Jalapeño Vinaigrette
This jalapeño vinaigrette is tangy, lightly sweet and as spicy as you want it to be. Fresh lime and cilantro keep it bright, and the whole dressing comes together in 5 minutes.
Drizzle it over crisp greens, roasted vegetables or a chicken Fajita rice bowl. This vinaigrette doubles up as an incredible flavor-packed dip too!
I use jalapeños in my fermented jalapeno hot sauce, Mexican pickled veggies and spicy pineapple salsa. In this dressing, a little honey softens their heat while lime and apple cider vinegar keep each bite tangy.
I make this everytime I have extra jalapeños at hand. This and my homemade jalapeño flakes or jalapeño salt.
Quick Look: Jalapeño Vinaigrette
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: None.
- 👪 Servings: 4.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Jalapeños, lime, cilantro, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
- ♨️ Method: Add to a blender → blend until smooth → taste and adjust.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Drizzle over salads, Tajin shrimp tacos, grain bowls or grilled chicken.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Ready in 5 minutes: Everything goes straight into the blender, like in my Mexican Chamoy sauce.
- Easy to adjust: Start with fewer peppers for a milder dressing, then blend in more to taste.
- Good beyond salads: Use it as a finishing sauce or set aside a portion to marinate vegetables before grilling.
Recipe Ingredients
Jalapeños: Choose firm, fresh peppers. The pale ribs carry much of the heat, so trim them for a milder batch.
Lime juice: Fresh lime gives the dressing its citrus flavor.
Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil gives the dressing body. For a different citrus note, try lemon infused olive oil.
Honey: A little sweetness balances the lime and peppers. Use habanero hot honey for a spicy kick.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a second layer of tang alongside the lime.
Cilantro: Fresh leaves and tender stems give the dressing its color and herbal flavor.
Garlic: Fresh cloves add a savory bite.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it vegan: Swap the honey for agave syrup.
- Change the vinegar: Use white wine vinegar or a little more lime juice in place of apple cider vinegar. Sometimes, I use my spicy pepper vinegar too.
- Make it thicker: Blend in avocado or tahini, or add plain Greek yogurt or homemade sour cream if dairy is fine. When I want something thicker for tacos, I reach for my avocado lime crema.
How to Make Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Step 1: Roughly chop the jalapeños and add them to a blender or jar with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Blend on high for 20–30 seconds, until the dressing looks smooth and the cilantro is finely flecked throughout.
💭 Top Tip
Taste the dressing on something you plan to serve it with. A bite of lettuce or cucumber makes it easier to judge the heat and acidity than tasting the dressing straight from a spoon.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Start with less heat: Jalapeños vary from pepper to pepper. Add them gradually if you’re unsure how hot yours are.
- Use a narrow cup for a stick blender: It keeps the small batch deep enough to cover the blender head.
- Protect your hands: Wear gloves when trimming hot peppers and keep your hands away from your eyes. I always do this when I'm using jalapenos while making jalapeno lime sauce.
- Shake before serving: Some separation is normal after the dressing sits.
How to Use Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Toss it with crunchy salad greens, spoon it over roasted Mexican potatoes, or drizzle it onto tacos or Mexican Migas. I like it with my Huevos Rancheros and sometimes even with my Texas toothpicks.
It’s also good spooned over grilled fish or served alongside nachos.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
White wine vinegar or extra lime juice will keep the flavor bright. Balsamic makes the dressing sweeter and darker.
Yes. Flat-leaf parsley gives the dressing a milder herbal flavor. A few mint leaves are another option if you like a fresher finish.
Cut away the pale ribs and shake out the seeds before blending. Start with fewer peppers, then taste and blend in more until the heat is right for you.
Avocado oil or grapeseed oil both work if you’d prefer a more neutral flavor.
Refrigerate it promptly in a clean, airtight jar and use within 2–3 days. If the olive oil thickens in the fridge, let the dressing sit briefly before serving, then shake it well.
More Mexican Condiments
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this jalapeño vinaigrette, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me what you served it with in the 📝 comments below.
Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 3-4 jalapeños
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- 2-3 garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender jar or a food processor.
- Blend on high speed for 20-30 seconds.
- Taste and adjust consistency.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Worried about the dressing being too spicy? Remove the seeds and the white portion on the inside of the jalapenos before you add them into the mix.
- To make this dressing vegan, swap the honey with some agave or any other sweetener of your choice.
- Need to bulk up the vinaigrette? Add some Greek yogurt, sour cream or tahini and give it a quick blitz in the food processor.
- Don’t have apple cider vinegar? Use white wine vinegar or some more of the zesty lime juice for that tanginess.
