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Orange Vinaigrette is a refreshing salad dressing you’ll love. This citrus dressing can be stirred together in just minutes and will have you craving more salads! 

orange dressing dripping off a spoon into the jar.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This homemade salad dressing is flavored with fresh oranges. For maximum citrus taste, you’ll need the zest and juice from one medium-sized orange.

Paired with honey, apple cider vinegar, and garlic, it has a zippy, lightly sweet flavor that pairs well with practically any salad combination. 

a bottle of olive oil, sliced orange, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper on a marble board.

How to Make Orange Vinaigrette

In a glass jar or bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Use a microplane to grate the orange zest from the orange and add it to the dressing. 

Then, cut the orange in half and juice it. 

Add the orange juice to the dressing. A medium-sized orange should yield 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice. (You can also use 2 mandarin oranges if needed.) You don’t want to add much more juice, or the dressing will be too runny in texture.

orange dressing mixed together in a glass jar with a spoon.

Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth. Or, secure the lid on the jar and shake well. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor to your liking.

You can add more vinegar or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a more tangy flavor. 

Use this orange dressing over your favorite salad ingredients. It pairs well with baby spinach, chopped red onion or shallots, baked chicken, pecans, cranberries, and more. You can also make it an orange salad by adding more orange slices on top!

Leftover dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

orange vinaigrette served on a salad plate with greens, sweet potatoes, pecans, and cranberries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different vinegar?

You can use red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar with similar results. 

Will different citrus fruits work with this dressing?

You can use lemon juice, but in that case, start with just one tablespoon since it’s more tart. Check out my apple cider dressing recipe for a recipe that already calls for lemon juice. 

Can I make this vegan?

Sure! Swap the honey for maple syrup or agave nectar, if needed. 

What other spices can I add?

Try adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick. Or grate some fresh ginger into the dressing for a taste that will warm you up from the inside.

Looking for more salad inspiration? Try my savory Kale Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, or Thai Peanut Salad

orange dressing lifted up on a spoon over a glass jar.

Orange Vinaigrette Recipe

5 from 6 votes
This orange vinaigrette will brighten up your next salad and is perfect for a holiday meal!
prep10 mins cook0 mins total10 mins
Servings:4

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 medium-sized orange (juice + zest needed)
  • 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey , or stevia to taste
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Use a microplane, or grater, to zest the orange, grating only the orange rind and not the white pith, which can be bitter. Once the zest has been removed, slice the orange in half and juice it using a citrus press or reamer. You'll get 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice from a medium-sized orange.
  • Combine the fresh orange juice, orange zest, apple cider vinegar, honey garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small glass jar with a lid. Whisk well until the honey dissolves. Alternatively, you can secure the lid and shake well.
  • Serve the dressing right away over your favorite salad greens. Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 2 tablespoons of dressing, assuming this recipe makes a 1/2 cup of dressing total. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Update Note: This recipe was originally posted in November 2012 and was updated in November 2024 (12 years later!) with better photos. The only change was the addition of ground black pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: orange vinaigrette

If you try this orange vinaigrette recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. I had one similar to this that had sesame seeds, sesame oil, and tamari in. Instead of the seeds I used a bit of tahini. It was a nice flavor.

  2. I have some dried cranberries that I was thinking of trying to somehow flavor a vinaigrette with. Is this possible? I have pears, mixed greens, feta cheese and walnuts and the sweetest dressing I have is French. I also have access to pineapple, orange, lime and lemon juice. I have white wine, sherry, balsamic and plain vinegar. Any suggestions that don’t involve a trip back to the store would be great. Thanks!

  3. Megan-
    I made this dressing for the salad at Thanksgiving dinner and it was a huge hit! I will definitely be making this in the future. So delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  4. I make a great dressing reminiscent of this but sub the honey for maple syrup, the vinegar for lime juice and use no oil. So good Will be posting soon 🙂

    Love to you and happy thanksgiving Megan! xx

  5. yumm this looks good, i always use some sort of balsamic this would be a nice addition to change it up and i have made that mistake of putting the white part in too when makes a salad recipe and it was horrible lol