Sweet Orange Vinaigrette

“Why,” I pondered a little while back, “don’t I have an orange salad dressing recipe?” We’ve got a gazillion lemon dressings (like this honey-lemon or this lemon-herb or Sensation (which is basically lemon-garlic-parmesan) or lemon poppyseed (which…yikes. Looks like someone’s due for a makeover.) We have lime dressings. Apple dressings. Strawberry dressings. We do have a citrus dressing, which is delicious but it doesn’t scream, “HEY, I TASTE LIKE ORANGES.” We have Asian-infused orange dressings, but I wanted a sweet orange vinaigrette that had enough dimension so it didn’t feel like someone had poured orange juice all over a salad, but was still definitively orange. Drizzled over spinach and tangy cheese and juicy berries and salty nuts (don’t worry, I have the second part of this recipe coming later this week.) I started playing around with some recipes and came up with this delicious winner of a dressing that my ranch-loving kids declared delicious (and, in the spirit of disclosure, my youngest declared disgusting, but he doesn’t count yet.)

How to Make This Sweet Orange Vinaigrette

You’ll need two medium juicy navel oranges (if the skin feels very thick and spongey, they’re typically not as juicy), organic apple cider vinegary (the murky stuff), honey, garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, a little dollop of Dijon mustard, and a neutral-flavored vegetable oil (I prefer peanut).

Zest the oranges and set the zest aside.

Cut the oranges in half

and juice them into the jar of a blender–you should have about 1/3 cup of juice (you can supplement it with another orange, some store-bought juice, or a little water if necessary.)

Add the garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to the jar of the blender. While blender is running on low speed, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Transfer to a storage container and stir in the reserved zest. Allow to stand for at least 1 hour before serving.

printable recipe

Sweet Orange Vinaigrette

5 from 1 vote

This sweet, bright vinaigrette made from fresh-squeezed oranges is the perfect complement to creamy, tangy cheeses and salty nuts.

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Ingredients

• 2 medium juicy navel oranges
• 2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil like peanut or canola

Instructions

• Zest the oranges and set the zest aside. Cut the oranges in half and juice them into the jar of a blender--you should have about 1/3 cup of juice (you can supplement it with another orange, some store-bought juice, or a little water if necessary.)
• Add the vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to the jar of the blender. While blender is running on low speed, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Transfer to a storage container and stir in the reserved zest. Allow to stand for at least 1 hour before serving.

Author: kate jones

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