Orange Vinaigrette
If you haven’t tried fresh orange vinaigrette, you are seriously missing out. It’s everything you’d imagine and so much more!
If I didn’t love fresh oranges so much, I’d considered myself overwhelmed with citrus at the moment. Our friends gave us a bunch of them a few weeks ago and are patiently waiting for us to come get more. I’m working on it! There are just so many tasty ways to enjoy the bright, zesty fruit though.
For starters, I just eat one sliced with dinner nearly every night. This last weekend I made an orange cake with chocolate fudge frosting (did you see it on my IG stories?). And to balance out that indulgence, this fresh orange salad dressing…
Orange Vinaigrette
Any salad dressing is a combination of oil and an acid. Oftentimes it a vinegar or a citrus juice. In lieu of the more common lemon juice, orange juice is front and center in this recipe. It’s sweeter and much less tart, so you don’t need to add as much sweetness. And it all comes together in less than five minutes.
The best part? Not many dishes either. Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a sealed lid. And then just shake, shake, shake!
I shared all my favorite salad toppings here. Really this orange dressing would go with whatever you want, but a few things stick out to me. First off, beets. I LOVE the combination of fresh orange and beets (hence this orange beet salad). Past that, paired with other fresh fruit – the tang from the orange pairs beautifully with natural sugars in fruit.
Also, these photos show the dressing with spinach leaves. This dressing is perfect on a green salad, but it’s also delectable on a whole grain salad (warm or cold). Farro immediately comes to mind, but any grain would probably soak up all the flavors quite well. Really the world is your oyster with this homemade salad dressing.
Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of one small navel orange
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice about 2 small oranges
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mason jar or small container with a lid. Secure lid and shake until emulsified. Pour over your favorite salad and toss to combine.
