Honey Orange Vinaigrette with 6 Simple Ingredients

This honey orange vinaigrette is a bright, sweet-and-tangy dressing that’s simple to prepare and versatile enough for green salads or coleslaw. With just six ingredients — a Cara Cara orange, Dijon mustard, a touch of honey, oil, apple cider vinegar, and kosher salt — you’ll have a fresh dressing ready in minutes.

A white bowl with orange dressing in it, with a spoon dipping a bit of dressing out. It's surrounded by a half an orange, a small wood bowl with kosher salt, and a honey stick dripping with honey.

If you want a different but still effortless salad dressing, this orange vinaigrette fits the bill.

I used to avoid making my own dressings, but many store-bought options contain ingredients I don’t like or are more expensive than necessary for the small amounts I need. So I began experimenting and developed simple homemade dressings — including a healthy coleslaw dressing and a creamy Dijon — and this citrusy orange vinaigrette is one of my favorites.

This recipe has only six ingredients and yields a dressing that’s sweet without being cloying, with a pleasant citrus tang that enhances salads and slaws.

Orange dressing ingredients

(Full measurements and the printable recipe are included below in the recipe card.)

Top down shot of ingredients for honey orange vinaigrette in small white bowls on a white background.

Cara Cara orange – chosen for its natural sweetness. If you use a navel or another orange, you may want to increase the honey to balance flavors.
Apple cider vinegar – a nice match for fruit-based vinaigrettes. Champagne or white balsamic vinegar could also work.
Honey – just a small amount to gently sweeten the dressing; any plain honey is fine.
Dijon mustard – adds a bit of savory tang and helps emulsify the oil and vinegar.
Mild oil – use avocado oil or a mild-tasting olive oil so the orange flavor remains prominent.
Kosher salt – the recipe uses Diamond Crystal; if you use a different salt, adjust quantities accordingly.

How long does orange vinaigrette last?

Store this orange vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Because it contains fresh orange juice, it doesn’t keep as long as vinaigrettes made without fresh juice; the citrus shortens the shelf life by accelerating oxidation.

Making an orange vinaigrette dressing

(See the recipe card below for full, printable instructions and exact measurements.)

This dressing comes together in three simple steps.

1. Zest and juice the orange

Close up of zesting an orange with a microplane over a medium white bowl. — Use a microplane over a bowl to remove just the orange peel, avoiding the bitter white pith.

Juicing pieces of orange with a green handheld juicer over a medium white bowl. — Cut the orange and juice it into the same bowl with the zest.

Tips for zesting an orange

Don’t cut the orange before zesting. A whole orange is easier to hold and reduces the chance of excess juice while zesting.
Use a microplane for best results. It produces fine zest and is easy to handle. A box grater’s smallest holes work as an alternative.
Rest the microplane on a bowl rim. This stabilizes the tool and makes zesting more controlled.
Apply light pressure to avoid the pith. You can always re-zest a spot, but you can’t remove pith once it’s mixed in.
Work in short strokes. Short swipes around the orange help prevent over-zesting and pulling in the bitter white pith.

2. Pour the ingredients into a jar

Pouring honey from a small white bowl into a small mason jar that's has mustard and oil in it. — Add the oil, vinegar, salt, Dijon, and honey to a jar. Warm the honey briefly if it’s thick.

Pouring orange zest and juice out of a medium white bowl into a small mason jar. — Add the orange juice and zest to the jar.

3. Shake until well combined then use or store.

A hand holds a small mason jar with a lid containing orange dressing. Half an orange on a white cutting board is in the background. — Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified.

Close up of a hand pouring orange dressing out of a small mason jar onto a red cabbage and carrot slaw. — Use immediately or refrigerate for up to four days.

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Save this orange honey vinaigrette for later or print the recipe below. If you try it, consider leaving a rating and a short comment to share how you used it.

6-Ingredient Honey Orange Vinaigrette

A straightforward, flavorful dressing made from fresh Cara Cara orange juice and zest, Dijon mustard, a touch of honey, mild oil, apple cider vinegar, and kosher salt. Ready in minutes and ideal for salads and slaws.

Course: Salad

Prep Time: 15

Total Time: 15

Servings: 1 cup

Author: Taryn Solie

Equipment

A microplane or zester
A medium bowl
A sharp knife
A cutting board
A 16 oz mason jar with lid
Measuring spoons

Ingredients

1 Cara Cara orange small- to medium-sized (about 4 tbsp fresh orange juice plus zest)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp mild oil such as avocado oil
2 tbsp honey add more for a sweeter dressing
1 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal recommended)
2.5 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

Zest the orange using a microplane or zester into a medium bowl, taking care to remove only the colored outer peel and not the bitter pith.
Cut the orange and juice it into the same bowl with the zest.
In a 16-ounce mason jar, combine the apple cider vinegar, oil, kosher salt, Dijon mustard, and honey. Warm the honey briefly if it’s thick, then add it to the jar.
Pour the fresh orange juice and zest into the jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified. Refrigerate and use within 3–4 days.

Notes

This recipe makes about 8 ounces (1 cup) of dressing. Adjust quantities to suit your needs.
Cara Cara oranges are recommended for their sweetness. If you substitute a less-sweet orange, increase the honey to taste.