5-Minute Honey Lime Dressing
on Jul 18, 2024
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You’ll need just 5 minutes and a few simple ingredients to make this tangy honey lime dressing. It’s a breeze to make, but perfect for adding brightness and zing to salads, skewers, lunch bowls and more.
This can even double as a quick marinade for meat or fish!
Have you tried my halloumi kebabs with chorizo and tomatoes? They’re a popular recipe around here – something just a little bit simple to throw on your BBQ or under your broiler (grill). I love the contrast of the savory chorizo with the crispy, salty, and milky halloumi cheese.
But what really makes these skewers sing is the delicious but very simple honey lime dressing that’s drizzled over just before serving. It’s so delicious that I decided it deserved its very own post. Because it’s not only perfect for the halloumi skewers, it makes a bright and sunny vinaigrette for almost any kind of salad.
And much more (read on for many more ideas!).
More reasons to love it
- A quick and easy way to perk up a salad. Grab a lime next time you’re out, and I’ll bet you already have all the other simple ingredients you need in your pantry already. I love the contrast of sweet and citrusy in this 5-minute dressing, and I think you will, too!
- Surprisingly versatile. Brighten up a simple green salad – of course – or drizzle over a grain salad (couscous, quinoa, farro), roasted veggies, anything halloumi, pasta, or potato salad. Use as a dipping sauce or even a last minute marinade to flavor and/or tenderize meat or fish, seafood or even vegetables.
- Make ahead friendly! Whip up a triple batch of this at the beginning of the week, and you’ll never be short of a way to take your salads to the next level.
About the ingredients
Olive oil: I suggest using a good quality brand of olive oil, if possible.
Zest and juice of a lime: This of course is the key to the wonderful, citrusy flavor. You can use the juice and zest of 1 to 2 limes depending on what you’re going to use the vinaigrette for. For a salad dressing I tend to use just one, but if I’m drizzling over these halloumi kebabs I add 2 for much more punch!
Honey: This adds beautiful sweetness to balance out the tang of the lime.
Vinegar (white or red wine, apple cider, or regular white vinegar all work!): This helps the rest of the ingredients to blend together. It will also help it to last longer in the fridge.
Optional
Mustard: This adds a slightly creamy taste and appearance to the dressing. Dijon mustard is perfect, but of course any mustard works.
Finely chopped onion: Just a little. Alternatively, use a finely chopped shallot or a small minced clove of garlic. Or just leave it out if you like.
Salt and pepper: To taste. A few grinds, or a pinch of each.
How to make a 5-minute honey lime dressing
Just whisk all of the ingredients together and your dressing is ready!
You can either whizz together in a small food processor as shown above, or shake well in a clean jar with a lid.
Helen’s Top Tips
- Use a clean jar with a lid to shake the ingredients together. Then you can easily store any leftovers in the fridge (they should keep well for about a week). SO easy!
- Make sure that you taste test and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. You can also tweak the amount of honey or lime if you like.
- No worries if the olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator! Just try to remember to let it warm up a bit at room temperature before using again.
- Make an even simpler version by skipping the vinegar, mustard and onion.
Make it your own (variations)
- Make it a creamy honey lime dressing. Add a spoonful or two of Greek or natural yogurt. This works especially well as a marinade for perfectly tenderized meat.
- Stir in some finely chopped fresh herbs. Try cilantro (coriander), mint, thyme, or parsley, or a mixture of any of these.
- Add a pinch of cumin. This goes very well with lime.
- Add a little finely chopped chili, if you like a little heat.
Ways to use it
No prizes for guessing that my favorite way to use this easy peasy dressing with honey and lime is drizzled all over these halloumi kebabs with chorizo and tomatoes! You just have to try them.
Apart from sloshing all over all your favorite salads (need inspiration? Check out my salad catregory!), here are some more of my favorite ideas:
- Halloumi. This honey lime dressing recipe pairs so well with halloumi cheese. Drizzle it over Crispy Halloumi Fries or use it as a dipping sauce for Halloumi Bites. Or why not try it with this delicious One Pan Roast Vegetable Couscous with Halloumi?
- Chicken. Easily double the dressing to use as a marinade, or use it as a lime honey vinaigrette over Easy Baked Chicken Thighs, Oven Baked Chicken Kabobs, or Air Fryer Roast Chicken.
- Vegetables. Drizzle the dressing over all your favorite veggies! Try with Zucchini fries (Greek Style), Roast Vegetables Mediterranean Style or Crispy Chickpea Quinoa Salad.
A few more dressings and flavorings
5-Minute Honey Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar, white or red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 limes, (1 to 2 limes to taste, both juice and zest) For a vinaigrette, 1 is about right, for a drizzle or marinade, go with 2.
Optional (but recommended!)
- 1 teaspoon mustard, (Dijon is nice)
- 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste (a pinch of each, or a few grinds)
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients together in a small food processor, or use a clean jar and lid and shake it (you can also just whisk together in a bowl or jug with a small whisk or fork).½ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 limes, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 tablespoon onion, salt and pepper
- Toss through a salad, drizzle over vegetables, or use as a marinade. Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed jar or container for up to about a week.
Hi Helen, the weather hasn’t improved since your return from England. We had rain all day yesterday in Cornwall! Regarding your lasagna question, it has to be Nagi’s recipe. Although there are only the two of us, I make the full recipe then portion and freeze the leftover ragu , using it as the base for a variety of meals. I do the same with the ragu for her mushroom lasagna, from her brilliant book Dinner.
Oh no, sorry to hear that, Helen! If it makes you feel any better, it’s very gloomy and rainy here today, too, and the forecast is for rain for the foreseeable future. Oh well! Thank you for your feedback on the lasagna question! I actually do own Nagi’s book and I’m expecting everything to be fabulous including her lasagna. I will try to stick to her recipe next time instead of experimenting haha! Hope you have a lovely day whatever the weather 🙂