This creamy citrus salad dressing is a great way to add flavor to your favorite leafy green salad. If you’ve never made homemade salad dressing before, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to whip up. It’s a bit tart, a bit sweet, and works perfectly on salads with chicken, shrimp, or fruits as main components.
This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated in 2021.
Ingredients
This recipe only requires a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, most of which are probably already in your pantry and fridge.
- Olive oil – I recommend using olive oil for this recipe because it adds its own unique flavor while providing heart-healthy benefits.
- Mayonnaise – This is what will give the dressing a creaminess as opposed to a standard vinaigrette.
- Lemon juice – This adds a nice pop of acid.
- Lime juice – For that extra zing.
- Orange juice – Adds a sweeter citrus flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar – To balance out the fat to acid ratio in the dressing.
- Sugar – Adds sweetness to balance out the acid and fat in the dressing.
- Salt – Adds the perfect amount of seasoning.
Step by Step Instructions
You’ll find the full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card, but here’s a quick overview.
All you need to do is combine all your ingredients, then pop ’em in a blender or use an immersion blender on them. The blending step is key, as it helps emulsify the dressing and break up any lumps.
If you don’t have a regular or immersion blender, you can combine the ingredients in a bowl then whisk vigorously in circular motions until smooth. But blending will result in the best texture.
Once blended, pour over your salad and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you prepare this recipe:
- How should you store creamy citrus salad dressing? Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. You can store it in a mason jar (as shown above) or a salad dressing bottle (as shown below). If you have a small family or don’t eat salads frequently, you can halve the recipe instead of making a full batch.
- Can you use another oil besides olive oil? Yes, but olive oil has the best flavor profile (in my opinion) for salad dressings. But you can also use avocado oil or canola oil if you’d prefer.
- Can you use a different type of vinegar? Yes, plain distilled vinegar also works.
- Is this recipe vegan? It is not, as there are eggs in traditional mayonnaise. However, this can easily be made vegan-friendly by using a vegan mayo instead (like Chosen Foods vegan mayo or Hellman’s vegan mayo line).
Salad Recommendations For This Dressing
You’ve got the dressing – now what about the salad?! Try one of these tasty salad recipes that work perfectly with this dressing:
- Beet and berry salad – Earthy beets, fresh strawberries, and blue cheese all pair well with this dressing.
- Arugula apple salad – The fresh, crisp arugula and tart apples create a nice contrast with the creamy dressing.
- Peach and pecan salad – This simple summertime salad features sautéed (or grilled) fresh peaches and pecans.
- Kale mango salad – While I usually double up on the mango love here and use my mango dressing, it also tastes great with this creamy citrus dressing.
- Jerk shrimp salad – coming soon!
I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Creamy Citrus Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar (feel free to adjust to taste with more/less)
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients together, using either a blender, immersion blender, or a whisk, until the dressing is smooth and uniform. Enjoy.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1 ¼ cups of dressing, or 20 tablespoons. One serving = 2 tablespoons.
Nutrition
Share with me: What’s your favorite kind of salad dressing? If you tried this recipe, what did you think?
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