My Favorite Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

If I had to pick only one salad dressing to make for the rest of my life, this is the recipe I would choose. It has a perfectly balanced flavor that’s lightly sweet and tangy, without being too oily.

I’ve been tweaking this apple cider vinaigrette recipe for the last 10 years, and discovered that I like it best when I add a little lemon juice. It eliminates the harshness that can result from using vinegar alone. (But also, it’s flexible enough that you can use what you have on hand.)

This dressing goes with everything. Want to make a simple side salad? This is perfect for that. Want to make a holiday salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas? It’s perfect for that, too.

Best of all, you can make this homemade salad dressing in just 5 minutes. I recently took new photos to show you what this recipe looks like when you mix it directly in a jar and when you blend it, so you’ll know exactly what to expect. Either option works great!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Hands down this is the best salad dressing ever! I make it all the time. Thanks!” – Colleen

Apple cider vinaigrette Ingredients

• Apple cider vinegar. Use raw apple cider vinegar, which is unfiltered and contains something called mother (look for a label that says “with mother” on the bottle). The “mother” is the stringy strands at the bottom, which are thought to include helpful enzymes and friendly bacteria.
• Honey. This natural sweetener balances the vinegar’s acidity and helps thicken the dressing.
• Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. This brightens the dressing without the harsh acidity vinegar brings.
• Olive oil. This recipe doesn’t follow the traditional 3-to-1 oil-to-vinegar ratio. I’ve reversed it so the olive oil flavor isn’t overwhelming, and the dressing is also lower in calories.
• Mustard. You can use spicy brown or Dijon mustard to add depth of flavor and help the dressing emulsify. (Yellow mustard is not recommended.)
• Garlic. Fresh garlic adds a burst of spicy flavor, making this dressing taste restaurant-quality. Use a microplane to mince it finely into the jar so you won’t see large chunks later. (Or just toss the whole clove into the blender.)
• Salt + Pepper. Don’t skip these simple pantry spices. They boost the flavor, and your salad will taste bland without them.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Step 1:

To get started, you’ll need a glass mason jar with a lid. I typically use a 12-ounce or larger jar, which gives you enough room to stir everything together. Alternatively, you can use a blender, which I’ll show you below. (How you mix this will affect the dressing’s consistency.)

Add 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and a 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.

Use a microplane to finely mince the garlic into the jar, then stir well with a small whisk. Or you can screw the lid onto the jar and shake well.

Step 2:

Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor, as needed. Sometimes I add another tablespoon of lemon juice for more tang. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, add another squeeze of honey. It’s easy to taste and adjust as you go!

This dressing is ready to use right away, or you can store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. It keeps well for up to 5 days and thickens slightly when chilled.

Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing (The Best I’ve Tried)

4.88 from 95 votes

I have to warn you: once you try this apple cider vinaigrette, you may be tempted to drink it straight from the blender. It's the kind of recipe that feels like you bought it from a restaurant, but you can make it at home in 5 minutes or less. I'm confident that it will have you eating more salad for the rest of the week!

prep5 mins cook0 mins total5 mins

Servings:8

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 2 tablespoons honey , or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Add the olive oil, vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper to a glass jar with a lid. Whisk well to combine, or secure a lid on the jar and shake well.
For a thicker, more emulsified dressing: Add the ingredients to a personal-sized blender and blend for 60 seconds. This way, the dressing won't separate as much in the fridge.
• Taste the dressing and make any adjustments you like, such as adding another tablespoon of lemon juice, a little more honey for sweetness, or a little more mustard or vinegar to make it taste more tangy. Serve right away, or store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly two tablespoons of dressing, assuming you get 1 cup total from this recipe. This information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, so it’s just an estimate, not a guarantee. 

Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2025 to add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the photos were updated in 2026 with a side-by-side comparison of what the dressing looks like shaken vs. blended. 

Leftover dressing may thicken when chilled. You can run the jar under warm tap water to help it thin out again, or let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it’s runny.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider vinaigrette, apple cider vinegar dressing

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If you try this Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you think.