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This zesty apple cider vinaigrette gets its touch of sweetness from honey, and the apple cider vinegar makes it irresistibly tangy. It's absolutely delicious on nearly any green salad, and it goes especially well with tossed salads that feature fruit.
This is one of our family’s favorite salad dressings. It has the tangy flavor of fresh apples without using apple juice or resorting to (heaven forbid) artificial flavors.
You know it’s hard to come up with ways to get kids to eat salads and vegetables. Ranch dressing is the standard fall back. But I highly recommend giving this easy recipe a try. It’s so sweet and tangy and irresistible! Kids who are devoted to ranch dressing just may change their minds when they try this one!
Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious dressing. A bottle of apple cider vinegar, oil, and other pantry staples like mustard, spices, and honey are all you need to make this healthy homemade salad dressing. If you like you can add a little sea salt or fresh black pepper to taste, but I rarely do.
- apple cider vinegar - I like to use raw apple cider vinegar, the kind that contains the "mother"
- Honey - other healthy salad dressings sometimes call for maple syrup as the sweetener but my favorite way to sweeten this is with honey. It’s easier to find, and (usually) cheaper than maple syrup.
- Dijon mustard - an awesome pantry staple that works well in many dressings and sauces
- Oil - I prefer to use avocado oil, but extra virgin olive oil or another healthy oil that you like will also work. If you do use olive oil, keep in mind that it will solidify if you store it in the fridge.
- Spices - garlic powder, smoked paprika, and celery seed is all you need
- Xanthan gum - this is optional, but it helps it have a creamy texture. See the notes section in the recipe card for more info.
See How I Make Apple Cider Dressing
Instead of writing a step by step section, I made you a quick video so you can see just how quickly you can make your own salad dressing.
The best part is you only need one piece of equipment: just a small bowl, mason jar, or other airtight container.
Add the ingredients and give it a good shake (as you can see in the video) and that’s it!
Apple Cider Salad Dressing
Apple Cider Salad Dressing is a vinaigrette that gets a touch of sweetness from honey, and the apple cider vinegar makes it irresistibly tangy. It is delicious on most green salads. Kids who are devoted to ranch dressing just may change their minds when they try this one!
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings of 2 tablespoons each 1x
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup avocado oil, or extra-virgin olive oil
-
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- A dash of xanthan gum, optional *see Notes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a container with a tight fitting lid.
- Shake until blended, or stir with a whisk until blended.
- Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Shake before using.
Notes
1. The xanthan gum is optional, but it is helpful to keep the ingredients from separating. If you are a gluten free baker (like me) you probably have some of this around but if not, it can easily be omitted - just be sure to shake the bottle before using it.
2. And keep in mind - if you use olive oil it will solidify if stored in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature and shake it to bring it back to its original consistency again. But this dressing can safely be stored at room temperature (see Qs and As below).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dinner
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 11.6 g
- Sodium: 17.7 mg
- Fat: 13.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.8 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Questions About Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
The ingredients tend to separate without it, but if you don't already have any xanthan gum on hand you could definitely do without it. Being a gluten free baker, I always have xanthan gum in my pantry. But it is expensive and can be hard to find, and I would hate for you to not try this recipe just because you don't have any xanthan gum. Just make it without it, and plan on shaking up the jar each time you want to use some.
There is some evidence that suggests that raw apple cider vinegar is good for your gut health. It has a cloudy sediment called the “mother” that is thought to contain a small amount of probiotics. And vinegar also contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. I do know that when my stomach is a little upset I find that drinking a teaspoon of ACV in a glass of ice water really helps. My advice is to read more about it (you can find some good studies online) and decide for yourself.
This recipe does not need to be refrigerated, but you can if you want to. Apple cider vinegar is a preservative itself, so it will be fine stored outside of the fridge. But to preserve its flavors for longer, keep it in a cool place.
I wouldn't recommend it. The honey adds texture and flavor that balances out the sharpness of the apple cider vinegar. It really is the star of the show in this recipe. Maple syrup can be used but I prefer honey - it’s easier to find, and it will probably save you some money too.
This easy recipe is just perfect on all kinds of spring green salads, fall harvest salads, and winter salads. Try it on my Healthy 8 Salad, my Chicken Salad with Peaches, Walnuts, and Blue Cheese and my Garden Harvest Salad. It is so delicious in green salads that contain fruit like blueberries and strawberries.