This garlic vinaigrette is a blender dressing made from roasted garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and agave. It takes five minutes to put together and keeps well in the fridge, which makes it genuinely useful on a weeknight when you need a dressing ready to go. The roasted garlic gives it a mellow, rounded flavor that raw garlic canโt match.
Smart swaps
- Roasted garlic: This is the one ingredient that needs advance planning โ a whole head takes about 40 minutes in the oven at 400ยฐF. If youโre short on time, use store-bought roasted garlic or roast a few cloves in a small pan on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of oil until golden and soft, about 15 minutes.
- Agave: Honey works as a 1:1 swap if youโre not keeping it vegan. Maple syrup also works and adds a slightly earthier note. The sweetener is there to balance the vinegar, so donโt skip it entirely.
- Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar is a milder substitute. Red wine vinegar works too but will shift the flavor noticeably toward something sharper.
The technique that matters
The key move here is using a blender rather than just whisking. Blending the roasted garlic with the liquids breaks it down completely and forces the oil and vinegar into a temporary emulsion โ meaning the dressing clings to leaves instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Whisk it and youโll get separation within minutes. Blend it and the texture stays cohesive long enough to coat a full salad evenly. If youโre making a larger batch, a standard blender works fine; for a single serving, a small immersion blender cup is easier to clean.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using warm roasted garlic straight from the oven: Hot garlic will slightly cook the other ingredients and can make the dressing taste bitter. Let the roasted garlic cool to room temperature before blending.
- Not tasting before bottling: Garlic heads vary in size and intensity. Blend, taste, then adjust โ a little more lemon if itโs flat, a pinch more salt if the flavors arenโt coming forward.
- Storing in a wide-mouth container without a tight seal: This dressing picks up fridge odors quickly because of the garlic. Use a jar with a proper lid, not plastic wrap over a bowl.
- Overdressing the salad: At 270 calories per serving, this dressing is mostly olive oil โ a little goes a long way. Start with less than you think you need; you can always add more.
- Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. Keep the dressing separate until the moment you serve, especially with tender greens like butter lettuce or spinach.
Keeping leftovers crisp
The dressing itself stores well in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to one week. Olive oil solidifies when cold, so pull the jar out 10 to 15 minutes before you need it and give it a good shake โ it will come back together. If youโre building salads ahead for the week, store the dressing separately from the greens and any crisp components like croutons or raw vegetables. Dressed greens will wilt within a few hours; undressed components stay fresh for three to four days when kept in airtight containers. The dressing also works well as a marinade for grilled chicken or roasted vegetables if youโve made more than you need for salads.
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (5-Minute Blender Dressing)
Equipment
- Blender or immersion blender
- Small glass jar with tight-fitting lid (for storage)
- Aluminium foil (for roasting garlic)
- Small rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup extra-virgin olive oil 120ml
- ยผ cup apple cider vinegar 60ml
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 30ml, about 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar 15ml
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
- โ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 head garlic roasted, about 10-12 cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐF / 200ยฐC (205ยฐC fan-forced). Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap in aluminium foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until the cloves are golden and soft.1 head garlic
- Squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, agave, salt, and pepper. Blend for 15-20 seconds until smooth and fully emulsified.ยฝ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ยผ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt, โ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 head garlic
- Pour the vinaigrette into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Use immediately over your favourite salad, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake well before each use.
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Do I have to roast the garlic, or can I use raw?
Raw garlic will make the dressing sharp and harsh โ roasting is what gives this vinaigrette its mellow, slightly sweet flavor. If you skip the roasting step, youโll end up with a much more aggressive dressing that can overpower lighter greens.
How long does this vinaigrette keep in the fridge?
Up to one week in a sealed jar. After that the garlic flavor starts to fade and the acidity can dull. Give it a shake before each use since the oil will separate when cold.
Can I make this without a blender?
You can, but the texture will be different. Mash the roasted garlic into a paste with a fork, then whisk it vigorously with the other ingredients. The dressing will still taste good but will separate faster and wonโt cling to leaves as well.
Is this dressing vegan?
Yes, as written it is vegan โ agave is used instead of honey. If you swap in honey, it is no longer vegan but is still vegetarian.
Can I double or triple the batch?
Yes, and itโs worth doing. The recipe scales easily โ just multiply all ingredients by the same factor. A larger batch made on Sunday will cover salads for the full week.
What salads does this dressing work best on?
It works on almost any green salad, but itโs especially good on heartier leaves like romaine or kale that can hold up to the bold garlic flavor. It also doubles as a marinade or a drizzle over roasted vegetables.