This orange vinaigrette recipe is my go-to when I want an oil free salad dressing. Sweet from the orange juice but still with the acidity of balsamic vinegar, it tastes especially good with blue cheese and salad leaves that are on the bitter spectrum like chicory, endive or radicchio. Throw some walnuts in and we have a party! It is an oil free salad dressing with only 5 ingredients and no fat, plus it takes literally seconds to make.
The basic components of a salad dressing are usually oil, acid, sweet n salty and aromatics and then it needs an emulsifying agent. Typical emulsifying agents (or surfactants) are things like mustard, honey, egg yolk and tahini and they allow all the ingredients to combine. This is a salad dressing without oil but it still works so well and the extra orange juice means there is still enough to go around.
Making a salad dressing is pretty basic and the only kit you really need is a jar with a lid so you can shake it shake it shake it. A small hand whisk will also help you out if making it in a bowl, however, if you have a small handheld milk frother this is a game-changer and really helps emulsify your salad dressings to the max.
As I've already mentioned, this oil free salad dressing tastes especially good with blue cheese. Try a stilton with it, or my favourite American blue cheese, Point Reyes Blue.
This recipe appears in my Epic Salad Dressing ebook that you can get here.
Oil free salad dressing ingredients
This oil free salad dressing has just 5 ingredients and takes minutes to make.
- Oranges
- Balsamic vinegar
- Honey
- Shallot
- Dijon mustard
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Finely dice the shallot and place in a jar with the balsamic vinegar to allow it to slightly pickle.
Juice the orange and add to the jar, along with the dijon mustard and honey.
Whisk together
Substitutions
There are so few ingredients in this orange vinaigrette but here are a few ways you can switch it up to suit you.
- Vegan - Try this with maple syrup instead of honey to make this oil free dressing vegan
- Mustard - Not a fan, or allergic? You can try this recipe without it, it just might not blend so well.
Equipment
A jar with a lid is all that you need!
I like these little ones from John Lewis.
Oil free salad dressing storage
If you have any of this oil free dressing leftover you can store it for a few days in the fridge.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tips for this orange vinaigrette salad dressing
You can use shop-bought orange juice but it tastes so much better with freshly squeezed! Juice it through a sieve to avoid any bits if you aren't keen on them.
📖 Recipe
Oil free salad dressing - an orange vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ shallot finely diced
- 100 ml orange juice
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Finely dice the shallot and place it in a bowl or jar with the balsamic vinegar
- Add the orange juice, honey and mustard and whisk together
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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