Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Apple cider vinaigrette is a light and tangy salad dressing that you can make in 5 minutes. It is so versatile you can dress almost any salad with it such as this butternut squash salad. This homemade recipe tastes much better than commercial ones, doesn't contain preservatives, and is healthy (low-carb and gluten-free).

Why I love this Salad Dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar

• Quick and Easy: There is no cooking involved and you can make it in just 5 minutes by shaking everything in a jar!
• Healthy: It doesn't contain preservatives or additives, and is low-carb, gluten-free, vegan, and nutritious.
• Versatile: It goes well in any salads and pasta salads!
• Delish: It tastes amazing! 

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

It's an acidic liquid produced from fermented apple cider, containing a great dose of good bacteria and probiotics.

Moreover, it gives a fruity and zesty flavor that brings up other flavors together in soups, stews, dressings, and more.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw apple cider vinegar (unfiltered) contains something called mother (look for a label that says “with mother” on the bottle) which gives it a cloudy appearance.

Some stringy strands at the bottom of the bottle include enzymes and good bacteria.

Some of its potential health benefits are:

• Help to kill bad bacteria -- this is why is used for cleaning!
• Act as a food preservative, often used in pickling such as this pickled red onions.
• May help control or prevent blood sugar spikes, particularly for those with insulin resistance (Type 2 Diabetes and PCOS).
• Its acetic acid may help to lower cholesterol levels.
• It may also help to lower blood pressure levels, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Vinaigrette vs. Dressing

There are 2 types of dressings:

Vinaigrette is made from a base of oil and vinegar (or another acid ingredient such as lemon juice) such as our apple cider vinaigrette dressing.

Creamy dressings, made from mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk.

This way, you can say every vinaigrette is a salad dressing but not all dressings are vinaigrette.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this apple cider vinaigrette recipe, you'll need:

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, preferably raw or unfiltered (or another acid such as fresh lime/lemon juice)

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (get a vegan one if you are on a vegan diet)

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or honey (or sugar-free maple syrup if you're on a keto diet)

• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or ¼ teaspoon kosher salt), or more if desired

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more if desired

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or olive oil)

How to make apple cider vinaigrette

1. In a mason jar, combine apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and olive oil. PIC. 1
2. Close the jar tightly and shake until homogeneous and emulsified. PICS. 2 & 3
3. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss to combine.
4. Alternatively, you can place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk everything well until emulsified.

Useful Tips for Making Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

• You can easily adjust the flavor by adding more seasonings, olive oil, or acid.
• You may replace olive oil with walnut oil, avocado, or another light salad oil.
• Add herbs to give the dressing a fresh touch, such as chopped rosemary.
• Make sure to shake the jar or whisk well the ingredients until emulsified.

FAQ's

Is this apple cider dressing vegan?

This apple cider vinaigrette can be vegan if you use maple syrup instead of honey and vegan mustard.

Does apple cider vinegar need to be refrigerated?

No! After opening a bottle of apple cider vinegar, you can store it sealed in a dark pantry or kitchen cabinet. However, it is best to keep the apple cider vinaigrette chilled in the fridge to extend its shelf life.

Can I use dried spices?

Yes, you can add garlic powder or dried herbs such as Italian seasoning to our recipe.

Can I add fresh herbs?

Yes! I think fresh thyme or rosemary goes well in a vinaigrette.

Is Apple Cider Vinaigrette healthy?

Yes, especially if you use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the “Mother.” Our recipe is low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and can be vegan.

Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar vs Filtered

The basic difference between filtered and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is that raw unfiltered vinegar has active enzymes from the fermentation process. Most commercial, large batches, are filtered while small producers make it unfiltered or 'with mother".

Another difference between the two is in large batches yeast is added in the initial fermentation phase while smaller micro-batch producers use natural airborne yeasts.

How To Store Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Store it in a mason jar for up to 7 days in the fridge. But right before using it in your salads,  let it sit at room temp for about 5 minutes and shake it well to blend the ingredients if they've separated.

Other Dressing Recipes

• Poppy seed dressing
• Lemon poppy seed dressing
• Apricot vinaigrette

 

PIN & ENJOY!