Photo: DronG (Shutterstock)
It’s the season when everyone tries to eat as many pumpkin- and pumpkin spice-flavored food and drinks as they can. It’s fun. It’s festive. It’s somewhat out of hand. That’s OK though. Pumpkin-mania is showing no signs of fading—at least not while Trader Joe lives—so we might as well embrace it. Why not make a pumpkin vinaigrette? Why not pour it over a salad of bitter greens, roasted squash, and pumpkin seeds? Why not live?
Making a pumpkin vinaigrette is easy—all you need is a couple of tablespoons of canned pumpkin, which you probably have leftover from any number of fall baking projects. Shake it up with some neutral oil (olive would clash), apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, and a few baking spices, and you have a dressing that’s as snappy as a crisp autumn breeze.
If the phrase “baking spices” throws you off, don’t worry too much about it. There’s just enough spicy cinnamon and nutmeg to complement the pumpkin, and enough vinegar to keep it from reading as “liquid muffin.” It’s surprisingly balanced, not at all cloying, and great over shaved Brussels sprouts.
Punchy Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola1/4 cup apple cider vinegar2 tablespoons canned pumpkin1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon maple syrupPinch of saltPinch of white pepperPinch of cinnamonPinch of nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)Add all your ingredients to a jar and shake with vigor to emulsify them all together. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or spices if needed, and drizzle it all over a big pile of greens—preferably one that also has some squash or chopped apple in there too.
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