This chipotle vinaigrette is smoky, spicy, and a little sweet. Use it as a salad dressing, or drizzle it over burrito bowls, tacos, grilled veggies, and more!
This chipotle vinaigrette recipe makes a fairly big batch, but I’m not mad about it. It’s the sort of salad dressing that tastes good on almost anything – roasted veggies, tacos, burritos, and, of course, salad. Keep a jar on hand in the fridge, and you’ll use the whole thing before you know it.
Lately, my favorite way to use it has been on grilled veggies. Whether I’ve been cooking zucchini, onions, or portobello mushrooms, this vinaigrette has been the perfect finishing touch. The chipotles deepen the smoky flavor that the veggies gain from the grill, lime juice adds a nice brightness, and a touch of honey balances it all out. I can’t get enough of its sweet, smoky, spicy flavor. I hope you love it too!
Chipotle Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients
This chipotle dressing recipe might remind you of the famous chipotle honey vinaigrette served at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It’s definitely similar, but if you’re a fan of Chipotle’s salad dressing, don’t expect this one to be an exact copycat version. Here’s what I use to make it:
- Chipotles, of course! To make this chipotle vinaigrette, you’ll use one chipotle from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Use the remaining peppers and sauce to make BBQ sandwiches, black bean burgers, chili, black bean soup, or enchiladas!
- Fresh lime juice – It makes the dressing zesty and bright.
- Honey – Its sweetness balances the heat of the chipotle pepper.
- Garlic and cumin – They add depth to the sweet and spicy blend of chipotles and honey.
- Avocado oil – It gives the dressing body and richness.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Place the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blitz until the dressing is smooth. Season to taste, and enjoy! Store any leftover dressing in a Mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Use This Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
This chipotle dressing is such a versatile condiment to keep on hand. For starters, it’s excellent on salads. Toss it with a Simple Green Salad for an easy side dish, or drizzle it onto this Black Bean and Corn Salad. Use it instead of the tahini dressing on my Sweet Potato Salad, or add it to any taco salad or burrito bowl.
But the ways to use it don’t end there. Here are a few more of my favorites:
- On grilled veggies. Try drizzling it over grilled veggie skewers, grilled corn on the cob, grilled potatoes, or grilled eggplant. Or, for a delicious sweet and spicy combination, toss it with grilled pineapple!
- On roasted veggies. I love it with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cauliflower, and broccoli.
- With tacos or a burrito. Drizzle it into veggie tacos, or serve it as a dipping sauce with a breakfast burrito (or a vegan breakfast burrito).
How do you like to use this chipotle vinaigrette? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Salad Dressings
If you love this chipotle vinaigrette, try one of these homemade salad dressing recipes next:
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Homemade Italian Dressing
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small food processor, combine the oil, lime juice, chipotle, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Pulse until combined.
- See the above blog post for serving suggestions.
Absolutely delicious! I used cider vinegar because we didn’t have lime juice, and it was still incredible. Definitely a keeper!
Hi Kelly, I’m so glad you loved the dressing!
What about bacon grease? Is that what is missing in this dressing?
Made this dressing when we brought salad for a Going Away Party at Church- the guest of honor raved about it! As did many others! We found it delicious too! I made my own adobe sauce since I couldn’t find organic! Thanks very much for the Great Recipe- will be making it often ? long does this dressing last in the fridge?
I’m so glad it was a hit!! It lasts for about 5 days in the fridge.
Amazing recipe. I make this and add it on top of my salad that contains black beans, pico de gallo, corn and pickled onions. Love this recipe ! I freeze the extra Chipolte peppers from the can in snack baggies so I can just pull out and make this dressing anytime.
I’m so glad you love the dressing!
Holy moly. Amazing!! I added extra Chipotles, three to be exact. Maybe mine were very mild? Not spicy but delish. Also, all the honey I added got stuck at the bottom of the blender and I had to mix it in when I poured out the sauce, so just beware of your honey getting lost in the bottom! Definitely make this though, it’s AMAZING! I poured it over roasted sweet potatoes with black beans, and topped with cilantro. Pickled onions could have been a nice addition…
I’m so glad you loved it!
Just in time for taco salads tonight. This was absolutely delicious and the perfect touch. Only sub was olive oil for avocado oil due to availability.