Jam Jar Vinaigrette

Ever look at a nearly empty jam jar and wonder what to do? Don’t toss it—turn a last bit of jam into a frugal no-fuss vinaigrette! Jam Jar Vinaigrette is the ultimate waste-not, want-not trick, transforming that last spoonful of jam into a tangy-sweet dressing with just a shake or two or three. Add vinegar, a good glug of oil, a pinch of salt, and maybe a dash of mustard for balance. Shake it right in the jar—then drizzle over crisp greens or roasted veggies. It’s quick, easy and endlessly adaptable, perfect for home cooks who appreciate simple ways to reduce food waste.

Homestyle Frugal Food, Little Effort, Big Reward. Fast, Fresh & Inventive, Mere Minutes to the Table. Just Five Ingredients & Five Minutes. A New Addition to The Homemade Pantry, a Kitchen Parade Specialty. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. Perfect When Cooking for One or Two. Easy DIY. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free. So Good!!

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Less Waste. More Taste.

In this household, my sweet-tooth husband has commandeered an entire pantry shelf for jam. Strawberry. Raspberry. Blueberry. Rhubarb. Pineapple. Storebought, homemade, Canadian, pricey, cheap, he's not the least bit picky: sweet & sticky = toast heaven.

All good, right? LOL it is especially since I'm mostly successful in keeping him to a couple of open jars at a time. The only place where we, um, disagree part paths, is when to call a jar empty.

Me? I'd dig into the bottom corners, every last tiny spoonful. Him? He can't be bothered. No, that's not quite right. He just doesn't notice.

So here's our marital compromise: he leaves as much as he likes in a near-empty jar and I use those last spoonfuls to make salad dressing! Win Win!

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Recipe Overview: Jam Jar Vinaigrette

• Jam Jar Vinaigrette repurposes the last remnants of jam from a jar, combining it with vinegar, oil, and seasonings for a tangy dressing. It offers a sweet-sour balance, ideal for salads, without the need for additional sweeteners.

• When to Make = Whenever there's a bit of jam left in a jar. (Or wait. There's actually no need to wait, should you not want to.)
• Diet Needs & Choices = As written, the recipe is Gluten Free and Vegan. However, it's definitely a "concept" recipe begging for adaptation so if diet needs are important, pay attention to the additions.
• Distinctive Ingredients = Jam + Oil + Vinegar
• Short Ingredient List = all the above + salt & pepper + mustard
• Kitchen Tools = Just your jam jar, shake-shake-shake it to make the dressing.
• Hands-On Time = Allow about 5 minutes to mix the dressing.
• Time to Table = Once it's mixed, it's ready to eat.
• Tasting with our Eyes = The dressing can be quite pretty, that's mostly dependent on the jam's color.
• Texture = It's typical of a vinaigrette from scratch, a balance of oil and vinegar. This means it's definitely lighter in texture than the vinaigrettes found on store shelves which are stabilized with thickeners that give them a sort of airy texture.
• Taste = A nice balance of sweet jam, sour vinegar and nice olive oil.
• Techniques = Can you shake up a container of buttermilk? Then you can definitely shake a jam jar with salad dressing ingredients inside! Shake-Shake-Shake!
• Time Friendly = This recipe is a time-friendly recipe, allow about 5 minutes including time to taste and adjust to taste.
• Shop Your Pantry = This recipe is a pantry-friendly recipe, odds are high most kitchens keep all these ingredients on hand.
• Watching Our Waistlines = This recipe is a calorie-friendly recipe, it packs in flavor so you'll only need to use a little.
• Staying Cost Conscious = This recipe is a budget-friendly recipe, because you know, that unwasted bit of jam would probably cost ... not much. Still. It's a thrifty mindset, making salad dressing so a small amount of jam doesn't go to waste. Soon you'll be looking for similar ideas, big and small.
• Small Households = This recipe works especially well for those Cooking for One or Two.
• So good! I hope you love it!


• Our household salad dressing is this creamy one, see My Everyday Creamy Herb Salad Dressing.
• Not quite what you're looking for? Check out my other salad dressing recipes.

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Why I Love This Recipe & You Might Too

• ... it feels virtuous not to waste a last smidgin of jam
• ... no "other" groceries to buy to make it
• ... no tools to dig for or to wash and put away, just shake-shake-shake the jar!
• ... it tastes good!
• Ready to get started? Here's your recipe!

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JAM JAR VINAIGRETTE

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Time-to-table: 5 minutes
Makes different amounts, depending on how much jam to start off with

FOR EVERY TABLESPOON JAM or JELLY
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (white wine, red wine, rice, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon, yellow, etc.)
• 1 - 3 tablespoons olive oil (or another good oil)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper

FOR A SIMPLE SALAD, JUST AN IDEA
• Salad greens (arugula, green or green leaf lettuce, spinach, romaine, a salad mix)
• A green onion, chopped small, both the white and green parts
• A few bits of grated or chopped vegetables (cabbage, carrot, celery, get creative!)
• A bit of chopped fruit, fresh or dried
• A pinch of salt (so important! truly!)

SHAKE-SHAKE-SHAKE TO MIX THE JAM If the jam is thick or crusty, throw the jar in the microwave for 10 seconds, just enough to liquefy the jam. Once the jam is soft, mix it with the vinegar and mustard, shake-shake-shake, until the ingredients begin to emulsify, just a few shakes. (If the jam is still a little sticky, use a fork.) Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, shake-shake-shake. Add the salt and pepper, to taste.

MAKE A SIMPLE SALAD Toss the fresh salad greens, green onion, vegetable bits, fruit and a pinch of salt. Lightly dress with the Jam Jar Vinaigrette.

TIMING TIP This salad dressing is great straight-off but will keep in the fridge for a few days if there are leftovers or you want to make it ahead of time. The oil will solidify in the fridge but will re-liquefy on the counter in a couple of minutes.

ALANNA's TIPS You know how some salad dressings include a splash of honey or maple syrup? That's the role that jam plays in Jam Jar Vinaigrette, sweetness to balance the acidity of the vinegar. It's not so much the jam's flavor as its sweetness. I tend to stick to somehow lighter vinegars, my very favorite is sherry vinegar though it's harder to find. That said, I'm never unhappy with Jam Jar Vinaigrettes made with white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar and an old reliable, unseasoned rice vinegar. I do find balsamic vinegar a little strong here, a bit overpowering. I like dressings a little sharp so usually stick with a single tablespoon of oil but the classic ratio is 1:3 vinegar:oil. But this is really a "concept" recipe, that means that it's especially great when you make it to taste and that means your taste not mine. And each jam's sweetness will likely vary choices, too. Just before posting this, I made one last batch with a not-so-sweet orange marmalade with just a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and it just seemed to need more than my usual 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That batch? Three tablespoons were perfect. So good! But after adding that first tablespoon of oil, do season with a pinch of salt and pepper before adding more oil. Then taste again. You may not need more oil, the seasoning can really make a difference.

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2025/02/jam-jar-vinaigrette.html .

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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