Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Apple cider vinaigrette is a staple dressing for adding a burst of bright, tangy flavor to your favorite salads. Make it from scratch and you won’t want it any other way!

I have been pretty obsessed with homemade salad dressings recently. They’re just so good! No matter what you add them to, it takes the flavor to the next level! Plus, you know exactly what’s going into them so you don’t have to worry about preservatives or artificial flavors! You’ve got to try making homemade ranch, copycat Olive Garden dressing, and lemon vinaigrette next.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (1)

Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe

When it comes to salad dressings, apple cider vinaigrette is one of the best. It’s silky smooth and has a tangy flavor that works with both sweet and savory salads! The consistency is my favorite, too. It adds just the right amount of flavor without being too thick and heavy.

And if you’re not already convinced, apple cider vinegar does wonders for the body. Anything that’s both healthy and delicious is a win in my book! Apple cider vinegar is packed with probiotics for healthy digestion and can help with weight loss and lowering cholesterol! You are going to LOVE having this homemade dressing on hand and want to put it on everything. I know I have!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Nothing fancy here! All you need is some apple cider vinegar and a few other simple ingredients from your pantry. Measurements for each ingredient can be found below in the recipe card!

  • Apple Cider Vinegar: This gives the vinaigrette its signature tangy and fruity flavor.
  • Honey: Adds sweetness and helps your vinaigrette become nice and smooth.
  • Dijon Mustard: Helps to thicken your dressing a little and adds the best pop of tangy flavor!
  • Garlic: The savory flavor of garlic balances the sweetness of the apple cider vinegar perfectly.
  • Kosher Salt: I always go for kosher salt instead of table salt because it doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste. Sea salt works, too!
  • Cracked Black Pepper: For an extra hint of flavor!
  • Olive Oil: Helps to coat your greens with all of the delicious herbs and flavors in the dressing. I used extra-virgin olive oil!

How to Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette mixes up in minutes which is great when you have a busy schedule. I make a batch for myself at the start of each week for quick and easy lunches. You won’t want takeout salads when you have this tasty dressing around!

  1. Whisk: In a bowl or jar, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2. Add Olive Oil: In a steady stream, pour in the olive oil whisking as you add it. Whisk until smooth and incorporated.
  3. Serve: Chill in the refrigerator in a sealable container until you’re ready to serve with your salad!
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2)

Tips and Variations

You can easily adjust the flavor of this apple cider vinaigrette to your preference! Here are a few tips to get you started.

  • Adjust Flavor: If you feel that the flavor of your dressing is too strong, you can add more olive oil to make it milder.
  • Olive Oil Substitutes: You can swap olive oil out with just about any light salad oil. Just keep in mind that the oil you use may alter the flavor of your vinaigrette slightly. Soybean, avocado, and walnut oil are just a handful of the many types you can use!
  • Add Herbs: Adding herbs to your homemade dressings is a great way to infuse extra flavor! I always like adding a pinch of Italian seasoning.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (3)

How Long Does Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette Last?

Your homemade vinaigrette will last in the fridge for one week in an airtight container like a mason jar. The ingredients may separate as it sits, so give it a shake or stir before you use it!

Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (4)

More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

I’m sure that once you start making dressings and vinaigrettes from scratch, you’ll be as hooked as I am. You can’t beat their fresh, delicious flavor! Check out these other recipes to take all of your salads to the next level!

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Cafe Rio {Copycat} Cilantro Ranch Dressing

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Apple Cider Vinaigrette

By: Alyssa Rivers

Apple cider vinaigrette is a staple dressing for adding a burst of bright, tangy flavor to your favorite salads. Make it from scratch and you won’t want it any other way!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl or jar, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.

  • In a steady stream, pour in the olive oil whisking as you add it. Whisk until smooth and incorporated.

  • Chill in the refrigerator in a sealable container until you're ready to serve with your salad!

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbspCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 0.1gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 161mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dressing

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What are some common mistakes to avoid when making vinaigrette? ›

12 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Making Homemade Vinaigrette
  • Estimating measurements for all ingredients. inspiredbyart/Shutterstock. ...
  • Using the wrong oil. ...
  • Using the wrong vinegar. ...
  • Leaving out the emulsifier. ...
  • Skipping the mustard. ...
  • Forgetting to check expiration dates. ...
  • Not using fresh herbs. ...
  • Using vinaigrette only on salad.
Aug 18, 2022

What are the ingredients in Chick Fil A zesty apple cider vinaigrette? ›

SOYBEAN OIL, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, SUGAR, WATER, HONEY, DISTILLED VINEGAR, PINEAPPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, SALT, SPICE, LIME JUICE (WATER, LIME JUICE CONCENTRATE, LIME OIL), XANTHAN GUM, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND SODIUM BENZOATE ADDED AS PRESERVATIVES, NATURAL FLAVOR, GARLIC, ONION*, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ...

What to mix with apple cider vinegar to make it taste better? ›

Spices and herbs can go a long way in balancing the taste of apple cider vinegar. Try adding a pinch of cinnamon, ginger, or turmeric to your vinegar mixture. These aromatic seasonings not only help cut the acidity but also provide additional health benefits and flavors to your recipes.

How do you make true apple cider vinegar? ›

The following steps must be followed to make a high-quality cider vinegar:
  1. Make a clean cider from ripe apples.
  2. Change all of the fruit sugar to alcohol. This is called “yeast fermentation."
  3. Change all of the alcohol to acetic acid. ...
  4. Clarify the acetic acid to prevent further fermentation and decomposition.
Mar 5, 2023

Why does homemade vinaigrette go bad? ›

How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last? Traditional vinaigrettes, like the balsamic version listed below, will last longer—sometimes up to a few weeks. However, anything with fresh garlic should be consumed within a few days, as the combination of garlic and oil can form harmful bacteria over time.

What is the stabilizer in a vinaigrette? ›

An emulsifier is used in a vinaigrette to stabilize the oil and vinegar. Common emulsifiers include egg yolks, soy lecithin, and mustard. These ingredients all include lecithin--the stabilizing compound. In many vinaigrettes, mustard is the go-to stabilizer.

What is Chick-fil-A secret ingredient? ›

That ingredient is monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG. While many people think MSG is only found in Chinese (or Americanized Chinese) cuisine, it's prevalent in dozens of all types of food items, including snacks like Doritos and powder mixes like Hidden Valley's ranch dressing.

Which salad dressing is the healthiest at Chick-fil-A? ›

Of the two recommended dressing options, the Light Balsamic Vinaigrette is the lower-calorie, lower-sodium choice for dressings, versus the Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette. “Not all salads are a healthy choice.

Does apple cider vinaigrette have sugar? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Sugar, White Balsamic Vinegar, Apple Juice Concentrate, Apple Cider Vinegar, Egg Yolk, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Natural Flavor, Xanthan Gum, Spice, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Onion,* Garlic,* Propylene Glycol Alginate, Wine, Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor).

Why do you put lemon in apple cider vinegar? ›

Antioxidant source – ACV with mother is enriched with vitamins, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and amino acids. And when combined with the goodness of vitamin C from lemon juice, it is a potent antioxidant. Fighting harmful pathogens – Acetic acid helps fight infections caused by helicobacter, E.

What if I add too much apple cider vinegar to my recipe? ›

If you have added too much vinegar to a recipe, you can try adding a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the acidity. You could also try diluting the vinegar by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

Is it better to drink apple cider vinegar at night or in the morning? ›

Is it good to drink apple cider vinegar before going to bed? Apple cider vinegar offers many possible health benefits. However, besides potentially lowering fasting blood sugar for some people, drinking it right before bed doesn't appear to have more benefits than consuming it at any other time of day.

What is the difference between Bragg apple cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar? ›

Regular apple cider vinegar is clearer and kind of looks like apple juice; it's been filtered. The good stuff (Bragg's) contains some cobweb-like stuff at the bottom of the bottle called “The Mother,” which is made up of raw enzymes and bacteria that promote digestive health, as they feed the good bacteria in our gut.

What ingredients should be in apple cider vinegar? ›

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a type of vinegar made with crushed fermented apples, yeast, and sugar. It's used as an ingredient in foods such as salad dressings, pickles, and marinades. For many years, people have also used it as a home remedy for everything from fighting germs to preventing heartburn.

How long does homemade apple cider vinegar last? ›

Shelf life and proper storage tips

The acidic nature of vinegar makes it a self-preserving pantry staple, which means it generally never sours or expires.

What should you avoid when dressing a salad? ›

Avoid dressings that use refined, damaged oils like soybean, corn, cottonseed, vegetable, or canola oil. Unfortunately, these oils are inflammatory and have lost most of their nutrients in the processing.

How do you know if homemade vinaigrette is bad? ›

According to Reader's Digest, oil-based salad dressings, such as a balsamic vinaigrette or Italian dressing, tend to last longer than mayo-based dressings. In general, these dressings can last for up to a few weeks (via Know Your Pantry). However, once they've expired, they will give off a noticeable rancid smell.

What not to do when making a salad? ›

Read on for Sichel's five best tips on how to make a salad that tells a story.
  1. Don't add too many ingredients.
  2. Don't overdress it.
  3. Don't forget herbs and spices.
  4. Don't hold back on crunch.
  5. Don't miss out on flavor.
Nov 24, 2021

What are the seven things that you should not do when preparing the salad? ›

Common Salad Mistakes
  1. Here are seven things you should NOT do when making salads: Too much dressing. ...
  2. Pouring on the dressing. ...
  3. Wet salad leaves. ...
  4. Not seasoning it. ...
  5. Subpar salad dressings. ...
  6. Uncreative toppings. ...
  7. Served in a bowl.
May 13, 2013

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