confirm the restaurant’s official ingredient list, so I’d check the allergen and nutrition information from Longhorn directly if you have dietary needs. A raspberry vinaigrette is typically built from raspberry, vinegar, a sweetener, oil, and seasoning.
This copycat uses simple pantry ingredients: real raspberries, red wine vinegar, honey, jam, Dijon, shallot, salt, pepper, and a mild oil. Everything is easy to find, and you control the sugar.
Is This the Dressing for the Longhorn Strawberry Pecan Salad?
It’s a great match for a strawberry pecan salad, whichever dressing the restaurant serves with it. The berry flavor echoes the strawberries, and the acidity cuts through candied pecans and cheese.
To build the full salad, try my my favorite salad and toss it with this dressing. Use about 2 tablespoons per large serving, and add more only after tossing.
How Do You Make Raspberry Vinaigrette Without Seeds?
The easiest way is to blend the berries and press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer, as in Step 2. This takes about 2 minutes and removes every seed.
If you want to skip straining, use these shortcuts:
- Replace the fresh berries with 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam.
- Use raspberry vinegar for the fruit flavor.
- Whisk the jam, vinegar, mustard, and seasonings together, then stream in the oil.
The no-strain version tastes a little sweeter and less fresh, but it’s smooth and quick.
How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last?
longhorn steakhouse raspberry vinaigrette recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen and thawed, about 5 ounces
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar for extra fruitiness
- 2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam adds body and smooth sweetness
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard helps the dressing stay blended
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot or 1 teaspoon finely grated red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt start here, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 cup light olive oil or avocado oil, which stays pourable when chilled
- 2 tablespoon water to thin if needed
Instructions
Step 1: Blend the Raspberries
- Add the raspberries to a blender or the cup of an immersion blender. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds until completely liquid with no whole berries left. If you're using frozen berries, thaw them first so the puree isn't icy.
Step 2: Strain Out the Seeds
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour in the puree. Press with the back of a spoon, scraping the underside of the strainer, until only a dry pile of seeds is left. You should have about 1/2 cup of smooth puree. Discard the seeds.
Step 3: Add the Flavor Base
- Return the puree to the blender. Add the vinegar, honey, jam, Dijon, shallot, salt, and pepper. Blend for 15 seconds until the mixture is smooth and evenly pink.
Step 4: Emulsify with the Oil
- With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil over about 30 seconds. The dressing will lighten in color and turn slightly thicker and glossy. If you're whisking by hand in a bowl, pour the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Step 5: Taste, Adjust, and Chill
- Dip a lettuce leaf in the dressing and taste it, since greens change how the dressing reads. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it's too thick. Add a pinch of salt if it tastes flat, or another teaspoon of honey if it's too sharp. Chill 30 minutes if you can, so the flavors settle.
This raspberry vinaigrette keeps up to 7 days in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. Because it contains fresh fruit and fresh shallot, it doesn’t last as long as a plain oil-and-vinegar dressing.
- Shake well before each use, since separation is normal.
- Olive oil can turn cloudy or firm in the cold. Let the jar sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, then shake.
- Discard it if you see mold or notice a sour, fermented smell.
- For longer storage, freeze it in an ice cube tray for up to 2 months. Thaw a cube in the fridge and whisk to re-blend.
More Copycat Recipes to Try
- Flank Steak In Oven Recipe – slice it over a salad with this dressing.
- this simple cake – another restaurant-style salad for dinner.
- Texas Roadhouse Smothered Chicken Recipe – a hearty steakhouse-style main.
My name is Lori Walker. I’m a registered dietitian, food blogger and food enthusiast. I share easy healthy, delicious recipes on my blog and review necessary kitchen items. The recipes I share take less… Read more