• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking On The Weekends
  • About
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • "How To"
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
      • Contact
    • Recipe Index
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Seasonal Recipes » Winter Recipes » Blood Orange Vinaigrette with Thyme

    Blood Orange Vinaigrette with Thyme

    Apr 14, 2023 · by Valentina · 13 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Blood Orange Vinaigrette will bring any salad to next level deliciousness. Its sweet and tangy flavor can turn lettuce into something you’ll yearn for. The color is also spectacular and it can double as a marinade for chicken and fish, to boot.

    Top view of a rounded jar with blood orange vinaigrette with a sprig of thyme on top.

    I love blood oranges, and really just about every citrus fruit. I love working their delicious flavors into all sorts of stunning salads, savory dishes, and luscious desserts.

    This super easy-to-make Blood Orange Vinaigrette recipe is a favorite that enhances salads beyond belief. (Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect example.)

    I encourage you not to miss out on blood oranges when they’re in season (approx. December — May). This intriguing citrus is incredibly special for its beauty, taste and health benefits.

    The Ingredients

    Sliced blood orange and lemon, fresh thyme sprigs, bowls of salt, pepper, sugar, red vinegar and oil, all on a dark wood board.

    (I often suggest brands I love and use — these are only suggestions and this is not a sponsored post.)

    • blood orange juice
    • lemon juice - This will add a little more zing. (I always use Meyer lemons over regular lemons when they're in season. They're a touch less tart and a touch sweeter.
    • red wine vinegar
    • Dijon mustard - Whole grain or regular. The whole grain adds a very subtle crunch.
    • fresh thyme - Try to choose perky bunches without yellow or brown leaves.
    • Kosher salt - I cook with Kosher salt. I prefer it because of its larger flake size, it's less refined and usually doesn't contain additives, and it does a great job enhancing the flavor of foods without making them taste salty. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
    • pepper - Preferably freshly ground black pepper.
    • granulated sugar
    • extra virgin olive oil - I love Garcia de la Cruz.

    (See recipe card below for quantities.)

    Substitutions

    • Blood oranges. Yes, you can substitute blood oranges with regular oranges or tangerines. I would suggest Navel oranges or Ojai Pixies (if they’re in season) — both are sweet and seedless.
    • Fresh thyme. You can try all sorts of fresh herbs in blood orange vinaigrette. Mint and basil would be delicious. You can also use a combination of herbs. (I do not recommend using dried thyme. Since the viniagrette isn't cooked it won't soften.)
    • Red wine vinegar. In this recipe, red wine vinegar can be substituted with a mix of white wine vinegar and red wine (one to one), apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. You can use regular balsamic but its flavor is stronger, so use half the amount. Dressings and vinaigrettes are meant to compliment salads, and should not mask the flavors of the other ingredients.
    • Sugar. Honey can be substituted for the sugar.

    Recipe Tips

    • Taste the oranges before you juice them! If they’re especially sweet, you might not need or want to add the sugar.
    • The easiest way to make a vinaigrette is in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. (See below images.)
    • Vinaigrettes keep for a while, so whenever you can, make more than necessary so you have it at the ready.
    • Use an extra virgin olive you love — since this vinaigrette is not cooked, its flavor is important.
    • Shake or whisk the vinaigrette just before every use.

    How to Make it

    This recipe is so simple to put together.

    - Juice the blood oranges and lemon, and wash, dry and chop the fresh thyme.

    - Add all of the ingredients to a jar that holds at least 12 ounces, put the lid on tightly and shake to emulsify. That’s it!

    Jar with ingredients for blood orange vinaigrette, with oil settled at the top.
    Jar with shaken reddish blood orange vinaigrette.

    (If you don’t have the right size jar, use a small bowl and whisk, adding the oil gradually after combining all of the other ingredients.

    (More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    Serving Suggestions

    • Blood orange salad dressing pairs well with most most salads. It will even make a simple green salad made mostly of lettuce incredible! 
    • Not only is it delicious on salads, but it also makes for an excellent marinade or sauce. It’s especially good with chicken, mild fish and shrimp.

    How long will it keep?

    • If stored properly, blood orange vinaigrette should last for about two weeks in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight container -- a jar is best.
    • When you're ready to use it, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes ahead of time so that it has time to soften if it has solidified from the oil. (You can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds if it's still too solid.)
    Pile of blood oranges with a few cut in half - some deep red and some purple.

    Fun fact: The color of the rind of a blood orange is related to light, and it develops completely independently from its interior color. A solid orange exterior might have a deep red interior, and vice versa. You never know what you're going to get when you slice into one. It's like unwrapping a gift. 😉

    More Delectable Dressings and Vinaigrettes

    • Prickly Pear Vinaigrette
    • Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
    • Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette
    • Balsamic Cranberry Dressing
    • Blackberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Creamy Avocado-Lime Dressing

    FAQ

    Do blood oranges taste different from other oranges?

    Slightly sweet, the taste of blood oranges differs from other oranges because they have subtle notes of grapefruit and raspberry and are less acidic.

    Are blood oranges good for you?

    Like most oranges, they’re high in vitamin C. What sets them apart though, is that they contain an antioxidant called anthocyanin, and not only is this said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it’s also naturally occurring pigment which is what gives them their gorgeous color.  

    I’m not a nutrition expert, so for much more about blood orange health benefits, this is a great source.
     

    When are blood oranges in season?

    Typically they’re in season late December/early January though late April/early May.

    What's the difference between a vinaigrette and a dressing?

    A vinaigrette is really a type of salad dressing. Vinaigrettes are based in oil and vinegar -- traditionally 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Creamy dressings on the other hand, more often than not, refer to those that are made with a mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk or a yogurt base. Dressing and vinaigrette seem to be used interchangeably these days.

    Top and side view of a rounded jar with blood orange vinaigrette with a sprig of thyme on top.

    I hope you love this vinaigrette as much as I do.

    Top view of a rounded jar with blood orange vinaigrette with a sprig of thyme on top.

    Blood Orange Vinaigrette Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    Blood Orange Vinaigrette will bring any salad to next level deliciousness. Its sweet and tangy flavor can turn lettuce into something you’ll yearn for. The color is spectacular and it can double as a marinade for chicken and fish, to boot.
    *Makes about 1¼ cups / serving size: approx. 2 tablespoons
    5 from 4 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Condiments, Sauces, Dressings and Vinaigrettes
    Servings 10
    Calories 204 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mason jar
    • whisk

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup blood orange juice (from about 3 large blood oranges)
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, washed and dried
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Add all of the ingredients to a jar that holds at least 12 ounces, put the lid on tightly and shake. That’s it! (If you don’t have the right size jar, use a small bowl and whisk, adding the oil gradually after combining the other ingredients.

    NOTES

    Calorie count is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g
    Keywords great for salads, citurs salad dressings, great for marinating
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    More Condiments, Dressings & Sauces

    • Green Lemon pesto with lemon slice and basil leaf on top, in a green bowl, fitted inside a yellow bowl.
      Lemon Pesto
    • Creamy Avocado Butter in a red and white striped bowl.
      Avocado Butter Recipe
    • Top view of a brown-rimmed bowl filled iwth crisped quinoa.
      Crispy Quinoa
    • Large Mason jar with blackberry vinaigrette and a whole blackberry on the top rim, and pretty purple cloth next to it.
      Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. angiesrecipes

      April 14, 2023 at 8:22 pm

      Don't you just love the gorgeous colour of blood oranges! The dressing sounds so fruity, refreshing and simply perfect for spring salads.
      angiesrecipes

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:40 pm

        Yes, the color is amazing, and I especially love how no two are the same. Thanks, Angie. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    2. Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!

      April 16, 2023 at 9:56 am

      i love words, so I was interested in your definition. I've always thought of it exactly as you described it: vinaigrette as a subcategory of dressings. I have friends who can whip up a great vinaigrette seeming to use whatever ingredients happen to be on hand. I am not one of those people. I'm highly dependent on good vinaigrette recipes, so thank for this one! I love the way you capped off you jar with a slice of orange - very beautiful.

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:41 pm

        Hi Jeff! Thanks so much. I hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    3. Healthy World Cuisine

      April 17, 2023 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      Seen this gorgeous blood orange vinaigrette recipe on facebook and wanted to stop over and check it out. Love the balance of this recipe and with salad season in full swing we can't wait to enjoy your delicious recipe. Take Care

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:41 pm

        Thanks so much. I love salad season too -- and love it being in "full swing!" 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    4. Eha

      April 18, 2023 at 7:46 pm

      5 stars
      Am absolutely thrilled when I find a simple but different dressing such as this . . . must go discover when our blood oranges have their season - a big thank you for this!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:42 pm

        A big thank you to YOU, Eha. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    5. David Scott Allen

      April 19, 2023 at 8:30 am

      What a perfect vinaigrette! I just shared it with my sister-in-law, as we had just been discussing the need for new and exciting dressings. Thanks - as ever - for your beautiful posts!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:43 pm

        Thank you very much, David. And for sharing with family, too. Hope you all love it. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. Raymund | angsarap.net

      April 27, 2023 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing your Blood Orange Vinaigrette recipe! It looks delicious and easy to make. I love how versatile it is and can be used not only as a salad dressing but also as a marinade for chicken and fish.

      Reply
      • Valentina

        April 28, 2023 at 8:44 pm

        Thanks, Raymund. I hope you give it a try and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    7. 2pots2cook

      February 06, 2025 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      Sounds like heaven to me. I use homemade wine vinegar and citruses are ripe over here. Perfect time to make a batch!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

    More about me →

    IT'S MANGO SEASON!

    • Black bowl filled with mango salsa with a small Habanero pepper right on top.
      Mango Habanero Salsa
    • Chicken pieces on the bone baked in mango coconut sauce in a baking dish with fresh cilantro.
      Baked Coconut Mango Chicken
    • Stacked slices of Chipotle Mango Quesadillas.
      Chipotle Mango Quesadillas
    • Mango Avocado Pesto Stack Recipe -- Fresh, sweet, creamy and slightly spicy -- you won't believe how utterly delicious a combination of mango, avocado and pesto is!
      Mango Avocado Stack with Pesto

    EARLY SUMMER HITS

    • White plate with pattern on the edges full with large turkey zucchini meatballs and zoodles.
      Turkey Zucchini Meatballs with Pesto
    • Light green bowl with strawberry and goat cheese salad and a dark wooden twisted-handled serving spoon.
      Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
    • Green Lemon pesto with lemon slice and basil leaf on top, in a green bowl, fitted inside a yellow bowl.
      Lemon Pesto
    • Basil Pizza with one slice being taken off the plate.
      Basil Pizza with Pesto

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Press

    Newsletter

    Get new recipes you’ll love!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    Review the privacy policy for Cooking on the Weekends

    Copyright © 2025 Cooking On The Weekends, All Rights Reserved