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This easy Blood Orange salad dressing is a delicious citrus homemade salad dressing that you need for the upcoming seasons, especially now since its blood orange season. It’s the perfect accompaniment for all of your summer and winter salads. This balsamic citrus vinaigrette recipe will elevate all of your favourite greens. With a hint of sweetness, this healthy orange dressing has a little honey to enhance the sweetness of the blood oranges.

This citrus vinaigrette would pair perfectly with this Winter Citrus Salad.

How to serve Blood Orange Vinaigrette 

This simple vinaigrette goes perfectly in a simple arugula salad, spring mix or any of our favorite greens, but my favourite way is to enjoy it in a kale salad filled with goodies like avocado, apples, red onion and feta cheese. It also pairs perfectly with a salad filled with citrus fruits too!

 

 

Why you’ll love this tangy dressing…

This basic recipe has a gorgeous bright color and only requires a handful of simple ingredients and only a couple of blood oranges (depending on how much you want to make). Making your own salad dressings are so simple to make and are even more cost-effective than buying them at the grocery store. Making small batches of dressing is also healthier since there are no hidden sugars or added preservatives.

The perfect balance of sweetness of this basic vinaigrette is fantastic for green salads; like spinach salad with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese, or this Orange Feta and Arugula Salad. It’s another simple salad idea with arugula and orange segments. Perfect side salad or quick lunch idea.

If you enjoy the sweet-tart zestiness of the dressing, you have to try this maple balsamic dressing or this honey mustard vinaigrette that I used on the Winter Citrus Salad.

Ingredients needed to make this Blood Orange Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup Blood Orange juice (about 2 oranges)

  • 1 tsp of blood orange zest

  • 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

  • 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

  • 1 tbsp of good quality honey

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • a few cracks of fresh black pepper

  • 1 garlic clove, optional
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, optional

How to make Blood Orange Vinaigrette

  1. Using a sharp knife, slice your oranges in half on a cutting board and using a citrus juicer, squeeze out as much juice as you can from each half. Pour the fresh orange juice into a mason jar, or small mixing bowl.

  2. Add the orange zest, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.

  3. Either mix with a wire whisk or add the lid on your mason jar and shake until well combined. You can even add all of the ingredients to a food processor for a very smooth texture.

  4. Drizzle the vinaigrette sauce on the salad green of your choice.

    Store any extra dressing in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Can I use another citrus to make this vinaigrette?

You can replace it with any variety of orange or citrus. Lime juice or regular orange juice is equally as delicious. Prefer a lemon salad dressing? Replace with 4 tbsp lemon juice for a lovely yellow color! Don’t forget to add a little lemon zest!

Variations for this citrus-balsamic dressing…

  • Instead of honey, replace it with 1 tbsp of maple syrup or agave nectar.

  • If you like adding fresh herbs to your vinaigrette, add in about 4 chopped basil leaves or fresh parsley.

  • No balsamic vinegar? No problem…use rice vinegar, champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar.

  • Want a little heat? Add in between 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes depending on how strong you want the kick.

Blood oranges are typically in season from December to April. However, the exact dates can vary depending on the growing region and weather conditions.

What do blood oranges taste like?

Blood oranges have a unique, slightly sweet and tart flavor, with notes of raspberry and a hint of cranberry. They have a deep red flesh and a juicy, sweet-tart taste that is distinct from regular oranges. The red pigment in the fruit comes from anthocyanins, which give the fruit its characteristic color and also contribute to its slightly bitter aftertaste.

 

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup Blood Orange juice (about 2 oranges)
  • 1 tsp of blood orange zest
  • 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of good quality honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • a few cracks of fresh black pepper

Instructions

  1. Slice your oranges in half and using a citrus juicer, squeeze out as much juice as you can from each half. Pour the fresh orange juice into a mason jar, or small mixing bowl.
  2. Add the orange zest, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
  3. Mix with a wire whisk or add the lid on your mason jar and shake until well combined.
  4. Drizzle the vinaigrette sauce on the salad green of your choice.

Notes

Store in a mason jar or airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 64Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g
© Christopher

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