This Agave Citrus Vinaigrette is a deliciously light, tangy, and sweet dressing with citrus notes from lemon and lime juice and zest. It’s a perfect summer dressing for salads and bowls, as a marinade, or as a sauce base or dipping sauce. It’s so versatile!
What is Vinaigrette
Vinaigrettes are a super simple dressing to throw together with a few basic ingredients. The base of a vinaigrette is always made up of a ratio of 3:1 or 2:1 oil to vinegar. From there you can add any combination of herbs, mustard, and sweetener to finish off the dressing.
We love using Dijon mustard for some extra flavor and smoothness, honey or agave nectar for some light and natural sweetness, and citrus, berries, or herbs for some added brightness.
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Ingredients for Agave Citrus Vinaigrette
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) – the fatty base that carries a ton of flavor and balances out the acidity of the vinegar.
- Vinegar – we recommend using apple cider or champagne vinegar, as they are a little sweeter than white vinegar.
- Citrus – lemon and lime juice and zest are the flavor bombs for this vinaigrette.
- Mustard – we love using Dijon mustard as it has such a potent flavor. If you’re wanting to keep this recipe vegan, you may want to swap Dijon with brown mustard as very few Dijon mustards are truly vegan.
- Agave nectar – natural sweetener
- Salt and pepper – simple seasonings that amplify the flavors in this dressing.
How to Make Agave Citrus Vinaigrette
Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, lime juice and zest, Dijon mustard, agave nectar in a bowl and whisk together vigorously. Season with salt and pepper.
You can also use a small single-serve blender to better distribute the oil and vinegar and create a smoother vinaigrette, but it’s not necessary.
We also like to use the mason jar approach. Simply add the ingredients to a medium mason jar. Place the lid on and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
How to Store Vinaigrette
Store the vinaigrette in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. The ingredients will settle out, so make sure to bring to room temperature about 20 minutes and shake vigorously before each use.
Agave Citrus Vinaigrette: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What are the ratios for traditional vinaigrette – traditionally, vinaigrettes use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. We like to use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar in our recipes to cut back a little on the fat content and to add a little extra sharpness.
- Is vinaigrette healthier than salad dressing – vinaigrettes are typically healthier/lighter than other creamy dressings, like Caesar or ranch, especially if you’re making your own as you can control the oil: vinegar ratio as well as added sugars and sodium.
- What is the shelf life of vinaigrette – we typically keep our vinaigrette in the refrigerator for 5 days, especially if it contains fresh herbs or garlic.
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Check out our other dressings
Agave Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ c apple cider or champagne vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- zest of ½ lemon
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp Dijon or brown mustard
- 1 Tbsp agave nectar
- ⅛ tsp cracked black pepper
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Vigorously whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, lime juice and zest, agave nectar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Vigorously shake before each use, as vinaigrettes naturally separate.
Notes
- Dijon mustard is largely not vegan (there are a few vegan friendly options like Westbrae Dijon and Organicville) so you can use brown mustard instead to keep this recipe vegan-friendly.
FAQ
- What are the ratios for traditional vinaigrette – traditionally, vinaigrettes use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. We like to use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar in our recipes to cut back a little on the fat content and to add a little extra sharpness.
- Is vinaigrette healthier than salad dressing – vinaigrettes are typically healthier/lighter than other creamy dressings, like Caesar or ranch, especially if you’re making your own as you can control the oil: vinegar ratio as well as added sugars and sodium.
- What is the shelf life of vinaigrette – we typically keep our vinaigrette in the refrigerator for 5 days, especially if it contains fresh herbs or garlic.
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