A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. in the land where I had young skin and 20/20 vision, there were few varieties of salad dressings from which to choose, and Spicy Honey Vinaigrette was never a glimmer of an idea in anyone’s thought bubble.
Italian, Thousand Island, Blue Cheese and French were the main choices available. There were also a few specialty dressings like Western, Dorothy Lynch and Roquefort, but nothing compared to the varieties on the market today. I don’t think I had even heard of Ranch Dressing until high school or possibly college. Now, in 2015, we have too many options. I have found myself staring at row after row of salad dressing in the grocery store and stressing over which one to buy. Should I try Italian, or Robusto Italian, or Bruschetta Italian, or maybe Balsamic Italian, or Mediterranean Italian? Whew! It is exhausting.
Over the past several years, I added homemade salad dressings to my cooking repertoire, and I’m so happy I did. Not only does making my own salad dressings help de-stress grocery shopping, it also makes it possible to control the salt content and add a ton of fresh flavor to my salads.
Two of my homemade dressings that I love are Basil Green Goddess and Poppyseed Sweet and Sour.
Spicy Honey Vinaigrette is a new favorite and has a flavor profile that delivers a subtle punch without TKOing the taste buds. Just imagine cider vinegar, honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger moonwalking around your tongue and then the Sriracha Sauce comes in with a quick high-kicking surprise.
A robust salad with strong flavors is perfect with Spicy Honey Vinaigrette, and here is my version of Power Salad with Spicy Honey Vinaigrette with Grilled Salmon (or Chicken). It includes Brussels sprouts, kale, dried fruit, almonds and some other fun ingredients and is the ideal pairing with this dressing. It is simply amazing.
Do me a favor and look straight up. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a thought bubble full of fresh ideas floating above your head right now.
Enjoy!
Spicy Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/3- cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3- cup honey
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped or 1½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled & chopped
- ½-¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1- teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3- cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except oil in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
- With blender on low speed, remove lid cap and drizzle in olive oil, place lid cap back on and blend on high for 1 minute until emulsified.
- Keep refrigerated in a covered container.
- Enjoy!
peter @feedyoursoultoo
Looks like a perfect dressing and the spice!!!!Susie Gall
Thank you, Peter. The spice is so, so nice!!!! :-)Janette@culinaryginger
I love a tasty Asian dressing, you can do so much with it. This dressing sounds delicious and that salmon looks mouth watering.Susie Gall
Thank you, Janette. You are so right about this dressing being versatile. I know I'm looking forward to trying it in many ways.Nicole Neverman
I love the sound of spicy and honey together in the same vinaigrette! YUM!Susie Gall
I think you will love, Nicole. It is so, so good. (In my humble opinion:-)Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
Looks and sounds fantastic! There's nothing better than homemade salad dressing!Susie Gall
Thank you, Michelle, and you are so right. Homemade is best!Angela
What a wonderful salad dressing. The flavors are just perfect!Susie Gall
Thank you so much, Angela, and thanks for coming by.Tara
Looks like a fantastic dressing!!Susie Gall
Thank you, Tara, and thanks for coming by.christine
This sounds so flavorful and so versatile. I can think of a million things that would be better with this drizzled on top!Susie Gall
Thanks Christine. I know what you mean - I have a long list of foods this will complement beautifully. I love the little kick of heat it has, too. Thanks for coming by.Dan from Platter Talk
What a lovely photo and written depiction of one our very favorite toppings, always best when used on fresh ideas and coming from Simply Sated!Susie Gall
Thank you, Dan. I Love this dressing and actually brushed in on grilled chicken breasts yesterday - so, so good. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and to comment so beautifully.Rebecca
This is a terrific dressing! I added a little extra SRIRACHA for our taste. It was great on a simple salad paired with steak and mashed sweet potatoes. Thanks for the recipe!Susie Gall
Thank you, Rebecca, and thanks for stopping by Simply Sated. I think the extra Sriracha would be delicious, too.Scatterbrain Jane
The oNly dressing ill ever need From here on out, thanksSusie Gall
Thank you Jane...one of my favorite comments - ever!Mara
Susie! I keep coming up with different dinner recipes as an excuse to use this dressing. It is so good I could drink it with a straw. It is a perfect replacement for a sauce I had at a restaurant out of state that I unfortunately keep craving now that we are back home. Thanks for the recipe!