Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette

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Tangy, sweet Honey Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette delivers a hint of lingering heat that few can resist. It’s perfect on salads or drizzled over street tacos or burrito bowls.

salad vinaigrette with jalapeno and lime in small glass jar next to salad

Jalapeno Vinaigrette

My husband was working out of town a while back and he texted me one night to tell me about the fantastic honey-lime jalapeño vinaigrette from one of the restaurants he visited. His only dinner request that week was that I try to figure out how to make it.

Consider it done. He was a very happy camper with the version I created! This spicy, citrus dressing sweetened with a touch of honey was just the right combination.

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I served this jalapeno lime dressing for dinner the first time I made it with a huge chopped vegetable salad loaded with chicken, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and just about anything else I could think of adding to it. It was so good!

I offered my boys ranch dressing for their salads, thinking that they might not want to try this one. However, two of them surprised me by liking the jalapeno dressing every bit as much as the adults did.

While to some people, salads may seem boring, I just can’t relate to that sentiment. Between changing up the toppings to different homemade dressings. I can eat them every day. In fact, I do. Check out my best tips for eating salad every day and loving it!

Want a few more awesome dressings to try that are a bit off the beaten path? Chipotle, garlic, and lime are combined to create a crazy flavorful Chipotle Vinaigrette that you are going to love.

This Pepperoncini Lime Vinaigrette is perfect for light salads or heartier ones, like this southwestern steak salad. The finely diced pepperoncini give a slight bite and the dill complements it nicely.

jalapeno dressing in small jar with spoon

Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette

  • jalapeño peppers
  • lime juice
  • apple cider vinegar
  • honey
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
jalapeno vinaigrette ingredients in blender

Jalapeno Salad Dressing

To make the jalapeno dressing, you’ll combine 2 jalapeño peppers, lime juice, vinegar, honey, oil, and salt in the blender. Puree until mostly smooth.

Taste and add more jalapeños according to however much heat you like. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

pour shot from blender into jar

Start with just 1-2 peppers and taste the dressing before adding any additional peppers. (My peppers were very mild, so I was able to use 4 peppers in the dressing without making it too spicy.)

Keep in mind that the heat will increase as the flavors chill together in the refrigerator. If you are making the dressing a day or two in advance, it will likely grow hotter over time.

salad next to jar of jalapeno lime vinaigrette

Homemade Salad Dressings

It is only on a very rare occasions that I purchase salad dressing in the store. I have become a master of whipping up the perfect dressing or vinaigrette at home. For ease of storage and serving just use a mason jar and an easy pour spout.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet and tangy and while it is delicious on almost any salad, it pairs especially well with salads that contain fruit.

Tangy Asian Salad Dressing with a hint of sesame and the sweetness of honey is perfect for topping salads, tossing with cabbage for a quick slaw, or for dipping chicken fingers. 

This Cafe Rio copycat recipe for Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing is creamy, tangy, and just the teeniest bit spicy. It’s perfect for drizzling over salads or tacos, or for dipping fresh vegetables.

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jalapeno dressing in small jar with spoon

Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette

4.67 from 12 votes
This is a tangy, sweet Jalapeno Vinaigrette with a hint of lingering heat that you can't stop eating. 
Pin Print Review
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ cup light flavored olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2-4 small jalapeño peppers halved with stem and seeds removed

Instructions

  • Combine 2 jalapeño peppers, lime juice, vinegar, honey, oil, and salt in the blender. Puree until mostly smooth.
  • Taste and add more jalapeños according to however much heat you like. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until needed. Shake well before drizzling over your favorite salad.

Notes

Start with just 1-2 peppers and taste the dressing before adding any additional peppers. (My peppers were very mild, so I was able to use 4 peppers in the dressing without making it too spicy.)
Keep in mind that the heat will increase as the flavors chill together in the refrigerator. If you are making the dressing a day or two in advance, it will likely grow hotter over time.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal · Carbohydrates: 5g · Protein: 0.1g · Fat: 7g · Saturated Fat: 1g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5g · Sodium: 73mg · Potassium: 19mg · Fiber: 0.1g · Sugar: 5g · Vitamin A: 40IU · Vitamin C: 5mg · Calcium: 2mg · Iron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 4/22/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/9/23}

vinaigrette with honey, lime, and jalapenos, in small jar with spoon

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Sharon H says

    I’m sorry but I followed your recipe exactly and it was too watery so I drizzled more oil into but had to stop before I used an entire bottle of it. I put it in the fridge and hopefully it will thicken up some.2 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      Vinaigrette is typically very thin, Sharon. I’m sorry to hear that it wasn’t a win for you. (For future reference, adding more oil isn’t going to thicken a dressing very much at all.)