Tasha’s here again with an awesome new recipe just in time for spring!
Almond Orange Paleo Salad Dressing
by Tasha Hackett
What’s with the Paleo, Tasha? Okay! Sorry, just read this instead: Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Salad Dressing that will make you and your family cry tears of joy. Better? Hmm. But really, I can hardly describe the level of happiness this paleo salad dressing makes me. I never knew a salad dressing was capable of bringing forth such an emotion. Almond butter and orange juice? Who knew! Don’t be scared. This paleo salad dressing is delicious on, wait for it, SALAD, but also works great as a veggie dip. In fact, it is even edible straight from the table as pictured below. Not recommended. But acceptable.
My salad dressing is better than your salad dressing.
The original recipe that I adapted had a few more ingredients and it only made one tiny serving of dressing. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to go through all the trouble of making a salad dressing from scratch to eat with my paleo food . . . I’m making more than one tiny serving. Clearly, the chances are high that I will be eating salad again in the near future. I’ve made some version of this dressing at least 5 times in the last month. If you’re drinking your salad, skip the dressing and add some fruit. **Insert puking face if you just envisioned drinking a garlic and olive oil flavored smoothie.
Almond Orange Paleo Salad Dressing
Make as directed for a typical dressing consistency. Though if you want it thicker, just add more almond butter. My salads are usually quite epic. I will rarely just eat lettuce, but this dressing has enough going on, that I have eaten it on plain old leaves before. My kitchen hack with this paleo dressing is to make it in my almond butter jar when there’s about half a cup left. Saves times scooping almond butter AND I don’t have to wash any jars just yet. Sometimes I’m pretty smart like that.
My new favorite salad includes the following:
- Mixed greens (heavy on the spinach)
- Chopped romaine hearts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Chopped avocado
- Slivered almonds
- Dried cranberries or cherries
- Chopped cold meat of some kind (ham, chicken, salmon, tuna, or even boiled/scrambled eggs, etc)
- Chopped dill pickles (tricks me into feeling like I’m having a sandwich)
Yes. My toddler eats salad. What can I say? I think it’s the dressing.
Toss it all with Almond Orange Paleo Dressing and my kids fight for the last serving.
I’ve been serving my family made-from-scratch salad dressings for years and I absolutely love how freely we use them. No worries here about what we’re smothering our vegetables in. As a result, we don’t skimp on the dressings for health reasons. Everything in this dressing is Food. For. Fuel! Go make ya some and tell all your friends about how amazing it is and then invite them over for salad. I dare them to go home hungry.
Salad for dinner! Again! #paleohasmelike #sorrynotsorry #iheartsalad
- ½ Cup Almond Butter
- ½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Cup Olive Oil (Can use part MCT oil or other oils)
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Granulated Garlic Powder (Or two fresh cloves, minced)
- Juice of two Oranges
- Mix all ingredients and stir or shake vigorously.
- Taste and adjust to preference.
- For a thicker dressing, add more almond butter.
- For a sweeter dressing, add a splash of apple juice.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Quick! What’s your go-to salad dressing? Store-bought or make your own?
Lastly, be sure to check out some of the other dressings on our site.
Tasha Hackett, friend of Laura and author of Bluebird on the Prairie, a Christian historical romance releasing Spring 2021, is fueled by sunshine, paleo pudding, or hot chocolate—whichever is more readily available. Though she often pretends to be a ballerina while unloading the dishwasher, her favorite thing is writing with hope and humor to entertain and encourage women. Her time is spent with four chatty children and an incredibly supportive husband. They give her the kind of love people write books about. You can connect with her at www.TashaHackett.com or Instagram @hackettacademy or for Laura @heavenlyhomemaker.
I always have a homemade red wine vinaigrette dressing in the fridge. Always. Whenever I make Laura’s Ranch or Italian, the family goes wild. I really should do that more.
Ooh, homemade red wine vinaigrette sounds delicious!
-Bethany (Laura’s assistant)