Orange and mustard for a small jar of dressing.

A dressing does not need to be a separate shopping trip. The half orange left after a meal can be enough reason to try a new one.

Shake a small jar

For a first batch, combine one tablespoon of orange juice, one tablespoon of olive oil and half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard in a clean small jar. Add a teaspoon of water, close the lid and shake well.

Taste on a piece of the food you plan to dress. A sauce tastes different on a spoon from the way it tastes across a bowl of cabbage or cooked carrots. Add more water if it coats too heavily.

Leave the decision with the meal

Orange sweetness and mustard strength vary, so the first batch is for adjusting. Make a small amount close to serving rather than assuming a long storage life.

Contains mustard. Check the label for other allergens. Homemade and shop-bought dressings can both have a place; this is a flavour idea, not a claim that one is automatically safer or more nutritious.

Development draft: not kitchen-tested. Quantities, texture and yield need checking.

Sources, evidence and limits

Evidence basis

Practical editorial opinion; no clinical effect is claimed or independently established.

Least certain: Taste, texture, yield and preparation time have not been tested.

Contrary evidence and limits: Ingredient facts do not establish this dish’s health effects or make it a complete meal for everyone.

What would change the conclusion: Kitchen testing, ingredient brands, allergies or individual dietary needs may require changes.

Claims not adopted: No inherited nutrient totals, medicinal benefits, source-author experiences or validated substitution claims.

Topic inspiration

6 Editor-Approved Salad Dressings You Can Whip Up in Minutes — Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN, 2025-09-11.

The full public MBG article was read. Underlying research reading levels are specified above; not every full paper was accessible. This is a focused check, not a systematic review.

Independently written for Everyday, rather than a translation of the source or a reproduction of its recipe.