Vinaigrette
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Skip the store-bought stuff—this homemade French vinaigrette is quick to make and packed with fresh, tangy flavor. Once you get in the habit of whisking it up, there’s no going back.
This classic vinaigrette recipe is my go-to for dressing just about any salad. It has a silky-smooth texture and punchy flavor, with just the right balance of acid and fat. The formula follows a simple 2:1 ratio of oil to vinegar, plus a touch of honey and Dijon mustard. The honey softens the sharpness of the vinegar, the Dijon adds a little tang, and together they help stabilize the vinaigrette so it stays emulsified—meaning it won’t separate into oil and vinegar or leave you with a plate of oily, unevenly dressed greens.
It’s perfect for green salads, but it also brings fresh brightness to sliced summery tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, steamed vegetables, and even roasted potatoes. Once you try it, you might find yourself skipping store-bought salad dressings altogether. (And if you’re in the mood for something with a deeper, sweeter note, a good balsamic vinaigrette is another favorite I always keep in rotation.)
“Fantastic dressing – would not change one thing!!”
What you’ll need to make vinaigrette
- Red wine vinegar & Neutral-tasting oil: The foundation of the vinaigrette that gives just the right balance of richness and acidity. Though extra-virgin olive oil is common in vinaigrettes, I recommend a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or grapeseed—it lets the other flavors shine without competing.
- Honey & Dijon mustard: These round out the sharpness of the vinegar and add just enough tang and sweetness. The mustard also helps emulsify the dressing so it stays silky and blended.
- Salt, black pepper & shallots: Season the dressing and add depth. The minced shallots bring a mild, savory bite that ties everything together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Combine the base ingredients. In a medium bowl, add the honey, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper and whisk until combined.
Pro Tip: If your honey is too thick to whisk easily, microwave it for a few seconds first—it’ll blend more smoothly with the vinegar and mustard.
Step 2. Whisk in the oil. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the oil to create an emulsion; the dressing should be slightly thickened when all the oil is added. Whisk in a figure-8 motion, and if you see pools of oil forming, pause to whisk before continuing.
Step 3. Add the shallots and taste. Mix in the shallots. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Rather than tasting it with a spoon, the best way to test is by dipping in a piece of lettuce and taking a bite.
Step 4. Store the vinaigrette. Keep the vinaigrette in a jar at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Shake well to re-emulsify before using. (If you’re approaching that one-week mark and have leftover vinaigrette, it’s great as a quick marinade for chicken or veggies.)
Pro Tip: Before dressing any salad, be sure your greens are completely dry, as wet greens will repel and water down the vinaigrette.
More Homemade Salad Dressings You May Like
Vinaigrette
You can whisk up this easy vinaigrette in minutes—it adds a bright, tangy boost to salads, veggies, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 9 tablespoons (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or any other neutral-tasting oil
- 1½ tablespoons minced shallots
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the oil to create an emulsion; the dressing should be slightly thickened and emulsified when all the oil is added. The most efficient way to whisk is in a figure-8 motion. If you see pools of oil forming on the top while you're adding the oil, stop for a moment and whisk to emulsify before continuing. Mix in the shallots. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Store the vinaigrette in a jar at room temperature for up to 4 days, or up to a week in the refrigerator. Shake to re-emulsify when ready to use.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 199
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 89 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Fantastic dressing – would not change one thing!!
Perfect!!
I liked this dressing. I am trying to get away from store bought dressings. I typically do not like tangy dressings with acidic ingredients, they can make me cough but this dressing was good. If I could cut back on the tanginess a little, I would welcome some suggestions. It was pretty easy to prepare.
Hi Samantha, glad you liked it! To cut back on the tanginess, you could cut back the vinegar by a half tablespoon and replace it with a half tablespoon of honey. Hope that helps!
Really good and sooo easy to make. Jenn, in addition to this dressing, I thought you had another that was more of a dijon flavoured version. I made it, my husband absolutely loved it (and so did I of course) but now I can’t find it. By any remote chance, do you know what I might be thinking of??? I know, I know…a needle in a haystack am I right?
Glad you liked it Judy! The only dressing I can think of that you may be referring to is the one for this roasted beet salad.
This salad dressing is so good that my guests helped themselves to seconds on the salad! I now have a new “go-to” salad dressing because these ingredients are always in the house. Thanks Jen, for another winning recipe!
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We love this dressing!
I think we all have a favorite vinaigrette style and this was an easy base to customize to our taste, I simply added more honey to taste.
Husband was super pumped about the Italian-style salad I threw together with what we had on hand. He said our favorite Italian joint has “nothin on me” (read: nothing on Jenn).
I was super pumped to have the leftover salad to toss with this dressing for lunch the next day.
Thinking of throwing chickpeas, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, grilled chicken, feta, and some lettuce in a mason jar with this dressing on the bottom to send to work for my husband.
Definitely better than any store-bought dressing and in line with or better than high end restaurant dressings.
Your salad dressings elevate even routine meals to something better! I love how the they offer such a great foundation, and one can alter to one’s tastes if need be. I would not have a clue about proportions otherwise. Really liking his with champagne vinegar lately. I use avocado oil and it has not affected the flavor.
I’ve found my new go-to vinaigrette. It’s got just the right balance of flavors and the perfect option for simple green salads. For years I used the packets of Good Seasons and added oil and vinegar. I won’t be going back to that!!!
Can I make this by using the ‘shake it in the jar’ method?
Yes, you can use that method but the emulsification won’t be quite as stable.
I think this is the first negative review I’ve posted here, and I’m sad to do it. I really disliked this dressing. I found it far too sweet, with no balance of flavor. I added more Dijon and more salt to compensate for the sweetness, but it didn’t help. I also didn’t care for the vegetable oil. I felt the dressing needed olive oil to balance the overly sweet flavor and to add richness. I love your recipes and cookbooks, but was very disappointed by this recipe.