Basic Vinaigrette (Plus Variations!)
Here’s my go-to vinaigrette recipe! It’s so easy to make and tastes way better than store-bought dressings. You can change up the flavors by choosing the vinegar that suits your salad best. Recipe yields 3/4 cup dressing, enough for about 6 medium salads (assuming 2 tablespoons per salad).
Prep: 5min
Total: 5min
Yield: 3
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 tablespoons, calories 183 calories, Sugar 3.3 g, Sodium 95.9 mg, Fat 19.1 g, Saturated Fat 2.7 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 4.3 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.4 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons vinegar of choice (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instruction:
- In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Stir well with a small whisk or a fork until the ingredients are completely mixed together.
- Taste, and adjust as necessary. If the mixture is too acidic, thin it out with a bit more olive oil or balance the flavors with a little more maple syrup or honey. If the mixture is a little blah, add another pinch or two of salt. If it doesn’t have enough zing, add vinegar by the teaspoon.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for future use. Homemade vinaigrette keeps well for 7 to 10 days. If your vinaigrette solidifies somewhat in the fridge, don’t worry about it—real olive oil tends to do that. Simply let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or microwave very briefly (about 20 seconds) to liquify the olive oil again. Whisk to blend and serve.
Simple Vinaigrette
We followed the standard 3-to-1 oil-to-vinegar ratio for this super simple vinaigrette. For variety, add your favorite dried or chopped fresh herbs. Make a batch at the beginning of the week, and toss a few tablespoons with fresh greens for a quick weeknight salad. But remember that vinaigrette isn’t just for salad: You can also use it as a quick sauce for fish or grilled chicken.
Prep: 0 5min0
Total: 0 5min0
Yield: 1 cup
Serving Size: 1 of 8 servings
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 8 servings, calories 182, Fat 20g, Saturated Fat 3g, Carbohydrate 0g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g, Protein 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 69mg
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white, red or aged sherry vinegar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instruction:
- Set a medium bowl on a kitchen towel shaped like an “O” (this helps keep the bowl steady while whisking). Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in the bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously until the mixture is combined and blended well. Use right away, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Classic Vinaigrette
Ditch the bottled stuff and whisk up a batch of this workhorse vinaigrette.
Total: 0 5min0
Yield: 1 cup
Serving Size: 1 of 8 servings
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 8 servings, calories 182, Fat 20g, Saturated Fat 3g, Carbohydrate 0g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g, Protein 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 71mg
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instruction:
- Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and a generous pinch of salt in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing. Whisk in a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper.