Whip up this super tasty homemade maple citrus salad dressing in less time than it takes to search your fridge for that probably-expired, semi-sketchy store-bought bottle of salad dressing.
Maple Citrus Salad Dressing
Oh yes, I said it. Store-bought salad dressing is just plain sketchy. From thickeners to stabilizers to less than stellar quality oils… they’re a hot mess. There’s also a slew of hidden sweeteners and random preservatives just itching to get their grubby self all over your leafy greens.
No thank you!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a bit meticulous about making my own dressing.
They’re so ridiculously quick and easy to whisk together and, with a handy dandy recipe like this one at your fingertips, require so little thought that they just may be easier to make than the salad itself!
Actually there’s no chopping involved so…. dressing wins.
Cue “easy button” shaped confetti and a pile of veggies!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this sensational salad dressing:
Avocado Oil
Have you tried avocado oil yet? It’s my obsession! It has many of the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil but with a mild and almost buttery taste. Its quickly become my salad dressing oil of choice around here!
Avocado oil is a perfect for salad dressings and marinades. If needed you can absolutely try this with extra virgin olive oil, though avocado oil is my favorite here as it lets the citrus flavor shine by not overpowering the flavor profile of the dressing.
Lime Juice
Grab a lime and get squeezing! The fresh juice of a lime is fantastic here. Or try it with lemon juice!
Orange Juice
2 clementines are all you need to squeeze enough fresh orange juice for this dressing. The flavor is out of this world!
Maple Syrup
Make sure you use 100% pure grade A maple syrup – not the sweetened corn syrup variety.
Salt and Pepper
A few pinches of salt and a dash or so of pepper are all you’ll need for this easy peasy dressing. Feel free to season to taste but don’t skip them as they bring out the flavors of the dressing.
Ready to get shakin’? Here’s the recipe!
Salad Dressing Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to enjoy this divine dressing is over greens like kale and/or spinach. It’s also a fantastic dressing for quinoa salads.
I originally developed this recipe for my Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnuts and fell in love with the combination of flavors and textures with this fresh and light dressing.
It’s also great with my Apple Cranberry Brussels Sprout Salad, Green Bean Quinoa Salad, and it makes a lovely dressing for my brand new Apple Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans and Feta recipe. LOVE IT SO!
Maple Citrus Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 2 TBSP fresh lime juice
- 2 TBSP orange juice
- 2 TBSP pure maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp sea salt plus extra to taste
- a dash of black pepper plus extra to taste
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- 1 clove garlic (peeled, smashed, and finely minced)
- 2 TBSP white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ⅛ tsp ground cumin (optional but amazing if you like cumin!)
Instructions
- Shake ingredients together in sealed mason jar with a lid then drizzle over your favorite salad!
- For an amped up vinaigrette, add optional extras to the jar and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for More Tasty Salad Dressing Recipes?
- NEW! Honey Chipotle Dressing
- Homemade Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- Homemade Balsamic Dressing
- Restaurant-Style Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Honey Harissa Vinaigrette
If you get a chance to try this maple citrus salad dressing recipe, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
I didn’t make it. But I sure did enjoy it at my daughter’s house for dinner the other night. And I for sure will be making it in the future. Delicious.
So happy to hear it – thanks Marsha!
I’ve come close to picking up avocado oil so many times! Have you ever cooked with it?
I haven’t yet! I originally heard it’s super delicate and best in dressings and such but I recently read that it’s great for cooking and super heat-stable so I’ll be using it along with my EVOO from here on out! 🙂
I have been really getting into homemade dressings lately for the same reason you state…..I can’t eat soy anymore without getting sick, and it seems like EVERY dressing out there has soy in it. What’s up with that? I love how simple and classic this is, can’t wait to try it.
I feel your pain! I have to limit onion, garlic, and a ton of other foods and I’m going to need to make my own everything at this point! Luckily dressings are SO easy to whisk together – I hope you adore it Annie! <3
This sounds lovely! A nice little bright zing for a winter salad!