Looking for a quick and fun way to spice up your salad or rice bowl? Try this smoky and simple Chipotle Vinaigrette!
Making vinaigrette at home is a great way to eliminate unnecessary preservatives and save some money! In just 5 minutes you can turn your boring salad into a healthy meal that’s bursting with complex flavor. Because eating healthy shouldn’t suck.
Chipotle Vinaigrette Tips & Tricks
Doubling the Recipe
This recipe is designed to dress 2 or 3 salads. If you need more dressing, you can easily double the recipe. It will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so you can choose to double it and keep it in the fridge to keep a delicious vinaigrette on hand.
Green tip: Of all of the billions of metric tons of food waste in the U.S. annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens at home. Making things in smaller batches is a great way to reduce your personal contribution to food waste.
Use a Heavy-Duty Blender or Food Processor
It takes a little while for the dried chipotle’s to break down. It’s best if it blends into tiny fragments, resembling crushed red pepper.
It’s best to use a food processor or heavy-duty blender. I use this Ninja Blender (affiliate link) to make all of my vinaigrettes, and it works really well to crush the chipotle’s here!
Adjust Your Spice Level
Chipotle peppers are just smoke-dried jalapenos. And while the smoking process does mitigate the spice just a bit, the chipotle’s will still carry a kick. I use 2-3 medium-sized chipotle peppers for a small batch of this vinaigrette, and I would call the result moderately spicy.
If you just want a hint of smokiness and spice, just use one, and if you’re looking for some fire, use up to 5.
You can usually find dried chipotle peppers in the ethnic food section in your grocery store, but you can also order these dried chipotle peppers (affiliate link) that I use for this recipe.
Vinaigrette Frequently Asked Questions
A dressing is considered a vinaigrette when it includes oil, acid (like vinegar or citrus), and other herbs and/or seasonings.
In an airtight consider and stored in the refrigerator, fresh vinaigrette will last up to two weeks.
No, a dressing or marinade can still be considered a vinaigrette without vinegar as long as it contains something acidic like citrus.
Why You Should Make this Chipotle Vinaigrette
- It’s quick and easy. Just throw all the ingredients in the blender and there you have it!
- It’s smoky and spicy. Those chipotles lend the most delicious flavors!
- It’s all-natural. Making vinaigrette at home means no preservatives!
If you love this Chipotle Vinaigrette and are looking for more delicious vinaigrette inspiration, check out this Raspberry Vinaigrette and this Greek Vinaigrette.
Chipotle Vinaigrette
PIN Print RATEEquipment
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 dried chipotle peppers
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until the dried chipotle’s break down into small fragments.
- Pour over salad or rice bowl and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- If you want your Chipotle Vinaigrette super spicy, you can add more peppers! Using 2-3 will yield a smoky and mildly spicy vinaigrette.
