2-Ingredient Light Orange-Dijon Salad Dressing [Oil-Free, Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Need a Super Simple Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe?

When I first moved to plant-based eating many years ago, I still bought regular bottled salad dressings for my salads. But as I moved more into a whole food plant-based diet and began learning more, I realized that these were not the healthiest choices long-term, because the bottled salad dressings were often oil-based, high in sodium and included added sugar and other additives.

I need to confess though...it took many years to wean myself away from using these commercial dressings, because they were easy to buy and use. In the past, I had also tried to make a few different vegan salad dressings at home, but none really 'hit the spot'...

That is, until I recently created this super simple no-oil salad dressing!

Here's the back story.

Growing up I was never a big fan of mustard. I would use it very occasionally on my patties in my burgers and in the odd recipe. So my jars of mustard often sat unnoticed for long periods in the fridge.

But lately, I started to grow to love the kick mustard brings to beans in my salad, especially to chickpeas, so I began using a bit each time I had a salad. At the same time, I also began experimenting with using orange juice, mustard and balsamic vinegar as an oil-free marinade for baking potatoes and vegetables like Brussels sprouts in the oven (more on this later). I guess you could say, I was getting into a 'mustard kick'!

Then one day I decided to try a mixed combo of freshly squeezed orange juice and a bit of mustard  for the fresh salad bowl I had made up. And when I did, I was ecstatic - it made a delightfully light salad dressing, with a tangy, sweet edge to it.  And I couldn't believe how easy it was to make!

This oil-free, refined-sugar-free Light Orange-Dijon Salad Dressing only uses 2 ingredients. Yet it makes a light summery dressing that would work well with many fresh leafy green salads. Taste it and you wouldn’t even know this dressing has mustard or orange juice in it!

The recipe below makes close to a quarter cup of dressing, but feel free to double or triple this recipe if desired. You can also make more to keep in a lidded jar in the fridge to use on other salads during the week. Here's the recipe below!

2-Ingredient Light Orange-Dijon Salad Dressing 

Recipe by: Anna Tseng | PlantNourished
Serving: Makes ~ 3 ½ tablespoons

Prep Time: 5 min

  
Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice  
• 1 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or stone ground mustard  (according to preference)
• 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed (optional - see Instructions)

Instructions:

1. Mix the freshly squeezed orange juice and mustard together in a small bowl until well combined. Add more or less mustard according to your preference (and how much of a 'kick' you want to this dressing). 

2. Optional: if you would like a thicker dressing consistency, mix in 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseed into the mixture. Stir well and then let sit for about 10 minutes before using. The ground flaxseed will help the dressing to thicken up slightly and add a nutritional boost with fiber and short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. 

3. Then drizzle some of this dressing onto your salad, and enjoy! If you have any dressing remaining, store this in a lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days to use on another salad.

Recipe Notes:

I actually usually choose stone ground mustard when making this recipe as I like the look and texture of the whole mustard seeds in my dressing. A Dijon mustard would create a more creamy smooth look to the dressing. If you like a more ‘tangy’ sharp taste, feel free to add in a little bit more mustard according to your taste!

For those wanting to avoid all salt in foods, check for an unsalted or low sodium mustard preparation in a store near you.

If this salad dressing thickens up too much for your liking after you have mixed in 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, just add in a little bit more orange juice or water to thin out the dressing.

The best part?

This salad dressing is a healthier alternative to the store-bought versions, containing no oil, and no added sugars. I also love the fact that you can easily make a larger batch at once to use throughout the week. 

That's what I do. Now I double or triple this recipe to make a larger amount and store this dressing in a lidded jar for a few days in the refrigerator. That way I can enjoy this dressing with my salads for a few days. Here's the recipe below. I hope you will enjoy this too!

Enjoy Recipes Like This?

If you enjoy simple EASY recipes like this, you'll definitely enjoy the Plant-Powered Life Transformation Course. This self-paced 6 Module Online Course comes packed with essential skills, knowledge, kitchen prep hacks, meal ideas and affordable tasty, easy-to-make whole food plant-based recipes to help you make a smooth transition and enjoy your new lifestyle with more confidence, but with less stress and hours in the kitchen. Find out more about this Course here: www.plantnourished.com/ppltcourse