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Home » Course » Condiment » Citrus Salad Dressing

Published: May 10, 2019 · Modified: May 22, 2023 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

Citrus Salad Dressing

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This light and refreshing Citrus Salad Dressing will be a perfect vinaigrette recipe to brighten up your salad! Made with just a few simple ingredients, like olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon and orange, it has a perfect balance of tangy and sweet.

Citrus Vinaigrette in a mason jar.

I am a big fan of making salad dressing at home using simple fresh ingredients. Though it might be more convenient to buy from a local store, it never tastes the same as a homemade vinaigrette.

Another reason is if you look at the ingredient’s labels of store-bought dressings, you will see a lot of added ingredients that shouldn’t be there, like sugar, preservatives, and many others. When you make it at home, you can control the ingredients and overall quality.

I love adding this Citrus Vinaigrette to my Roasted Beet Salad, Farro Salad, and Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad.

Citrus Vinaigrette in a mason jar.

Ingredients and Subtitution

This Citrus Salad Dressing is similar to my Maple Dijon Dressing and Lemon Salad Dressing and will take you no more than 5-7 minutes to make and all you need is just a few basic ingredients:

  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Good quality extra-virgin olive oil is essential in any vinaigrette. It creates the base and helps to “marry” all the flavors together.
  • White Wine Vinegar. This is my favorite type of vinegar to add a touch of acidity for a classic vinaigrette.
  • Dijon Mustard. It helps to emulsify the dressing to get the right consistency and adds another layer or flavor. My favorite brand for Dijon mustard is Grey Poupon (not sponsored). Although, you can use any other brand.
  • Citrus. To get a perfect balance of acidic and sweet citrus flavor, I use zest and juice of fresh lemon and orange.
  • Maple syrup. Adds a nice sweet touch to balance the acidity.
  • Garlic. I prefer to use garlic powder in my vinaigrette that provides a touch of aroma without having pieces of garlic in it. If you want, you can just use minced garlic for bolder flavor.
  • Salt. Just a pinch of salt will help to balance all the flavors.
Squeezing orange juice in mason jar.

How to make it

This easy recipe will take you just a few minutes to put together.

Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, close with a lid and shake it well until all the ingredients are well combined.

Citrus Vinaigrette in a mason jar.

Tips for best results

  1. It is very important to use good quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. If you use a cheaper one, it might have a bitter aftertaste. To fix it, you can try to add more orange juice and maple syrup.
  2. Also, if your olive oil is not the best quality and your vinaigrette is too oily, try adding more Dijon mustard.
  3. We all have different tastes. So, after you make this vinaigrette, taste it. You can adjust the flavors and the acidity by adding more white vinegar or Dijon mustard.
  4. When zesting the lemon and orange, zest only the very yellow/orange part of the fruit. Try to avoid the white pith under it, as it has quite bitter taste.
Pouring Citrus Vinaigrette in arugula salad

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does salad dressing last?

You can refrigerate it in a closed jar for up to a week.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! You can easily double all the ingredients and then make any adjustments if needed.

Can I use store bought lemon and orange juice?

No. Store bought lemon and orange juice are not going to work in this recipe. To get the right flavor, you need to use zest and juice from fresh lemon and orange.

Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!

Citrus Vinaigrette in a mason jar.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Citrus Salad Dressing

This light and refreshing Citrus Salad Dressing will be a perfect vinaigrette recipe to brighten up your salad! Made with just a few simple ingredients, like olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon and orange, it has a perfect balance of tangy and sweet.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 111kcal
Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • orange zest from 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients in a mason jar (Olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, and salt).
  • Close the lid and shake it up to mix everything together.

Notes

  1. It is very important to use good quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. If you use a cheaper one, it might have a bitter aftertaste. To fix it, you can try to add more orange juice and maple syrup.
  2. Also, if your olive oil is not the best quality and your vinaigrette is too oily, try adding more Dijon mustard.
  3. We all have different tastes. So, after you make this vinaigrette, taste it. You can adjust the flavors and the acidity by adding more white vinegar or Dijon mustard.
  4. When zesting the lemon and orange, zest only the very yellow/orange part of the fruit. Try to avoid the white pith under it, as it has quite bitter taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.5g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 11.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Sodium: 0.6mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2.6g
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Paua says

    November 20, 2022 at 9:31 pm

    I don’t care for the flavor of maple. Is there something else I can use?

    Reply
    • Marie Mack says

      December 04, 2022 at 10:13 pm

      Honey

      Reply
  2. Lindsey says

    May 19, 2021 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is awesome! I made it to replicate a salad at a local restaurant, which includes quinoa, grilled chicken, cucumbers, quartered grapes, and slivered almonds with a citrus maple dressing. This dressing is even better than what they serve at the restaurant! So good!

    Reply
  3. Cindy says

    July 16, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    5 stars
    One of the best vinaigrette recipes I have had. Perfect on a lettuce, blueberry, orange, pecan and blue cheese salad.

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      July 17, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      Yaay! Thank you, Cindy! So happy you liked it!

      Reply
  4. Audria says

    July 07, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    This looks so good! Crosslinking on my blog 🙂 flowerbungalow.com/arcadia-inspired-tuscan-kale-salad

    Reply
  5. Jyothi says

    May 20, 2019 at 2:02 am

    5 stars
    Summer salad and this amazing dressing is going to be favorite for a long time. I love simple delicious dressing like this. Looks so amazing

    Reply
  6. Analida Braeger says

    May 19, 2019 at 10:14 pm

    I always make my own dressings at home, there is just something about it that is too special, Even though we don’t have our pictures on a bottle like Paul Newman we can still pack the same flavor 🙂

    Reply
  7. Amanda says

    May 19, 2019 at 11:13 am

    5 stars
    You can’t beat a homemade dressing! It’s so much better than anything you’d get in the store. I love all the citrus and touch of maple for a depth of flavor in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Saima says

    May 19, 2019 at 2:09 am

    5 stars
    You’re right. Nothing can beat a homemade vinaigrette and the store bought ones don’t even come close. I love the sunshine yellow colour of your citrus vinaigrette salad dressing. I’m sure it tastes like heaven!

    Reply
  9. Jenni LeBaron says

    May 18, 2019 at 10:30 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious, healthy, and easy. I love the addition of orange to put a fun twist on this vinaigrette!

    Reply
  10. Carrie says

    May 17, 2019 at 9:23 am

    5 stars
    This sounds like such a refreshing vinaigrette, perfect for summer! I hate buying store bought dressings, will be trying this soon!

    Reply
  11. Denise says

    May 16, 2019 at 2:20 pm

    5 stars
    I love making my own dressings & vinaigrette. This sounds so good, and very versatile to use on different dishes as well!

    Reply
  12. Liz says

    May 14, 2019 at 10:57 pm

    I love the simplicity of a summer salad and a lovely dressing like this!

    Reply
  13. Liz says

    May 14, 2019 at 10:56 pm

    I love a good salad dressing! Perfect timing for summer!

    Reply
  14. Gloria says

    May 13, 2019 at 6:00 pm

    5 stars
    I love homemade salad dressings. Right now I have lots of citrus in the fridge. With so many bbq parties this summer, I know this salad dressing would be a hit with the guests.

    Reply

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