How to Make Your Own Vinaigrette at Home (and my 3 favorite recipes)

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I share how to make your own vinaigrette at home along with 3 of my favorite recipes (which are all you will ever need).

Once you learn how to make your own vinaigrette at home, you will always be able to take any fresh produce and turn it into a fabulous salad. Homemade vinaigrette is so easy, and it is so much better than bottled dressing.

 

What are the ingredients for a vinaigrette?

For a basic vinaigrette that is simple yet perfect for any salad, the following three ingredients are what you will always use.

  • Oil for your base
  • Vinegar of choice
  • kosher salt & ground pepper

To add more flavor and texture to a basic vinaigrette, you can add any of the following ingredients.

  • Dijon mustard for flavor and creamy texture
  • Honey or maple syrup to add sweetness to offset the vinegar
  • Freshly minced garlic or shallot
  • Fresh herbs or dried herbs

What oil is best for a vinaigrette?

Use any oil that has a pleasing flavor that you like. For more robust vinaigrettes, choose an oil with a stronger flavor like extra virgin olive oil. There are many extra virgin olive oil blends, some lighter than others. I love the Sicilian EVOO from Trader Joe’s. It is the perfect blend for salads~not overwhelming but still tasty. For lighter vinaigrettes, a delicate oil might be best, such as avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oil

Tip: You can use half and half oils if you prefer. When I make Good Seasons Italian dressing (dry mix), I use half EVOO and half vegetable or canola oil. 

Which vinegar is best for a vinaigrette?

white balsamic vinaigrette
White Balsamic Vinaigrette

The next two vinaigrette recipes are highly versatile. The simple balsamic vinaigrette below is truly basic but not at all boring.  It is perfect for a green salad with pasta, fruit salad with mozzarella or burrata, or any orzo salad with pine nuts and fresh herbs.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

A basic, no frills vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 3 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 TB balsamic vinegar
  • kosher salt
  • ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl or bottle.
  2. Whisk until oil emulsifiers with the other ingredients.
  3. Store up to two weeks in the fridge.
  4. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 96Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 0mgSodium 80mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 0g
The Greek vinaigrette dressing recipe below is a perfect dressing to keep on hand for hearty salads like Greek salad. My go-to Greek salad is Romaine or iceberg, halved cherry tomatoes,  kalamata olives, feta cheese, and diced peppers.  The exact recipe for Greek salad is in this blog post.

Greek Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup good EVOO
  • 2/3 cup Red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl or bottle.
  2. Whisk until oil is emulsified and dressing is well combined.
  3. Keep up to two weeks in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 130Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 0mgSodium 291mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 0g
Tip: I love Good Seasons Italian dressing mix because it comes in an envelope, and you simply add oil, water, and vinegar. My go-to oil is EVOO (or half EVOO and half vegetable oil). My go-to vinegar is red wine vinegar. It is a robust dressing that adds a kick to any salad. In the photo below, you’ll see what the dressing looks like.

Good seasons Italian
Good Seasons Italian Dressing

Once you make your own vinaigrette, you’ll never want to buy bottled dressing again! I hope you found this post helpful. As always, thanks for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!!

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