Whole Orange Vinaigrette

When I saw this recipe online I almost kicked myself! You see, I discovered a whole lemon dressing back in 2017 and it was amazing. Then, I thought to make a kalamansi dressing using whole kalamansi fruit in 2026. It was even more amazing! Why in the world did I not think to make a whole orange dressing?!

This recipe comes from Food & Wine magazine, and it’s called a whole orange vinaigrette. The recipe author is Breana Lai Killeen. Her recipe uses a Sumo orange, which are in season in the winter months where I live. I wanted to make the vinaigrette in early September, so I chose an organic navel orange.

The recipe utilizes ginger, garlic and miso, so I chose some “Asian-friendly” ingredients for the salad. From the author: “A vibrant emulsified dressing made with an entire Sumo mandarin – peel and all – balanced by white miso, fresh herbs, and ginger.” Her original recipe is printable below; mine is adapted.

I can honestly say that I love the additions of peanut and sesame seed oils; they really made a nice difference. The peanuts, shiso, cilantro and basil were perfect toppings.

Whole orange vinaigrette
Printable recipe below

1 large (13-ounce) navel orange, scrubbed
1/3 cup yuzu rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white miso
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Cut off and discard ends of orange. Coarsely chop orange, discarding any seeds if necessary. Transfer orange, vinegar, miso, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper to a blender, and process until very finely chopped, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides halfway through.

With blender running, gradually pour the oils through chute until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Season with additional salt to taste.

The dressing is fabulous! The flavor is multi-level and very satisfying. The problem, when you follow recipes, is that you should always go with your gut feeling, because that hardly ever fails. I was tempted to pour all of the oils in at once after the oranges were puréed, and just simply blend for a few seconds. Instead, what happened is that I created a fluffy mayonnaise!

By the time I realized this, I’d already prepared the salad, and it was impossible to pour or drizzle the vinaigrette on top unlike right after it blended – above left – so my resulting salad is not pretty to me. I should have started over, tossed the lettuce with the dressing, then finish the salad with the remaining ingredients.

For this salad, which was delicious, I chose baby butter lettuce, red bell peppers, avocado, daikon, mango, cilantro, shiso, green onions, basil, and toasted peanuts. Other ingredients could be cabbage, noodles, cucumbers, carrots, grilled steak, grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, chile peppers, cherry tomatoes, beets, toasted ramen noodles, bacon, crispy fried garlic, sesame seeds, and so many other options. I hope you try it!