Spicy Oyster Vinaigrette (Spicy Mignonette) with Raw Oysters

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One of our favorite ways to serve raw oysters is with the spicy oyster vinaigrette, which takes less than 5 minutes to make!

Raw oysters served with spicy vinaigrette and slices of lemon on a chilled serving bowl.

This tasty spicy oyster vinaigrette is basically a mignonette sauce with an Asian twist since it's made with rice vinegar, sambal oelek, diced shallots and ground pepper. This ingredient combination creates a tangy and spicy vinaigrette, which compliments the briny flavor of the raw oysters.

Mignonette sauce is a classic French sauce for oysters that's typically made with vinegar, minced shallots, ground pepper, and herbs. It's a tangy sauce that's usually served on top of raw oysters.

We love serving raw oysters as an appetizer on holidays like Christmas or New Year's Eve or any other special occasions with family and friends. Oysters can be paired with most main dishes and are a healthy option since they're packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats. Plus, they're fairly low in carbs.

This spicy vinaigrette can be served alongside other oyster condiments including cocktail sauce (check out our sugar-free cocktail sauce!), sliced lemons, or hot sauce. All go well with raw oysters!

In the picture above, we have Kumamoto raw oysters (a favorite here in the Pacific Northwest) along with our spicy vinaigrette and few slices of lemon. So delicious!

What is Sambal Oelek?

Sambal is a spicy chili sauce that originates from Indonesia. It's somewhat similar to Sriracha or other Asian chili sauces/pastes, but it has no added sugar. Because of this, we prefer to use this chili sauce in our recipes.

Vinaigrette Ingredients

Rice vinegar: Tangy vinegar is a must and we use rice vinegar since it pairs well with sambal. If you don't have on hand, you could also use white or red wine vinegar. There are no carbs in rice vinegar.

Sambal Oelek: We use 1 teaspoon for a spicier vinaigrette. If you're looking for a milder vinaigrette, then start with a ½ teaspoon. You can always add more if desired.

Shallots: Shallots are typically added to a mignonette sauce. For ¼ cup of vinaigrette, we use just a tablespoon. If you're increasing the serving size to ½ cup of vinaigrette, then you can double to 2 tablespoons. You can swap shallots with red onion if desired.

Ground pepper: We use ⅛ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper for the vinaigrette. You can use more or less to taste.

Other optional ingredients: We love to serve with slices of lemon to squeeze on top of the oysters. If desired, you can also add fresh herbs to the vinaigrette. For this spicy vinaigrette, we recommend finely chopped chives or cilantro.

How to Make and Serve

STEP 1: Finely dice the shallots. Combine all ingredients and stir well. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for flavors to come together. Stir again before serving.

STEP 2: Serve with a dozen chilled, raw oysters on the half shell. Spoon a little vinaigrette on each oyster before consuming.

Not sure how to shuck oysters? It's easy! Simply check out this video here.

Finished spicy vinaigrette served in a bowl with raw oysters and slices of lemon.

Recipe FAQs

Are oysters low in carbs or keto friendly?

Yes, you can enjoy oysters in moderation if you follow a keto diet. According to the USDA, there are 2.3 grams of net carbs per 84 grams, which is 6 medium-size oysters. Each oyster is roughly .4 net carbs.

Can this vinaigrette be used on cooked oysters?

Absolutely. You'd serve the vinaigrette in the same way you'd would as with raw oysters.

Can I swap rice vinegar with another vinegar?

Yes, if you don't have rice vinegar on hand, you can swap with another vinegar like white or red wine vinegar. There is a slight difference in taste, but it is still nice and tangy.

Does rice vinegar have carbs?

No, there are no carbs in rice vinegar.

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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