Spruce up your summer salad with this sweet and tangy cherry mustard vinaigrette. It is ready in minutes and will turn any kid into a salad lover.
I am a tried and true lover of all things honey mustard. It is my go-to dressing for salads. We use it for chicken nuggets. I’d eat it on just about anything.
I have recipes for many different variations on honey mustard.
But with cherry season in full swing I decided to add a twist to my favorite.
I created cherry mustard vinaigrette. It has sweetness from honey and cherries, tang from mustard and a little zing from apple cider vinegar.
Wishing your kids would eat salad?
Cherry mustard vinaigrette is very kid friendly. My oldest could not get enough of it. She loves using it on her salads (especially when she’s using lettuce from her own garden!).
If your kids won’t touch lettuce (like my four year old), try using this as a dip for fresh summer vegetables like snap peas and cucumbers. Either way it’s a win!
If you don’t like the vinegar flavor you can cut back on the apple cider vinegar and increase the honey. Or you could swap mayo for vinegar to make it a creamy dressing or dip.
Cherry mustard vinaigrette is also very allergen friendly.
No need to worry about dairy, coconut, eggs, nuts, grains, etc. Extra virgin olive oil works well for this dressing. Alternately you could use avocado oil.
Skip the store bought salad dressings with rancid vegetable oils (like canola), thickeners (like xanthan gum and guar gum) and artificial flavors and sweeteners. It only takes a few minutes to make a unique, healthy and delicious dressing at home.
I like to add all of my dressing ingredients to a small mason jar, put a lid on and shake. Though I wouldn’t mind some fun salad dressing bottles (note for future gift lists!).
This is a fun project for small children…
and keeps them busy while you do other food prep. They can shake and shake until they get sick of it.
If you don’t have cherry juice on hand use some of those fresh cherries and squeeze the juice out. Or you can use the whole cherry and blend a handful to use in place of the juice.
I know not everyone loves cherries as much as I do. So if they are just not your thing you can use another great mid-summer fruit – blueberries! Cherry mustard vinaigrette turns into blueberry mustard vinaigrette with one simple swap.
In fact, you can use just about any of your favorite summer fruits to put a spin on this dressing. Peaches and plums would make great dressings as well.
Are you getting hungry for a big summer salad yet?
I know I am! Time for a great summer meal using fresh produce and nourishing homemade salad dressing. Cherry mustard vinaigrette is perfect for your summer salads.
- 1/4 cup black cherry juice
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. mustard
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or jar.
- Whisk or shake until combined.
- Chill until ready to serve.
- This will stay good in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
- Replace the apple cider vinegar with homemade mayonnaise for a creamy dressing.
- This dressing can be used as a marinade on chicken.
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