High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Cilantro-Lime Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Bright, tangy, and loaded with fresh herb flavor, this cilantro-lime vinaigrette is the kind of dressing that makes you want to put it on everything — salads, grain bowls, grilled chicken, roasted veggies, you name it. Store-bought dressings are one of the sneakiest places high fructose corn syrup hides, tucked into ingredient lists between "natural flavors" and xanthan gum, which makes a homemade version like this one genuinely worth the five minutes it takes to pull together. Every ingredient here is clean and real: extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and a small spoonful of raw honey for just a touch of natural sweetness. The cumin adds a warm, earthy undertone that plays beautifully against the citrus and cilantro, giving this dressing a complexity that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen. Whisking the oil in slowly is the key step — it creates a smooth, lightly emulsified texture that clings to greens instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Make a jar at the start of the week and you'll have a versatile, feel-good dressing ready to go for days.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated
- 1 tsp raw honey
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, cumin, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or stir until the honey is fully dissolved and the mixture is combined.
- 2
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened, with no visible separation.
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