This Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe is light, fresh, and full of balanced flavor. Made with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil, it comes together in just a few minutes and tastes far better than anything from a bottle. I love using it on simple green salads, grain bowls, or even roasted vegetables when I want something bright and homemade.
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Making your own salad dressings is a healthy swap that's easy to implement… especially when they taste as great as this one! This apple cider vinaigrette dressing is a go-to dressing for any salad.
Keep it on hand throughout the year and you'll find yourself using it on fresh garden salads as well as soaking chicken or shrimp before cooking.
It's easy to make and pairs well with any dish. It would also be delicious on my Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese or the Arugula Feta Salad!
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing:
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Ingredients:
- Apple cider vinegar - This gives the dressing its signature tang and brightness. Choose an unfiltered vinegar with "the mother" for the best flavor and added nutrients. I use Bragg's and I tested it with this specific brand.
- Olive oil - A good extra-virgin olive oil is key here. It softens the sharpness of the vinegar and makes the dressing rich and smooth. A high-quality oil will also add a peppery finish which complements the vinegar. My personal favorite, and the one that I tested this recipe with is from Laconiko.
- Ground Mustard - While I tested this with both Dijon mustard and ground mustard, I opted for the dried ground mustard. This dressing emulsifies easily and the mustard provides the flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities
How To Make This Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe: Step-By-Step
Step 1: Roughly chop the onions.
Step 2: Chop the celery and parsley.
Step 3: Place everything into a blender.
Step 4: Combine.
Substitutions
- Sweetness - This recipe calls for the sugar to be optional. While my preference is to add about ½ teaspoon sugar to control the "tang", the decision is yours. You can add up to 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Maple syrup - If you would like to sweeten this dressing naturally you can add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup to the dressing.
- Mustard - You can use 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard instead of the ground dry mustard.
- Pepper - My original recipe called for white pepper instead of black pepper. I did not notice a difference in taste but if you use white pepper you will not see pepper flakes in the dressing.
- Spicy - Add some red pepper flakes to this dressing to kick up the flavor.
What To Do With A Homemade Dressing
You want to make sure you use up the dressing within a couple of weeks. Below are some great ideas on what to do with it.
- Salads: Drizzle it on top of your favorite salads. Though it's made for leafy green salads, it's also pretty delicious on a pasta salad too! I have used it on my Lentil Salad and my Gluten Free Pasta Salad as well.
- Marinade: Use the vinaigrette to marinate shrimp or chicken pieces before you cook them.
- Roasted vegetables: Drizzle the dressing on top of roasted or grilled vegetables for a pop of flavor.
More Salads
Let me know your thoughts on this Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ medium sweet onion cut into large chunks
- 1 ½ garlic cloves peeled
- 1 ½ t salt
- ⅛ t paprika
- ⅛ t ground mustard
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 t parsley chopped
- 1 t celery chopped
- ⅜ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- ⅛ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
Instructions
- Chop the onion into chunks.
- Chop the celery into pieces along with the parsley.
- Place everything into a blender.
- Blend.
- Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Mary says
I really loved how zesty and tangy this dressing turned out! So excited to use this for salads!
Brenda says
I've been making this salad dressing for a while and never commented, but yesterday I tried it with chicken, and it was so, so good! I used your suggestion to marinate chicken pieces in it and loved it!
Dana says
This Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette is incredible! Can't wait to whip up a batch and try it as a marinade!
Hanna says
Easy to make! 🙂
Kristin says
Homemade salad dressing is the best!
Kat says
It's quick to make and adds flavor to salads or marinades. Tangy yet slightly sweet, so good!
Pearl says
This apple cider vinaigrette is fresh, tangy, and bright! It was my first time making my own dressing and it was worth the effort!
Sarah says
Great!
Sofia says
Just made this apple cider vinaigrette and they were so good! Tangy, right amount of sweetness, and I added the red pepper flakes for some spice and it was absolutely perfect. Will have to try this as a marinade next time! Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Anonymous says
Yum