Citrus Dressing for Salads

Citrus dressing for salads is a light and fresh dressing made with few ingredients and a fabulous citrus taste. Perfect for any salad, this citrus salad dressing recipe is ready in 5 minutes!

I love to experiment with new dressings whenever I make a new salad recipe. Since summer is coming to an end, I often add fresh fruits and vegetables for a summery-tasting salad. This citrus dressing recipe for salads is a blend of freshly squeezed citrus and a few other magic ingredients. Of course, my citrus dressing recipe is oil-free and delicious.

Jump to:

• Dressing Ingredients
• Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
• Suggested Salad Recipes
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Great Vegan Salads to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Since oranges and lemons are beautiful and vibrant this time of year, I chose to use a combination of both. That said, fresh juice is always better than bottles of juice. So, I juice my lemons and oranges. In a pinch, bottled juice works, but fresh juice is simply fresh, without any added sugars or preservatives. 

Again, simple, clean ingredients are always the goal when making a great dressing. But taste, texture, and flavor are just as important. I love dressing, and citrus dressing for salads is one of my favorites. It's so good I could drink it. So, let's make a simple dressing you will love for your next salad recipe. 

Dressing Ingredients

• Oranges: I used fresh squeezed Valencia oranges. I prefer freshly squeezed juice over bottled juice.
• Lemon: I prefer freshly squeezed lemons.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a tanginess and works with the acid in citrus fruits.
• Water: The water thins and emulsifies the dressing in place of oil.
• Whole-grain mustard: The flavor of whole-grain mustard is very close to Dijon mustard. The major difference is in texture, as the mustard seeds have not been crushed and are whole, resulting in a coarse mustard paste
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener. When added to the citrus salad dressing, it adds the perfect sweetness.

Dressing Ingredient Substitutions

• Use bottled orange and lemon juice.
• I suggest pulp-free orange juice.
• White vinegar is a natural substitute for apple cider vineagr.
• Try Dijon mustard instead of stone-ground mustard.
• Use agave nectar or date syrup instead of maple syrup.

However, this dressing doesn't need a blender or anything other than a whisk or a spoon. Instead, the ingredients are stirred together and refrigerated until ready for use. That's it. 

Suggested Salad Recipes

Although I made this dressing for a Fennel Salad with Oranges, any citrus dressing goes well with any salad, but those with fruit bring out the WOW in salads.

• Spinach Strawberry Salad
• Grape Salad
• Fennel Salad with Oranges

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• I use a juicer that controls the pulp when squeezing fresh oranges and lemons. It also helps to reduce the number of seeds in citrus fruits.
• If the dressing is too bitter, add a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, which removes the bitterness without including oil.
• If the dressing is too tart, add more maple syrup and water.
• Refrigerate the dressing to chill it before serving.

Try this tangy and fresh citrus dressing for salads. It tastes like summer with each bite of citrus sunshine!

Great Vegan Salads to Try

If you love this citrus dressing, give us a 5-star and comment below. We would love to hear from you.

📖 Recipe