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How to make Orange Ginger Dressing

Orange ginger dressing is light and zingy. It’s perfect for your green salads, but also great for dressing grain salads. Made with only a handful of ingredients, this dressing is quick and simple.

pouring orange ginger dressing on salad

Salad dressings, like sherry lime vinaigrette, are easily made at home and are much less expensive than store-bought.

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Mason jar dressing

Use any old jar you have – a jam jar or canning jar is perfect. This orange ginger dressing recipe makes a cup and a half, so you’ll have enough for the week.

I used these spiral pint jars to make the dressing, it leaves a little room at the top to be able to shake it up really well.

Orange ginger dressing in glass jar with oranges and ginger beside jar

I have no shortage of mason jars. Aside from canning jams and making pickles, they are useful for making quick salad dressings.

How to make orange ginger dressing

It honestly couldn’t be easier – pour everything in & shake it up. The best part of making your own salad dressing aside from it being much less expensive, is knowing exactly what’s in it.   

Zest and juice the oranges – Add the juice and zest to the jar first.

Peel and grate ginger – Next, peel and grate the ginger, then add to the jar. You can also buy a squeeze tube of ginger paste in the produce section.

Season vinaigrette – Add salt and pepper to taste. It is important to add the salt before adding the oil. This gives it a chance to dissolve into the orange juice.

Add oil – Lastly, add the oil. Secure the top and shake vigorously. To make a proper vinaigrette, drizzle the oil in while whisking or use an immersion blender to emulsify.

All homemade vinaigrettes will eventually separate, this one quicker than most because it doesn’t contain an emulsifier like Dijon mustard. Just shake it up again and it’s ready to use.

How to peel ginger

My preferred method for peeling ginger is a spoon. Use the edge of the spoon to scrape away the skin.

Most people turn the spoon upside down and scrape in a downward motion. I find it easier to do the opposite. I use the edge of the spoon and scrape upward. Try both ways to see what is easier for you.

how to peel ginger

Spring ginger has very thin skin. Most often, you can find it in Asian markets. It is less fibrous and spicy than it’s older counterpart. Look for it in April and May, and if you find some, grab a hand or two.

peeled ginger for orange dressing

Once you have peeled the ginger, grate it for the dressing. It can have a bit of a bite to it, so you may have to adjust the amount of ginger in the recipe to suit your personal preference.

How to zest an orange

Hold the orange in your dominant hand and the zester in the other. Using light pressure, press the orange against the zester and turn to rotate.

The zest will collect on the underside of the zester, give it a good tap against the cutting board or scrape it with your finger to gather it.

orange zest in measuring spoon with microplane

For this orange ginger dressing, use a microplane to zest the fruit. Use light pressure to avoid getting the pith (the white part under the skin), which is bitter. The zest has a ton of flavor, so please don’t skip it.

Ingredients

  • Oil – avoid strongly flavored oil. I used grapeseed in this recipe.
  • Oranges – I used cara cara oranges, use any variety you like, even blood oranges.
  • Ginger – fresh ginger is recommended, however, if it is unavailable, use the squeeze tube of ginger found in the produce section.
  • Salt & Pepper – season to taste
ingredients for orange ginger dressing

This isn’t a traditional vinaigrette. The ratios are basically flipped here. The fresh orange juice serves as the acid in this recipe and makes up the bulk of the dressing.

With this dressing, the fresh juice is so delicious, it deserves the spotlight.

FAQ’s

What are the ratios for a traditional vinaigrette?

The basic ratio for a vinaigrette is 3:1 (oil : vinegar).

How long will this vinaigrette last in the fridge?

I keep this orange ginger dressing for about a week.

Can I use store-bought orange juice?

Yes! Try to use a “fresh squeezed” variety instead of the carton for best results.

Try orange ginger dressing on these salads

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Yield: 1.5 cups

Orange Ginger Dressing

Orange Ginger Dressing

Light, fresh and zingy, this orange ginger dressing is perfect for green salads and also grain salads.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 -3 oranges
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil, like grapeseed, canola or light olive oil
  • 2 tsp. orange zest, from 1 - 2 oranges
  • 2 tsp. grated ginger (3/4 ounce piece)
  • salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 tsp. salt / 1/2 tsp. pepper)

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice oranges, add to jar.
  2. Grate ginger and add to jar, then add salt and pepper. Swirl jar to help salt begin to dissolve.
  3. Add oil, seal jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
  4. Enjoy!

Notes

Store dressing in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 ounce (2 tbsp)

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 84Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.

Did you make this recipe?

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Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂

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Originally published 1/18/12, most recent update 3/23/22

7 Comments

    1. LOL! They are tasty, Kathy and I’ll bet you could convince her to at least give a whirl! BTW, I downloaded your OATrageous book & I’m loving it!

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