An easy to make, four ingredient recipe for Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing that’s slightly sweetened with apple cider (or juice) – perfect for spinach, baby lettuces, or any salad that would benefit from a lightly fruity dressing.
Longtime AOC readers know that we like our homemade salad dressings around here and that learning I didn’t have to be dependent on bottle dressings was an eye-opener for me, both from a health standpoint and the budget.
While my classic pantry basics vinaigrette (one basic recipe made 4 ways!) is a menu standby, everyday dressing, this amazingly simple recipe for apple cider vinaigrette dressing is quickly becoming a favorite!
I was so confused about what to call this recipe, though. It’s made with apple cider or juice and apple cider vinegar, not just the standard apple cider vinegar. But “apple juice vinaigrette” just didn’t sound as appealing as “apple cider vinaigrette.”
And then I wasn’t clear on the difference between apple juice and apple cider. I thought apple juice was what you buy in a bottle and cider was what was pressed, but then I see “apple cider” on the store shelves now. I found this short article that gives the (definitive?) answer. Which I guess means you can call this dressing what you want, based on what you have available!
I’m going with “cider,” (it does sound best, don’t you think?) but just know you can use any type of apple juice you have for this recipe – and also that it’s not just a basic apple cider vinegar dressing you see everywhere. Oh, no, it’s much more than that – you’ll never believe that four simple ingredients can make such a wonderfully light, fruity salad dressing!
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
I was a little afraid that adding apple juice would make the dressing too sweet. After tweaking the amounts, I came up with a blend that is actually the perfect sweetness! It’s a light fruitiness that’s just right on our family’s favorite salad of spinach, cranberries, sweet onion, and feta.
It’s also so good on fresh-picked baby lettuce, delicately coating the tender leaves and enhancing the lettuce’s sweetness (want to grow your own tender lettuce? Check out this Ultimate Lettuce Guide). Basically anywhere you’d like a light and barely sweet coating is where this dressing will shine.
I often put a bit of honey in our regular vinaigrette to add some sweetness, but I’m loving how another real-food ingredient – our home-pressed apple cider – naturally sweetens this homemade salad dressing.
Of course any type of unsweetened apple juice or cider will work just as well. I adapted this recipe from a small blurb in a Rachel Ray magazine (so small it didn’t come up in a search when I tried to link to it) and I’m glad to have this in our dressing arsenal now.
I hope you like it as much as we do, too, and that it becomes part of your own pantry basics.
Naturally Sweet Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper optional to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl or screw-top jar combine the apple cider, vinegar, and mustard. Whisk or shake until smooth.
- Add olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk or shake until combined.
Notes
- Use as a dressing for any green salad like the spinach, cranberry, onion & feta salad described.
- Dress a cabbage slaw with onions, chopped apples and walnuts.
- Makes a great marinade for pork chops.
Nutrition
Other healthy homemade salad dressings you may like:
The Best Homemade Ranch Dressing & Dip
Healthier American-Style French Salad Dressing
Perfect Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
Subscribe & Get Simple Real Food Dinner Menus + Shopping Lists
Subscribe to AOC's popular weekly Newsletter full of useful information, behind-the-scenes updates, and occasional offers AND get access to this Seasonal Menu Ebook with 20 weeks of dinner menu ideas in the VIP Subscriber Library! The Library also includes notebooks, checklists, organizing helps, and recipes - with more added regularly. We'll never send spam - read our Privacy Policy here.
Krista says
I made this. It is very good! Thanks for the recipe!
Jami says
Wonderful, Krista!
Claudia Camille says
I have been looking for a good recipe for this for years!! My grandmother made one but i could never get instrucions for it. All i got was, “Oh, you know. Just mix vinegar and water and oil and season it.” Not reall very helpful. And it never worked.
It’s the cider and dijon that make the difference! And make it yummy!
I especially like this for potato and macaroni salads, since i don’t like anything mayo based. This is also a way of keeping them from turning on a summer picnic in the sweltering Southlands. I once found a recipe for vinegarette potato salad in one of those Southern food magazines in a doctors office. But by the time i came out of visit with the doctor someone else had picked up the magazine. It was, typically, much more elaborate than this.
One can add various other seasonings and spices to your recipe and, voila!, have something zingy zesty or whatever….
I just Love your site and hope that, decades from now, you will still be offering such wonderful food ideas to our grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so on.
Thank you!
And may the Earth Mother bless you always….. *-)
Jami says
Wow, Claudia, I’m so grateful for your comment and that you’ve enjoyed this dressing (and the site!). 🙂 I’m with you – I like vinaigrette-based salads, too, and am happy to bypass the mayo types. And that would be wonderful to be around that long, ha!!
Jo-Lynne Shane {Musings of a Housewife} says
Oh yum! and what a beautiful photo! Tweeting and pinning. Thanks for linking up this week!
Melody says
It is always so nice to find a blog one loves and realize there are a gazillion posts ahead of you to savor. I am a whole food advocate myself and seldom buy processed food so finding a soul sister is delightful. Today I made the dinner rolls, artisan bread is in my fridge, homemade mayo, and ranch dressing, and I’m thawing some chicken broth to make the lentil stew! So fun. Love the mayo and dressing. I made homemade mayo before but the olive oil I used was too strong but today it was nice, I used a lighter oil. I couldn’t believe when I stopped the food processor there really was mayo in there! I’m quite jealous of your growing season, I live in Spokane and we are a few weeks later than anywhere in Or. I think. I’ll be following your gardening and cooking adventures and thanks for sharing! Melody
Jami says
Wow, you were busy, Melody – proud of you that you got so many yummy things made. 🙂 And I’m totally with you on the mayo – it’s always amazing to me that there’s mayo from such simple ingredients when I stop the processor, ha!
Sherry Fortner says
Hi Ladies,
I’m always amazed when I plant seeds, and they actually grow and produce. One of the things I love about Tennessee is we have a long growing season, March through end of October. I just found your site, and I love it!
Cherie W. says
Try adding a little maple syrup to it – delicious !!!
Sakura says
Your salad looks yummy! One of my favorite salads if very similar but it has candied walnuts and sliced pears with it. Thanks for the recipe.