This Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette is a quick, homemade salad dressing made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, fresh onion, garlic, and ground mustard. It's bright, tangy, and perfectly balanced. In just 10 minutes, you'll have a fresh apple cider vinaigrette that pairs beautifully with leafy greens, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or drizzled over my Italian White Bean Salad for an easy Mediterranean-inspired side.
Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette At A Glance
- ⏱️ Total Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Servings: About 12 servings
- 🍽️ Cuisine Type: American / Mediterranean-Inspired
- 🥗 Flavor Profile: Bright, tangy apple cider vinegar balanced with olive oil, fresh onion, garlic, and a hint of ground mustard
- 🥄 Dietary Info: Naturally dairy-free and gluten-free; sugar is optional
- 🫙 Storage Notes: Store in an airtight mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; shake well before using as separation is natural
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A quick homemade vinaigrette that adds fresh, zesty flavor to salads, grain bowls, and roasted vegetables in just minutes
Save And Summarize This Recipe
This vinaigrette is especially delicious tossed with hearty salads that can stand up to bold flavor. I love it over my Chickpea Orzo Salad, where the tangy dressing brightens the herbs and roasted vegetables. It also works beautifully with my Quinoa Beet Salad, adding a sharp, clean finish that balances the earthy sweetness of the beets.
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If you're building a Mediterranean-style meal, try drizzling it over simply roasted vegetables or serving it alongside Grilled Za'atar Chicken for a fresh contrast. It's also a great way to dress up a protein-forward bowl like my Mediterranean Chicken Bowl, adding brightness without competing with the warm spices.
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!
- Brenda
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing:
- 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.
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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.
How To Make This Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette: 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.
Gwen's Pro Tip
Because this vinaigrette uses fresh onion and garlic, the flavor can taste sharp right after blending. After 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator, those flavors mellow and meld with the olive oil and vinegar. The result is smoother, more balanced, and noticeably more cohesive.
Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette FAQ's
Balancing apple cider vinegar in a vinaigrette comes down to the ratio of oil to vinegar. A classic starting point is 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar, which softens the acidity while keeping the dressing bright. In this Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette, the fresh onion, garlic, ground mustard, and optional sugar help round out the sharpness. If your dressing tastes too tangy, add a drizzle of olive oil; if it feels flat, a small splash of vinegar will wake it up. Always taste and adjust after blending - the flavors settle as it sits.
Apple cider vinaigrette is incredibly versatile and works far beyond a simple green salad. It's delicious spooned over grain bowls or drizzled onto roasted vegetables. I especially love it with hearty, Mediterranean-style salads like my Tuna Nicoise Salad, where the bright acidity complements briny olives, tender potatoes, and fresh vegetables. You can also use it as a light marinade for chicken.
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Let me know your thoughts on this Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
- ½ medium sweet onion cut into large chunks
- 1 ½ garlic cloves peeled
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon 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