Posted Jan 06, 2019, Updated May 16, 2024 One of the ways I try to reduce process foods in our home is by making homemade versions of our favorite pantry staples, like this apple cider vinaigrette salad dressing. I can honestly say I almost never purchase store-bought salad dressings. Homemade salad dressings like this Apple Cider Vinaigrette are easy to make (take less than 5 minutes), flavorful, and have none of the processed ingredients or preservatives that are found in store-bought salad dressings! This particular Apple Cider Vinaigrette gets its flavor from apple cider vinegar, sesame seeds, spices, garlic and fresh onion! All off which are blended together in the Vitamix for a silky smooth texture that goes perfectly over any and every salad.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette: Ingredients and Substitutions
Apple Cider Vinegar. white balsamic vinegar and regular balsamic vinegar are good substitutes. Olive Oil. avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes. Sugar. Honey or maple syrup work well. Sesame Seeds. You can substitute 1 tablespoon sesame seeds with 1 tablespoon tahini (which is sesame seed paste). Dried Mustard. 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard is a good substitute. Garlic Powder. Substitute 1 Tablespoon minced garlic for garlic powder if you wish. Chopped Onion. use ½ teaspoon onion powder in place of the diced onion, if desired.
How to Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette
As you can see from the video, this apple cider vinegar dressing is easy to make! But as always, I will walk through the steps of making this healthy salad dressing to ensure your success! Begin by adding all of the ingredients for this Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe into the container of a Vitamix (or another high-powered blender), in the order listed in the recipe card (except for the water, we’ll add that later). Next, secure the lid and blend for 15-30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout). Then, add water as needed to give the dressing a pourable consistency. I usually add ¼ cup of water to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. However, the amount of water needed will vary depending on the nature of the ingredients you use! So start with 2 Tablespoons and work your way up from there.
Store
You can use this Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing immediately or put in a container in the refrigerator to use later. I received this salad dressing bottle as a gift years ago and love it. I appreciate that it is large enough to hold a batch of dressing, has a secure lid, and that the shape of the bottle (tall and skinny) fits nicely in the door of my refrigerator! However you can store it in a mason jar or another container.
Serve
Serve this dressing over your favorite salad recipes! It really goes great with just about any combination of greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
