This zingy citrus salad dressing whisks up in minutes using fresh orange and lemon juice. It’s a bright lemon orange vinaigrette that makes any salad taste incredible.
Looking for a tangy salad dressing to liven up your greens? This zingy citrus salad dressing is where it’s at! It’s got both fresh lemon and orange juice, and it’s perfectly balanced.
I originally made this dressing as part of a fennel orange salad, and it was so refreshing I couldn’t stop eating it! This vinaigrette works in the winter during citrus season, and as a light healthy dressing for summer salads. It’s a favorite in our house and I hope it will be in yours too!
5 Star Reader Reviews
“I’ve been making this dressing exactly as the recipe calls for it to be done for years. It’s quick, easy, delicious, and versatile.” -Lindsey
“Very delicious, and easy, quick to make! Thank you!” -Linelle
Ingredients You’ll Need
This citrus salad dressing is a simple vinaigrette that uses orange and lemon juice in place of vinegar. Here’s what you’ll need:
Orange juice and zest: Use fresh squeezed orange juice, plus the zest of half the orange. The zest is what makes the flavor really pop!
Lemon juice: Adding fresh lemon juice makes for a super tangy dressing.
Dijon mustard: Mustard adds a savory note and also helps emulsify the dressing so it stays creamy.
Maple syrup: This balances the acidity; you can also use honey or agave syrup.
Olive oil: This is my favorite heart-healthy oil for salad dressings.
How To Make Citrus Salad Dressing
This fresh and healthy citrus salad dressing comes together in a flash! The only main task is juicing the lemon and orange, then whisking together the dressing. Here are a few tips for this simple vinaigrette:
Use a juicer. While you can juice citrus without it, I always use my trusty juicer for citrus to quickly juice it and keep the seeds out. (Anytime I try it with my hands, I get seeds in whatever I’m making!) Here’s the juicer I use: it works great!
For zesting: a microplane or grater. I add the zest of ½ orange to this dressing to make it pop. I use a microplane to make quick work of zesting. If you don’t have one, use a grater. Smaller zesters that are more like bar tools don’t work as well here. Here’s more on How to Zest an Orange.
Add the olive oil gradually to make a creamy emulsion. Add the olive oil gradually, tablespoon by tablespoon. Whisk until it combines, then add another. This is the key to getting a creamy emulsified salad dressing.
Variations To Try
Here are a few ways to add different flavors to this dressing:
Add garlic: Add half a grated small garlic clove for a more savory dressing.
Stir in shallot or herbs: A teaspoon of minced shallot or chopped chives to add subtle onion notes.
Change the citrus: Blood orange, grapefruit, or lime juice also can work for parts of the juice.
Swap the sweetener. As I noted above, honey or agave syrup both work in place of maple syrup.
Ways to Serve This Citrus Salad Dressing
This citrus salad dressing goes well on lots of different types of salads! It would also make a great flavoring for green beans or broccoli as a side dish. Here are our favorite ways to serve it:
Fennel orange salad. This fennel orange salad accentuates the orange in our fennel orange salad perfectly.
Kale salad. It would be perfect on this BEST Kale Salad — add it to taste.
Arugula salad. Brighten up this Easy Arugula Salad with citrus vinaigrette (to taste).
Vegetables. This Best Steamed Broccoli or Steamed Green Beans would also be fantastic tossed with a little citrus salad dressing before sprinkling with feta cheese.
You can store this dressing refrigerated for up to 1 week. Olive oil firms up when it’s cold, so bring it to room temperature before serving and then give it a quick shake or whisk.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
This zingy citrus salad dressing whisks up in minutes using fresh orange and lemon juice. It’s a bright lemon orange vinaigrette that makes any salad taste incredible.
Zest the orange. In a medium bowl, mix the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt and a grind of fresh black pepper.
Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time (8 tablespoons total), until creamy and emulsified. If desired, season with additional salt. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature prior to serving.
Here’s how to make fluffy cilantro lime rice with lime zest, juice, and fresh herbs. This Chipotle-style side makes every burrito bowl better!
If you’re making a burrito bowl, tacos, or enchiladas, here’s my go-to side dish: this easy Cilantro Lime Rice recipe! Adding cilantro, lime juice and lime zest to plain rice catapults it to an entirely different level.
The ways to serve it are endless: use it in burrito bowls (Chipotle style!), tacos, or as a side for grilled shrimp skewers. It’s so versatile, I’ve made it so many times. Really, any meal is better with a little cilantro lime rice!
5 Star Reader Review
“I literally love this recipe, it’s delicious and good for just a random little snack. Thank you for the recipe!” -Alora
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice
This cilantro lime rice recipe is fast and easy: and only includes a few extra steps to boiling up a pot of rice. But for the amount of flavor it adds, you’ll want to make it this way every time! It takes a pot of rice from bland to irresistible. Here are the basic steps:
Cook the rice. It starts basic! Use any long-grain rice.
Stir in salt and garlic powder, then steam 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat. Quickly uncover and add garlic powder and salt, then cover and let it steam. This allows the seasonings to infuse while the rice steams.
Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. Then uncover and stir in the cilantro and lime! Using both juice and zest infuses the entire pot with tangy flavor.
When to Add Cilantro and Lime to Rice
You’ll want to add the cilantro and lime after you have cooked and steamed the rice. This is important because the cilantro is very delicate. If you boiled it along with the rice, it would lose all flavor and become very soggy.
Lime zest and juice also lose flavor if they’re boiled, so it’s best to add them at the end for the most zingy flavor.
White Rice or Brown Rice?
White rice is best flavor-wise for cilantro lime rice, in our personal opinion. But do you prefer brown rice? There are some health advantages of brown rice vs white rice. Use either one here! Here’s what to know:
Use long grain rice either way. Short grain doesn’t result in the best texture for this style of rice.
Brown rice works with the same instructions: just cook it for 45 minutes instead of 15!
How to Make It in a Rice Cooker or Instant Pot
You can also make this recipe in a rice cooker or Instant pot! Here’s what to do:
Rice cooker: Add 1 cup long grain white rice and water to the 1-cup line, then cook on the white rice setting. When it switches to warm, stir in the salt and garlic powder and close the lid for 10 minutes. Then open and fold in the cilantro, coconut oil, lime juice, and zest.
Instant Pot: Rinse 1 cup long grain white rice and add it to the pot with 1 cup water. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt, garlic powder, cilantro, oil, and lime. Here’s my full method for Instant Pot white rice.
Use cilantro lime rice in a shrimp bowl for an easy (and tasty) dinner
Ways to Serve Cilantro Lime Rice
Here are a few of my top ways to serve this tasty rice:
Cilantro lime rice works to make ahead; refrigerated it for up to 4 days. To reheat it, place it in a pan on the stovetop, add a few tablespoons of water, and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice also helps to revive the flavors.
You can freeze cilantro lime rice for up to 3 months, though the cilantro will turn darker after it’s frozen and thawed. Add fresh cilantro when serving!
Dietary Notes
This cilantro lime rice recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Add the rice to a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. While the rice cooks, prep the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest.
Remove from the heat, then uncover and stir in the salt and garlic powder. Return the cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cilantro, coconut oil, lime juice and lime zest. Refrigerate leftovers; to reheat, heat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a few tablespoons water until warmed and moist (you may need to add a pinch more salt).
Notes
*This recipe makes 4 modest servings. For larger servings, make 1.5 or 2 times the recipe.
**You can also use this method with brown rice if you like. Follow the same instructions, but simmer for 45 minutes in Step 1.
Love cilantro?
Of course, we know lots of haters. But not us! Here are a few top cilantro recipes to use this tasty herb:
A hot toddy with rum is the best warming drink! Use white, aged, or dark rum for this easy recipe that’s been around for centuries.
Here’s a drink to lift your spirits: the Rum Hot Toddy! This hot beverage has been around for centuries, and with one sip you’ll know why. It warms you from your head to your toes (imagine that in those eras with no central heating!).
Rum melds seamlessly into hot water and honey, which opens and accentuates its flavors. You can make this drink with white, aged, or dark rum: each adds different flavor components.
5 Star Reader Review
“I made this today for my husband (and myself, of course!). He absolutely loved the rum toddy! We both loved the hints of cinnamon and lemon, and I used maple syrup, as you suggested. Your recipe will certainly be repeated!” -Francine
Ingredients In A Hot Toddy With Rum
The hot toddy is a mixed drink made of liquor, hot water, and honey, often including lemon, or tea. It originated in India and was standard in Britain as early as the 1780’s! By the mid-1800’s, Americans were prescribing it as a cure for the common cold.
The original hot toddy was made with whiskey like Scotch. But once it spread to America, it was made with rum or brandy, which were the easiest to find spirits at the time. (It’s not like today, where you can get a bottle of just about any type of liquor at your liquor store!) Here are the ingredients you’ll need for a hot toddy with rum:
Rum: Any type of rum works in this drink; see more on choosing a rum below.
Pure maple syrup or honey: I like using maple syrup here. Honey can taste slightly medicinal with lemon and rum but it also works.
Hot water: I heat it in my electric tea kettle.
Lemon: Squeeze in a wedge of lemon, or you can also float a lemon wheel on top.
Cinnamon stick (optional): This adds a hint of cozy spices.
Types of Rum
You can use any type of rum for a hot toddy with rum, and each one adds unique flavor notes to the drink. You might think of white rum for Daiquiris and Mojitos, but it works very well in a rum hot toddy. An even better fit are aged and dark rum, which add intriguing flavor notes. Here’s how each change the flavor:
White rum has a straightforward flavor with a signature fruity finish
Aged rum,aka añejo rum, has notes of vanilla, coconut, almond, citrus, or caramel
Dark rum has a deep, caramel flavor and notes of cinnamon and spices
Spiced rum is already infused with warm spices, so you can skip the cinnamon stick if you like
How To Make A Rum Hot Toddy
A hot toddy is a cozy, restorative drink to sip by the fire (it was once thought to be a cure for the common cold). Because of that, it’s less of a fancy cocktail and more like making tea. Here’s what to do:
Mix: In the serving glass, stir together 1 ½ oz rum with ½ oz maple syrup or honey. We like the mix of pure maple syrup with rum (honey can taste slightly medicinal, but still delicious!).
Add hot water: Pour in ½ cup hot water.
Add lemon: Squeeze in a lemon wedge.
Garnish: Add a cinnamon stick if desired.
Maple Syrup, Honey, or Brown Sugar?
Maple syrup is my default for its cozy flavor with hints of caramel. Honey is the classic choice for a hot toddy, though I like it slightly better with maple flavor-wise.
For a even deeper flavor you can use 1 tablespoon brown sugar, which dissolves into the hot water. A splash of demerara syrup works too!
Serving It For A Crowd
Entertaining and want to make this rum hot toddy recipe for a crowd? You can certainly do so: and it’s very easy to mix up. Simply heat up the following ingredients on the stovetop until hot but not boiling:
4 cups hot water
1 ½ cups rum
½ cup maple syrup or honey
Once it’s heated, garnish in the same way as the single serving. Squeeze in the juice from a lemon wedge, and add a cinnamon stick if you like. That’s it!
More Hot Toddy Recipes
There are lots of variations on the theme! Here are a few more hot toddy recipes I love:
Yes! Rum was a go-to liquor for a hot toddy in colonial America. Any type works, though I specifically love aged and dark rums for their caramel and vanilla notes.
How strong is a rum hot toddy?
This hot toddy has 1 ½ oz of 80-proof rum per 6 oz drink, so it has about 10% alcohol (ABV). That’s the same amount of alcohol as one standard cocktail, just diluted with hot water.
Is a hot toddy better with rum or whiskey?
It’s personal preference! I like the rum hot toddy better because it’s a little rounder and sweeter, but whiskey makes a delicious hot toddy as well. Try my bourbon hot toddy and tell me which you like better in the comments below!
In the serving glass, stir together the rum and maple syrup (or honey).
Pour in the hot water. Garnish with a lemon wedge, squeezing in the juice, and the cinnamon stick.
Variation for 8 servings: Warm 4 cups water, 1 ½ cups rum, and ½ cup maple syrup on the stovetop until hot but not boiling. Garnish with lemon and serve.
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Here are the best rum cocktails to make with white or dark rum! These essential rum drinks will please everyone, including classic daiquiris, piña coladas, Mojitos, and more.
On the lookout for great rum cocktails? This liquor made from sugar cane became popular in America centuries ago, and is the key to many classic cocktails like the daiquiri and the mojito. After years testing rum cocktails at home, I’ve learned that they’re most approachable and crowd-pleasing drinks you can make.
This spirit is perfect for mixing with fruit, citrus, or sweetness, and ideal for spiking frozen drinks like a frozen daiquiri or hot drinks like buttered rum. As a home cocktail expert, here are my top classic rum cocktails that everyone always loves!
The most classic of all rum cocktails: the daiquiri! This balanced cocktail stars lime juice, rum, and simple syrup. A classic daiquiri is not frozen like the popular variation: it’s served straight up in a cocktail glass, likely invented in the 1800’s in Cuba.
Another all-time classic rum cocktail is the Mojito. While origins of the drink go back centuries, this iconic Cuban cocktail solidified its place in history in the 1930’s when Ernest Hemingway helped to popularize it. It’s a refreshing balance of lime, rum and fresh mint that’s equally as popular today (if not more so).
Ingredients: White rum, simple syrup, lime, mint, soda water
Another all-time great in rum cocktails is the classic piña colada! Named for “strained pineapple” in Spanish, this drink of pineapple juice, rum, and coconut is served either blended or with crushed ice. The drink was invented in San Juan in 1954 by a bartender named Ramón “Monchito” Marrero: it became an instant favorite and the official drink of Puerto Rico in 1978.
The concept of rum punch goes back centuries, though this one is closest to a Planter’s Punch from the early 1900’s. The balance of the ingredients is ideal: it’s sweet tart, fruity, and tropical, made with a mix of fruit juices.
Ingredients: White rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, grenadine
Just 3 ingredients make the classic Dark and Stormy cocktail! Each ingredient has personality: the rich, earthy dark rum, with vanilla and brown sugar notes, spicy ginger beer with effervescent bubbles, and a squeeze of tangy lime. It’s simple to build in the glass, making it ideal for entertaining.
The Mai Tai might sound like a fruity resort drink from the 1990’s, but it’s actually classic cocktail from the 1940’s. A true Mai Tai has a complex flavor, featuring rum, orange liqueur, and orgeat syrup. It’s just sweet enough, with nutty and vanilla notes against the sharp citrus.
Ingredients: Aged rum, dark rum, orange liqueur (curaçao, Cointreau or Grand Marnier), lime, orgeat syrup
Here’s a Cuban rum cocktail that’s made all over the world. This drink recipe has just 3 ingredients: lime, cola, and rum: also known as the Rum and Coke! It has 100 years of history and a refreshing, nuanced flavor.
It’s fruity and extra boozy: meet the Hurricane! This classic New Orleans cocktail is made with light and dark rum and passion fruit syrup, which gives it a tropical nuance. A hint of grenadine gives it extra sweetness and a rosy-golden color. It’s a unique rum cocktail that’s festive and fun.
Ingredients: Light rum, dark rum, passion fruit syrup, orange juice, lime juice, grenadine
Who doesn’t love a good strawberry daiquiri? My spin on this rum cocktail has a pure berry flavor and is just sweet enough, blended with real frozen strawberries and zingy fresh lime.
Here’s my personal favorite rum cocktail: the Jungle Bird! It’s one of the few rum cocktails to feature an Italian liqueur: Campari. You might know Campari from the Negroni: a dry and bitter drink. But Campari perfectly balances this rum drink: it hits all the right notes of sweet, tart, fruity, and bitter.
Ingredients: Dark rum, pineapple juice, Campari, lime juice, simple syrup
The Old Cuban is one part Mojito, one part French 75. This mashup cocktail is a modern classic created by a famous bartender in the early 2000’s. It’s minty fresh, with complexity from the bitters and vanilla and coconut notes from the aged rum.
This 1920’s slow sipper is begging to be part of your rum cocktail repertoire! This Cuban drink never soared quite as high as the daiquiri or the mojito, but it’s something special. It’s sleek and sophisticated, like a Cuban spin on a Manhattan: boozy, subtly bitter with a sweet and citrus nuance.
Ingredients: Aged rum, vermouth blanc, orange liqueur (Curaçao or Grand Marnier), and grenadine
This rum drink is ideal for sipping by the fire on a chilly evening: a historic cocktail made with dark rum that’s been around for centuries. This version is subtly sweet, cozy-spiced with cinnamon and allspice, and spirit-forward with boozy dark rum.
Here’s a bright and tangy rum cocktail that’s a spin on the classic Sidecar. It features rum and Cognac together, something that in Prohibition times was thought to be a little naughty. The rum adds nuance to this citrusy drink.
Ingredients: Cognac, rum, orange liqueur: Cointreau or triple sec, lemon juice
Here’s a tart and complex classic cocktail for the adventurous drinker: the Hemingway daiquiri! This spin on the Classic Daiquiri was invented in the 1920’s in honor of the famous writer himself, Ernest Hemingway. It uses tart, almost bitter grapefruit to balance the acidity of the lime, and maraschino liqueur, a cherry liqueur with notes of sour cherry and almond.
Ingredients: White rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, Maraschino liqueur
Take one sip of this 1920’s rum cocktail and it’s intriguing: pleasantly sweet and sour from the pineapple juice with a slightly funky finish from the Maraschino. This one looks like it’s straightforward, but there’s more flavor to this pretty pink drink than you’d expect.
Ingredients: White rum, pineapple juice, Maraschino liqueur, grenadine
Here’s a frozen rum cocktail full of creamy, chocolaty flavor! Invented in the 1970’s, the Bushwacker is a mashup of a chocolate milkshake and piña colada. It’s lusciously smooth with notes of chocolate, coffee and vanilla.
Ingredients: Aged rum, Kahlua, creme de cacao. cream of coconut, milk, ice
This bright blue rum drink is as classic 1950’s as it gets, from the crushed ice to the drink umbrella. Both vodka and rum feature in this sweet tart drink, along with blue curacao to bring in its ocean-tinted color.
Need a quick and easy rum cocktail? This spin on the classic G&T is bubbly and refreshing, with a hint of fruity rum on the finish. It’s almost like a more subtle version of the Dark and Stormy, less spicy sweetness and more intriguing nuance.
Here’s a unique sweet and sour rum cocktail: the Yellow Bird! This bright yellow cocktail has a little extra bling: a nuanced finish with notes of vanilla and licorice. The sophistication comes from Galliano, a bright yellow Italian liqueur.
Ingredients: Galliano, Triple Sec or Cointreau, white rum, lime juice
Lastly, here’s a rum cocktail that’s completely over the top and perfect for the adventurous home bartender. The Zombie packs a potent punch, with four types of rum, three fruit juices and two fruit syrups. This Tiki-style cocktail originated in the 1930’s and was one of the first of its kind.
Ingredients: white rum, spiced rum, dark rum, 151 rum (optional), lime juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, passion fruit syrup, orange bitters, grenadine
Making Rum Cocktails For a Party
For the best party cocktails, pick drinks that can be batch prepped or built in the glass. Rum Punch is a great party recipe (follow the party size note in the recipe). Mojitos work well if you make my Mojito Pitcher using a mint simple syrup. The Dark and Stormy is easy to build in the glass.
When batching cocktails, multiply the recipe by your number of servings and mix all non-carbonated ingredients together. Always add carbonated ingredients like soda water or champagne separate right before serving. For frozen drinks like piña coladas, you can blend them in batches and keep them in the freezer for a few hours beforehand, then give them a quick re-blend when ready to serve.
Types of Rum: White, Aged & Dark
A few of the rum cocktails above use dark rum: something altogether different than the light rum you get for daiquiris and piña coladas! Here’s a breakdown of the differences:
Aged rum Also referred to as golden rum, amber rum, or añejo rum (meaning “aged”). Aging gives it a complex flavor, more like a Cognac. It has undertones of vanilla, coconut, almond, citrus, or caramel.
Dark rum is also aged; it has a dark color and a rich, developed flavor with caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla notes.
Light rum or white rum is clear and has a smoother, more straightforward flavor than dark rum.
The Rum Cocktail I Start With
The Mojito is my favorite rum cocktail: it’s so refreshing, minty, and bubbly, and it’s simple to make right in the glass: no cocktail shaker required!
In a medium-sized lowball glass or highball, add the mint, lime, and sugar, adding ½ lime at a a time. Muddle until lime juice is released and mint is fragrant.
Add the rum and swirl. Add a handful of ice cubes and top with the soda water. Stir once or twice to incorporate and garnish with additional mint and lime wedges.
Rum pairs well with a variety of mixers, including fruit juices (lime, pineapple, orange), soda water, cola, ginger beer, tonic water, coconut cream, and various liqueurs.
Can I use any type of rum for any cocktail?
While you can experiment with different rum styles in cocktails, certain types are traditionally used for specific drinks. For example, a Mojito typically calls for white rum, while a Mai Tai is made with both white and dark rum.
What are some tips for making great rum cocktails at home?
Use fresh ingredients, quality rum, and follow the recipes exactly. Shake cocktails with ice to chill and dilute them properly. Garnish your drinks to enhance their visual appeal and aroma.
More cocktails!
Outside of these rum cocktails, there are so many great cocktail recipes! Here are some of our best cocktail collections:
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