Orange Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Last Updated on October 11, 2022 by Betty Davies
Fresh, sweet and tangy, this homemade orange balsamic honey vinaigrette is perfect for dressing your everyday salads. Made from a handful of everyday ingredients, this easy recipe comes together in minutes and works as a tasty marinade too!
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Made with fresh orange juice, this vinaigrette tastes wonderfully bright and sweet, and rich balsamic vinegar adds a delicious tang. Perfect to add to everyday salads, or use it as a yummy marinade for chicken and fish.
So easy and quick to make, this homemade dressing comes together in a matter of minutes and is a great way to liven up those salads. Make up a batch so that it’s in your fridge ready to use!
Be sure to try my Hummus Salad Dressing and Maple Dijon Mustard Dressing too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Healthier: This salad dressing is naturally sweetened and lots lower in sugar and salt compared to a store bought vinaigrette.
- Make ahead: Once made, this dressing will keep well, so you can enjoy it all week.
- Dietary info: This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- Orange juice: For the best taste, it’s worth a little effort to juice fresh oranges. Get a good juicer and it will take a few minutes. In a pinch, a bottle of freshly squeezed orange juice will work well, get a natural pure one without any added sugars.
- Avocado oil: I like to use avocado oil in this dressing, it has a neutral taste that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. For a stronger flavor, extra virgin olive oil works great.
- Balsamic vinegar: A good quality balsamic vinegar adds a rich and tangy sweetness that works so great with the orange juice.
- Dijon mustard: This adds a nice tangy flavor to the dressing. For a milder taste, you can use wholegrain mustard.
- Garlic powder: You can use fresh garlic, but I like to use powdered as it dissolves easily in the dressing.
- Honey: To naturally sweeten the vinaigrette and balance out the acidity.
- Salt and pepper: Just a small pinch of each to enhance the flavors – add it to taste, but I found a little goes a long way.
How to make orange balsamic and honey dressing
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
Simply add all of the ingredients to a jug or bowl and whisk together til combined.
Recipe Variations
You can easily make this orange balsamic salad dressing vegan by swapping the honey for maple, or, mix in a teaspoon of brown sugar at a time til the sweetness is to your taste.
This recipe will also work great with other citrus fruits like lemons or limes, or a mixture, though you may need to add a little more sweetener.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad dressing is thinner like a vinaigrette. If you prefer a thicker and creamier dressing, you can add in some mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream. Whisk in a tablespoon at a time til you get your desired consistency.
As this recipe contains no dairy, it can be frozen, though the flavors may dull a little. The oil will separate, so before using it, thaw it completely and whisk everything back together.
Absolutley! I find that the flavors from the orange balsamic and honey work especially great with chicken and fish. Chicken can be marinated for up to 6 hours, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving fish in the dressing for more than an hour as the acidity is quite high from the fresh orange juice. 30 minutes will be enough time to get the flavor into your proteins.
Serving Suggestions
This orange balsamic dressing is super versatile and is great to use on favorite salads like:
It can also be used as a marinade, it’s especially delicious with chicken and fish dishes.
Storage
Once made, transfer the dressing to a sealable jar or bottle and keep refrigerated for up to a week. Give it a shake before using.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Use freshly squeeze orange juice for the best and freshest results.
- Rather than whisking together the ingredients, you can add everything to a large mason jar and shake it together.
- Keep refrigerated once made and shake before serving.
This homemade vinaigrette dressing is wonderfully fresh and tangy, with just the right amount of sweetness from the honey. Super versatile and easy to make, it’s perfect to have in your fridge to brighten up those salads!
More Salad Dressing Recipes
- Chili Lime Dressing
- Honey Lemon Salad Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Mustard Dressing
- Green Salad Dressing
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Orange Balsamic and Honey Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges / 235ml)
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste. I added a pinch of each.
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a jug or small bowl.
- Whisk together until everything is well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Use straight away or store covered in the fridge.
Notes
- Use freshly squeeze orange juice for the best and freshest results.
- Rather than whisking together the ingredients, you can add everything to a large mason jar and shake it together.
- Keep refrigerated once made and shake before serving.
