Sweet Onion Dressing

Brighten up your salads or sandwiches with a dab of creamy sunshine.

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With the perfect balance of sweet and creamy, this dairy-free dressing goes great on a wide array of sandwiches and salads. You can also use it as a mouthwatering marinade for all kinds of meat, such as this Lemon Roasted Chicken. With a bright color and tangy undertone, sweet onion dressing is as beautiful to taste as it is to look at. The best part is: it only takes 5 minutes to make, and it lasts for a whole week in the fridge so you can bottle it up and save it for later.

Whether you use it as a dressing, dip, or simple condiment, there’s a little something in the sauce for everyone. The secret is its velvety texture and mellow onion flavor that goes well with almost every kind of dish; savory or sweet. Plus, it’s the perfect way to use extra onions that you have lying around, even if they’re just on the brink of going brown. It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or long-time chef; whipping this up in a pinch is easy!

Is Sweet Onion Dressing Healthy?

You can’t go wrong with this rich but light recipe! As a homemade version of one of the most popular dressings out there, it’s 100% free of added preservatives and artificial sweeteners. Apple cider vinegar is a gut-health superfood, providing plenty of live probiotics and anti-inflammatory properties that support digestion. And honey is another superfood known for its immune-supporting features. Even Dijon mustard is rich in antioxidants, making this an all-around epic recipe fit for health-conscious meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Even better… it’s totally gluten-free!

Best Blending Tips for a Super Smooth Sauce

As an avid maker of soups and smoothies, I’m often asked: “What’s better? A blender or food processor?”

Truly, it depends on the recipe, and what you’re going for. For this dressing, the smoother the better, and so any high-powered blender will do. I usually use food processors for chunkier recipes like salsa or guacamole, which require finely chopped ingredients but not necessarily puréed. The best blender brand I’ve ever come across is Vitamix; they design their tech to smash up the hardest of frozen fruits and veggies and can even pack a punch against pulp. Ninja blenders are also very useful, although not usually as powerful.

For a smooth and easy blend, make sure to start on a lower setting and work your way up to the higher ones. (That’s why most blenders have a dial, and I prefer that to the numbered settings many food processors have. You get more control that way.)

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.

Emulsify

Slowly add olive oil to create a creamy texture.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

This recipe is designed to be made and stored for up to 1 week in a well-sealed refrigerated jar. Shake the dressing generously before serving to get all the ingredients acquainted. I don’t recommend freezing it, as this could ruin the luscious texture.

Use sweet onions only

While you can use other types of onion, sweet onions are perfect for this recipe because they’re (as the name suggests) sweeter than others. This is due to the fact they have less sulfur, and so even without cooking, they can be used as natural sweeteners for whatever dish they’re added to.

Clean your Blender The Safe Way

It took me years to realize this, but the best way to clean a blender is by soaking it in soapy water for a few minutes (or more, depending on how sticky your ingredients are) and then popping it back on the motor. Blend the soap mixture for a few seconds, and then rinse and repeat as many times as necessary. You might still want to get in there with a scrub brush, but make sure you’re very careful when washing the blade by hand. Some blender blades are dishwasher safe, but ultimately hand-washing helps the blade maintain its sharpness over time… just be careful not to cut yourself in the cleaning process!

Serving Suggestions

Pour this decadent yellow dressing over Warm Brussels Sprout Salad or Salmon Caesar Salad for a tangy twist on some modern classics. Sweet onion dressing also makes a marvelous marinade for Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, or your favorite kind of cooked meat.

For more dressing recipes, don’t miss this Greek Salad Dressing, this Cilantro Lime Dressing or this wonderful Carrot Ginger Dressing.