Passion Fruit Makes A Great Base For Your Next Salad Dressing

While desserts might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of passion fruit, this vibrant tropical ingredient shines brilliantly in savory dishes as well. Known for its juicy, seed-studded interior and strong aromatics, this sweet and tangy fruit makes the perfect base for adding a bit of complexity to a homemade salad dressing.

Passion fruit has an acidity level similar to that of most citrus fruit, making it an excellent substitute for lemon juice or vinegar in salad dressings while also introducing an exciting flavor profile. Passion fruit's natural acidity works particularly well in vinaigrettes, helping to balance the oil's richness with its acute tartness.

To make a delicious passion fruit vinaigrette, you can use either the juice or the pulp, with or without the seeds. If using the juice, use about 1/4 cup; if using the flesh of the fruit, use two passion fruits, which equates to about 1/4 cup of pulp. Mix or blend it with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, a tablespoon or two of honey, and optional add-ins like a minced shallot, a pinch of salt and pepper, or a spoonful of mustard.

Once you have this delicious, fruit-infused dressing in your hands, you have many options for adding a bit of zing to your meals. For a sweeter take, pair it with complementary fruits like orange, mango, or papaya for a zesty fruit salad. On the savory side of things, you can drizzle it over a bed of greens adorned with nuts, crisp cucumber, and sharp blue cheese. Passion fruit's tangier notes also help balance salads containing ingredients with softer, buttery flavor profiles, such as avocado or goat cheese. 

Additionally, you can drizzle passion fruit dressing over grilled shrimp skewers, use it as a marinade for chicken breasts before grilling, or even use it as a dip for raw vegetables or roasted artichoke hearts. However you choose to use this distinctive dressing, you may find it adds the exotic and refreshing twist your salad has been missing!