Quick Citrus Vinaigrette Recipe

This citrus vinaigrette is a delicious, 3-minute dressing you can whip up to drizzle over your favorite salads.

All you need is vinegar, a squeeze of fresh orange and lemon juice, a drizzle of honey, shallots, and olive oil- it’s super simple and packs a ton of flavor.

Hurry, grab the recipe to add a tangy and sweet fresh flavor to your greens!

Best Citrus Vinaigrette

If you’re looking to switch from store-bought vinaigrettes and dressings, this citrus vinaigrette is easy to make and will brighten up any of your favorite salads and power bowls. This recipe yields about 1 ½ cups of vinaigrette, enough for two or three large salads.

Citrus Vinaigrette Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make this tangy-sweet vinaigrette: 

• white wine vinegar: the tangy component to this vinaigrette. You could also use champagne or apple cider vinegar. 
• orange juice: squeezed from an orange. You’ll need about 1 large orange. 
• lemon juice: same as the orange juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice works best. 
• shallots: have a sharp flavor similar to red onions, can be omitted
• olive oil: emulsifies with the citrus juice, so the vinaigrette coats all of your salad ingredients. 
• salt: enhances the other flavors.

How to Make Citrus Vinaigrette

Let’s grab those ingredients, a bowl, and whisk and make this vinaigrette. 

1. Combine
   Combine the vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, and salt, in a medium bowl. 
2. Add the oil
   Slowly pour in the oil while whisking. Continue to whisk until the mixture is combined or emulsified. And voila! Just like that, you have a homemade vinaigrette!

What does emulsified mean? It’s what happens when two substances that don’t easily combine, like oil and liquid, are blended to form a cohesive mixture. Slowly adding the oil will help it integrate with the vinegar and citrus juice to give this vinaigrette a smooth consistency. 

You can also watch how this recipe is made in the video below: 

Using Citrus Vinaigrette on Salads

Now that you have an incredible citrus vinaigrette, here are some salad ideas to drizzle it over. Just swap the recipe’s original vinaigrette for this one; trust me, the combination of flavors and texture work! 

• Winter Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Salad
• Watermelon Salad
• Kale Salad

Can You Use Vinaigrette as a Marinade?

Both marinades and vinaigrettes are composed of an acid (vinegar or citrus juice), an oil, and flavoring (via herbs, spices, mustard, and honey). Most vinaigrette recipes work as a dressing for salads or a 20-minute marinade for your favorite proteins, including this citrus vinaigrette.

I love using this vinaigrette as a quick marinade for chicken breasts or thighs before cooking since the sugars in the citrus and honey create a delicious, flavorful crust over the chicken. 20 minutes is all you need to add flavor to your proteins.

How to Store Homemade Citrus Vinaigrette

Once you make a fresh vinaigrette, transfer it into a lidded jar or airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 1 week.

Before serving, remove the vinaigrette from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Give the container or jar a good shake to emulsify the ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

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