Honey Lime Dressing

Name: Honey Lime Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¼ cup fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoons honey; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; Pinch of black pepper; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

This honey lime dressing is a simple vinaigrette that pairs perfectly with any salad. It’s light and refreshing, and only takes 5 minutes to make. Use it as a marinade, dressing, or mix it with fruit!

A measuring cup with fresh honey lime dressing and a spoon mixing it.

Honey lime dressing has been a staple in our home for close to a decade. It’s a simple fusion of sweet and tangy flavors that adds a burst of excitement to any dish. It’s the one dressing almost everyone likes, so we always have some on hand and make it in bulk when friends are joining us for a meal!

Because it has the perfect balance of fat, acid, and flavor, you can drizzle this simple honey lime vinaigrette any classic salad recipe, use it as a marinade, or toss it with fruit salad! The velvety texture of honey adds a smooth touch of sweetness, while the zingy lime brings a refreshing citrus punch.

And best of all? It only takes five minutes to make. You’ll need three simple ingredients to make it—which means you likely already have everything on hand to mix it up!

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Ingredient Notes

Ingredients in the recipe including lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, garlic, and honey.

Extra-virgin olive oil – The flavor of your dressing will depend on the flavor of the extra virgin olive oil you use. I love using a full-bodied, unfiltered organic extra virgin olive oil for a rich flavor. If you want something more mild, try to use a medium extra virgin olive oil blend.
Fresh lime juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice for this recipe. One lime typically produces two tablespoons of lime juice, so you’ll need two large limes for this recipe. To extract the juice, just use a stainless steel lemon/lime squeezer.
Honey – Try to use organic raw honey that’s pourable and more viscous. This will help the dressing blend easily.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Fresh Lime Juice – Use lemon juice for a brighter flavor, or orange juice for a sweet orange vinaigrette dressing!

Honey – Swap this for maple syrup. This will make the dressings vegan and slightly less sweet.

Herbs – Add two tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (when using lime juice) for the perfect summer dressing.

How to Make Honey Lime Dressing

1. Mix: Whisk together the lime juice, honey, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper until combined. Slow pour in the olive oil one tablespoon at a time and whisk until creamy and emulsified.

Emulsifying the dressing in a large mixing bowl with a whisk.

2. Store: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Pouring the honey lime dressing into a mason jar to be stored in the fridge.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best way to blend dressing?

Because vinaigrette dressing is made with both oil and water-based ingredients, you’ll want to combine them slowly so they emulsify. To do this, whisk together all of the ingredients without the oil. Then, slowly add the oil to the mixture while whisking to help it blend evenly and emulsify.

Does lime juice have health benefits?

Yes! Limes are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, providing over 20% of your daily vitamin C requirement in one lime (about two tablespoons lime juice). Vitamin C is well known for its ability to improve immune function, reduce inflammation, and accelerate skin healing. Limes also contain a small amount of vitamin B6, iron, calcium, and potassium.

What are the calories in honey lime dressing?

Honey lime dressing is made with fresh and light ingredients, including olive oil, lime juice, and honey. In one (2 tablespoon) serving, there are 186 calories.

What’s the best way to store dressing?

For vinaigrette dressings that pair freshly squeezed juice with olive oil, you can store it in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge. If the olive oil solidifies in the fridge, just lay out the dressing at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes, then shake to reincorporate.

Ways to Use

This simple honey lime vinaigrette was developed as dressing for house salad. But, because it has the perfect blend of fat, acid, salt, and flavor, it can be used in a variety of ways! Here are my favorite ways to use it:

Dressing: Use it as a light and fresh vinaigrette dressing on any type of salad.
Marinade: Use it as a marinade for protein, including chicken or shrimp.
Fruit salad: Because it’s tangy and sweet, you can toss this dressing with fresh fruit to make a fruit salad. It helps to balance out the sweetness and tastes incredibly refreshing!

A house salad with a simple lime vinaigrette being poured on top.

Blending Tips

Because this honey lime dressing includes both olive oil and lime juice, you need to create an emulsion for it to mix together. An emulsion is when oil and lime juice (or another water-based liquid) combine together into one cohesive mixture instead of separating. Here are some quick tips for creating an emulsion while mixing:

Use a bowl that’s big enough for whisking. Many people mix dressing in jar, but this doesn’t provide enough space for the whisk to fully incorporate the mixture. Use a medium mixing bowl if possible.
Slowly add the olive oil. Once all of the ingredients are whisked together, add the oil very slowly. I like to add the oil about a tablespoon at a time. In this recipe, you’ll have eight tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk until combined, then add another tablespoon of oil. Repeat until fully incorporated.

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