This orange vinaigrette is refreshing, with sweet, savory, and acidic flavors. Make it today for an easy alternative to bottled dressing!
I rarely buy grocery store dressings anymore. They’re so easy to make at home, and the flavors are infinitely better.
This salad dressing with oranges is so refreshing and flavorful. It can brighten up boring green salads, and it’s very quick to throw together just before serving.
SALAD DRESSING INGREDIENTS
- Fresh oranges– Always zest first while the fruit is firm. To get as much juice as possible, roll the orange against the counter while pressing gently with your palm to loosen the membranes from the peel.
- Extra virgin olive oil– Choice of oil is important for dressings because it affects overall flavor. EVOO is fairly neutral, but it enhances the flavors of the other ingredients really well.
- Honey– If your honey is very thick, try microwaving it for about 10 seconds. This will thin it out enough to use without changing the temperature.
- Apple cider vinegar– Substitute with white wine vinegar for similar tartness.
- Shallots– This is sweeter than most onions and not quite as pungent when raw, making it perfect for dressings and sauces. Learn more about shallots and when to use them in recipes with my ingredient overview: What Are Shallots?
- Garlic clove– Use a microplane zester to grate the garlic, basically making a garlic paste. This releases some of the juices for more incorporated flavor and prevents taking a bite of raw garlic.
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Honey Orange Vinaigrette
STEP 1: ZEST AND JUICE THE ORANGE
I use a microplane zester to grate the orange zest very finely. You won’t even be able to tell it’s in the dressing.
You may also want to pour the orange juice through a fine mesh strainer to keep the pulp out of the orange vinaigrette.
STEP 2: ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS
Then, add the remaining ingredients to the orange juice. You can either whisk everything together in a bowl or place the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake.
Mason jars are a nice way to prepare homemade salad dressings because you can store any leftovers in the same container.
I also use the microplane zester to grate some garlic into the dressing. Grating the garlic releases some of the juices and helps prevent taking a raw bite of garlic. It basically makes a garlic paste.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fruit based dressings pair well with other types of fruit. For example, this salad dressing with oranges over a strawberry spinach salad would taste fantastic!
However, I think it’s worth mentioning that most of the time, I don’t follow a recipe when I’m preparing a salad; I just use what I have on hand.
If you want to throw a great salad together but aren’t sure where to start, keep in mind that it’s all about balancing flavors.
To get you thinking, here are a couple of combinations that will work with this orange vinaigrette:
Recipe Notes
I love the savory, spicy punch of raw garlic, but I know not everyone does. If you don’t have a small clove of garlic, just grate a small amount, about 1/4 teaspoon, into the vinaigrette.
If you want to add more after that, you certainly can. Remember, iit is much easier to add than to subtract.
You can also place the peeled clove in a fine mesh strainer and pour boiling water over it before grating, which will tame the raw flavor. This is a technique I use for pickled onions and shallots.
OTHER SALAD DRESSINGS TO MAKE
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my recipes for Honey Mustard Dressing and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Both have classic flavors, and are also very easy to make at home.
My Cilantro Lime Dressing is perfect for bitter greens and can also be used as a sauce or veggie dip. Or, try Tahini Dressing for an earthy flavor that’s just as delicious on sandwiches and wraps!
You can also see the full archive of my salad and salad dressing recipes here!
