Slightly sweet and perfectly zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing made with simple ingredients in minutes! A great recipe for beginners!
Let me introduce you to another salad dressing recipe that will have you walking right past all of the store-bought dressings in the grocery aisle!
If you're like me, you doubt you can make anything taste as good as restaurant food. Well, guess what? They need to keep things simple and budget friendly, too!
This recipe is no different! You just place a handful of simple ingredients in a jar or small bowl and give it a good shake or whisk it well.
And even though I put a little twist in my version of apple cider vinaigrette, it still has the perfect balance of sweet and zesty flavors that everyone loves. And don't be afraid of the pumpkin puree - you can't even taste it because it's not accompanied by the fall flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg (although you could always add some ;).
Oh, in case you are wondering, this recipe was inspired by a salad dressing served in a grain salad at a local cafe. I first served this dressing with my Christmas salad last winter and it was such a hit, my sister-in-law suggested I post it as it's own recipe. So, here it is!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe Make your own salad dressing the easy way! Simply add all of the ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and give it a good shake. Unlike my strawberry salad dressing, there is no need to use an immersion blender when making this homemade dressing.
- Simple Ingredients Apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, pumpkin puree, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. They have become pantry staples in my kitchen. 😅
- 'Healthy' Salad Dressing Pumpkin puree in a vinaigrette dressing may sound strange, but it replaces some of the oil while adding a small dose of fiber and various vitamins without changing the flavor.
Dietitian Tip
Store-bought foods contributed 62% of sodium in United States diets.
Making your own salad dressings allows you to control how much sodium and type of fat that it's made with.
Ingredient Notes
Here a few notes on the key dressing ingredients to make this recipe. For the complete list of ingredients and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Apple Cider Vinegar I use raw apple cider vinegar.
- Champaigne Vinegar Helps balance out the tangy flavor of apple cider vinegar. It can be found in the vinegar section of the grocery store.
- Pumpkin Puree Used to replace some of the oil in this recipe.
How to Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl or glass jar.
- If using a glass jar (as pictured above), place the tight fitting on the jar and give it a good shake. If using a small bowl, use a small whisk to whisk all of the ingredients together.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Wraps This apple cider vinegar salad dressing levels up wraps of all kinds, from veggie wraps to turkey and kale wraps.
- Hearty Salad Perfect dressing for a winter or fall salad full of salad greens, fresh pear slices, and crumbled blue or feta cheese and summer salads with avocado, craisins, and poached salmon.
- Simple Lettuce Salad Just like side salads that several restaurants serve. Place some salad greens on a plate, top it with cucumber and tomato slices. Drizzle on this dressing and you're set!
- Grain Salad I never would have thought of drizzling a zesty apple cider vinaigrette on a grain salad until I had it at a local cafe. They combined farro, lentils, roasted veggies, and a similar delicious dressing that had me and my son hooked!
Helpful Tips
- More olive oil can be used in place of the pumpkin puree.
- Either traditional or raw apple cider vinegar can be used.
- I like to use a combination of apple cider vinegar and champagne vinegar, but you can definitely replace the champagne vinegar with more apple cider vinegar.
Questions You May Have
Store this apple cider vinaigrette refrigerated in an air-tight container and use it within 5 days. If the oil solidifies too much, let it set out at room temperature for a few minutes before giving it a good shake and serving.
A common ratio recommended is 3 to 2 for oil to apple cider vinegar when making salad dressing.
This apple cider vinaigrette recipe uses a much lower ratio of 1 to 2 oil to vinegar (combination of apple cider vinegar and champagne vinegar) because the pumpkin puree replaces some of the oil.
No, this salad dressing should not be stored at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftover dressing in a mason jar or other air-tight container with a tight-fitting lid.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
More Easy Recipes
Did you make this homemade apple cider vinaigrette dressing and love it? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below to let me know. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
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📖 Recipe
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
Equipment
- 1 glass jar with tight fitting lid or small bowl and a whisk
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoon pumpkin puree do not use pumpkin pie filling
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar I use raw apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup pure maple syrup. can use honey instead.
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard not the grainy kind (unless you really like mustard).
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a jar or small bowl.
- If using a jar, place the tight-fitting lid on the jar and give it a good shake. If using a small bowl, use a small whisk to whisk all of the ingredients together.
Notes
- More olive oil can be used in place of the pumpkin puree.
- Either traditional or raw apple cider vinegar can be used.
- I like to use a combination of apple cider vinegar and champagne vinegar, but you can definitely replace the champagne vinegar with more apple cider vinegar.
- Store refrigerated in a mason jar or other air-tight container for 3-5 days.
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