Whip up this thick and creamy Orange Poppy Seed Dressing in just 5 minutes using only 6 ingredients! Instead of orange juice, this recipe is made with whole fruit to deliver a sweet, vibrant and tangy flavor. And, just like my raspberry poppy seed dressing, it's made without mayo or refined white sugar, and it's entirely dairy-free and refined sugar-free. It pairs beautifully with this strawberry kale salad, but it's equally delicious drizzled over my stone fruit salad!
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Quick Look: Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
- ⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 10 (2 tablespoons per serving)
- ⚡ Calories: 135 per serving
- 🌱 Diet: gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free.
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: sweet and tangy; thick and creamy.
- 👌 Difficulty: easy, but a blender is required.
- ❤️ Why you'll love: It's made without mayo or refined white sugar; takes only 5 minutes to make; requires just 6 ingredients.
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Why this recipe stands out
- Quick and easy: It takes only 5 minutes to prepare using a blender, food processor or immersion blender.
- Real ingredients: The recipe relies on 6 basic ingredients without any artificial preservatives.
- Refined sugar-free: Sweetened with honey and clementines, and you don't even miss the refined white sugar.
- Creamy without mayo: You don't need any dairy or mayo for the creamy texture, which is created by emulsifying the oil and honey. (Save your mayo for my no buttermilk ranch dressing)!
- Flavor balance: The natural sweetness of honey perfectly balances the tangy kick of the white wine vinegar, which also allows the orange flavor to shine through.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Clementines: I used 2 small clementines in the dressing, which was about ⅔ cup of slices. I opted for clementines as they're sweeter than oranges, but you can use a small orange if you prefer.
- Oil: I normally use extra virgin olive oil in my salad dressings, but you can also use olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil.
- White wine vinegar: Vinegar adds a tangy flavor. White wine vinegar is not as common as red wine vinegar, so if all you have is red wine, feel free to use it.
- Honey: This balances the tangy flavor from the vinegar and helps emulsify and thicken the dressing.
- Salt: Use just a little to balance the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Poppy seeds: Just a tablespoon adds plenty of texture to this dressing. (I always have poppy seeds on hand for dressings, but also for baking my lemon poppy seed cupcakes!)
How to make orange poppy seed dressing
Step 1: Add all of the dressing ingredients, except the poppy seeds, to a blender. (I use my small smoothie cup blender).
Step 2: Blend on high until smooth. (This should only take 20-30 seconds).
Step 3: Add in the poppy seeds.
Step 4: Stir until combined.
Expert tips
- Use a blender. You'll need more than a whisk for this dressing as the orange slices need to be blended together with the other ingredients. I use my small smoothie blender, but full size works too. If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor or a handheld immersion blender.
- Stir in the poppy seeds. Remember to leave the poppy seeds out of the blender and stir them in at the end. If you blend them in, the seeds will break down and the dressing will lose its signature texture and vibrant yellow color.
Orange poppy seed dressing FAQs
This dressing should be stored in a sealed jar or covered dish in the fridge and it will last for about 5 days. It will solidify a bit in the fridge, so just let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and stir or shake before serving.
I haven't tested this recipe with orange juice but it should work fine. I'd start with ¼ cup and add more to taste. Note that the recipe may not be as thick as it would be by using whole fruit.
Yes, you can leave out the poppy seeds. It will affect the texture of the dressing, but the flavor should remain the same.
I used clementines as I like the amount of sweetness they add to the dressing. Other types of mandarin oranges, like tangerines and satsumas, would also work well. Although oranges are not as sweet, you could also use a small naval orange. Whatever you choose, just make sure it's seedless!
I think it works with any type of salad with fresh greens, but especially those with fruit, like my blueberry spinach salad, kale berry salad or blueberry peach salad.
More salad dressing recipes
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📖 Recipe
Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 small clementines, peeled and separated (about ⅔ cup of slices)
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (85 g) honey
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Add the clementine slices, oil, honey, vinegar and salt to a blender and blend on high until smooth. (This should only take 20-30 seconds).
- Stir in the poppy seeds.
- Pour into a jar or dish with a lid.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Type of citrus. Instead of clementines, you can also use tangerines or satsumas or even naval oranges.
- Use a blender. The orange slices need to be blended together with the other ingredients. I use my small smoothie blender, but full size works too. If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor or a handheld immersion blender.
- Stir in the poppy seeds. Remember to leave the poppy seeds out of the blender and stir them in at the end. If you blend them in, the seeds will break down and the dressing will lose its signature texture and vibrant yellow color.
- Dressing will thicken in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and give it a good stir before serving.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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