15 Easy Citrus Vinaigrettes That Will Make You Love Salad Again

February 05, 2021

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Credit: Eva Kolenko

Add some brightness to your salad with these easy citrus vinaigrette recipes. Ingredients like lemon, lime and orange bring a pop of acidity that pairs well with leafy greens. Try recipes like Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette and Olive Orange Vinaigrette for a fresh and light dressing that will instantly make any salad more delicious.

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Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Credit: Eva Kolenko

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While a 1-to-2 acid-to-oil ratio is common for vinaigrette, shifting it to 1-to-1½ yields a dressing with a brighter flavor and fewer calories. That means for every ½ cup of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, use 3/4 cup of oil. Here’s a good all-purpose take on the formula.

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Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette

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Tangy and spicy, this citrus-lime vinaigrette with orange juice, jalapeño pepper, and fresh cilantro is perfect tossed with baby arugula.

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Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette with Lemon

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A healthy, tasty homemade salad dressing is as simple as shaking a few ingredients in a jar.

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Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette

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The sunny fresh flavors of tart lemon and cool mint combine to make a lively dressing that adds sparkle to salads made with steamed vegetables, potatoes or grains, such as couscous.

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Olive Orange Vinaigrette

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Minced olives add a briny flavor to this healthy homemade salad dressing. The dressing keeps for several days in the fridge, so make a big batch to use on your favorite dinner salads and side salads. Try it on a salad with sliced red onion and fresh oranges.

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Parsley-Lemon Vinaigrette

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Parsley has a lovely grassy flavor--but feel free to use any herb, such as cilantro, rosemary, basil or dill, in this healthy salad dressing.

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Overripe Citrus Vinaigrette

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Orange and lime combine with Dijon mustard and garlic to make a quick, easy vinaigrette that's as tasty on freshly cooked vegetables as it is on salad.

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Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

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Use this healthy salad dressing to dress mixed greens or as a marinade for grilled chicken, shrimp or tofu.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

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This versatile citrus salad dressing gets a touch of natural sweetness from orange juice, which balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Use it in coleslaw for a mayo-free dressing, or drizzle it over winter greens with dried fruit and nuts.

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Mint Vinaigrette

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This brightly flavored lemon-mint vinaigrette recipe is an ideal dressing for mixed green salads or grain salads, such a quinoa or freekah, topped with fresh fruit.

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Orange-Walnut Vinaigrette

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Try this orange-walnut vinaigrette with a salad of bitter greens.

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Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette

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This garlicky mustard vinaigrette is great to have in your repertoire as it goes with almost anything. The recipe makes plenty so you can fix it once and then have it on hand for several days. The garlic is delicious but bold here; use fewer cloves if you want to tone it down.

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Cumin Lime Vinaigrette

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Try this zippy healthy homemade salad dressing on a steak salad with corn and tomatoes.

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Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Ramps, wild onions that pop up in the spring, give this dressing both onion and garlic flavor. Use this healthy salad dressing to marinate flank steak or on a green salad with shrimp.

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Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

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Orange juice and cilantro yield a tangy dressing that you'll want to have on hand.

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