Salad dressing is a pretty remarkable condiment. It has the potential to perk up a dull salad and mingle otherwise singular ingredients into a bowl of flavorful goodness. This Citrus Vinaigrette does just that. And, you can shake it up in less than 5 minutes flat.
Every week our family has ‘build-your-own salad night’. This is a popular dinner because they have the ability to create their own meal. How much, how little, if any, add more… they get to decide which is quite empowering. (It also works wonders in homes with selective eaters.)
I lay out some greens, a variety of veggies that happen to be in my fridge, some animal protein like chicken or salmon, some plant-based protein like edamame or chickpeas, and something crunchy like nuts or seeds. My girls don’t let me forget the avocado or feta cheese, either. But the crowning glory, the condiment that brings all those ingredients together is a fresh and flavorful salad dressing.
This Citrus Vinaigrette is currently my 5-year-old’s favorite dressing and she also likes to help me make it. Zest and squeeze a navel orange and then add in some rice vinegar, a bit of lime juice, a squeeze of honey, EVOO and a little dijon mustard and you will have a light and bright salad dressing perfect for a build-your-own salad night/perking up your salad greens and crunchy vegetables.
Sweet, tangy, and bright, this Citrus Vinaigrette is perfect over spicy greens like arugula. But, it’s also just the right dressing for grain and veggie salads like this Quinoa Edamame Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette because the grains soak up all that delicious flavor!
You don’t need any special appliances or a lot of time to shake up a delicious vinaigrette for your family’s build-your-own salad night.
Easy Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
½ large orange, juice, and zest
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice, fresh or bottled
1 tbsp country dijon mustard, like Grey Poupon brand
½ tbsp honey, or maple syrup
⅛ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
Directions
Add all ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake up until it is well combined. Serve over your favorite greens and veggies. Double the recipe if you want to make extra for the week!
Store vinaigrette dressing in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Makes 3 servings, about 2 tbsps each (makes about 6 tbsps of dressing)
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 61; Total Fat 4.7g (saturated fat 0.7g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbs 4g; Fiber 0.1g; Sugar 4g (Added Sugar 3g; Naturally Occuring Sugar 1g); Protein 0.1g
