How to Make Vinaigrette (Plus 3 Essential Variations!)
Here's my go-to vinaigrette recipe! So easy and tastes way better than store-bought dressing. This versatile recipe will take your salad to the next level.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 28, 2024
We’re going back to basics today with one of my most essential everyday recipes, vinaigrette! You know how much I love salads, and I’m surprised I didn’t think to share my basic vinaigrette recipe with you until now.
Vinegar and olive oil-based vinaigrette is a light, zippy, heart-healthy salad dressing. It’s great on greens, vegetables and fruits. You can change up the flavor by using different vinegars. Vinaigrette is easy to adjust to taste, and I’ve included notes how to do so in the recipe.
Once you start making homemade vinaigrette, you won’t go back. Whisk together some basic ingredients, and you’ll end up with dressing that tastes infinitely better than store-bought dressings. No preservatives here!
Homemade vinaigrette keeps for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so it’s worth the 5 minutes it takes to mix it up. Then you can keep it on hand for all of your salad needs. Let’s get to it!
Basic Vinaigrette Ratio & Ingredients
The traditional French vinaigrette formula calls for 1 tablespoon vinegar for every 3 tablespoons olive oil. Modern vinaigrettes often call for a bit more vinegar than that, but it’s always up to you. Kale salads can tolerate more zingy dressings, while you’ll want to use less vinegar for mild greens like spring greens.
Here’s what you’ll need to make vinaigrette:
- Olive oil for your base
- Vinegar of choice
- Dijon mustard for some flavor complexity and creaminess
- Maple syrup or honey for a little sweetness that balances the vinegar
- Garlic for oomph
- Salt and pepper
Vinaigrette Varieties
While you can use any tasty vinegar you’d like to make vinaigrette, here’s how I choose between my three go-to vinegars.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches. Examples include my strawberry arugula salad and favorite green salad with apples.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Red wine vinegar packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, feta and more (think Greek salads or Italian salads).
White Wine Vinaigrette
White wine vinegar a more mellow vinegar and it’s especially nice with more delicate flavors like spring greens, cucumber, zucchini and sweet corn. It’s lovely on just about every green salad out there. I’ve used it recently in my orange orzo salad and corn salsa.
Additional Options
Champagne vinegar is even more mild than white wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is sweet-tangy and tastes lightly of apples. Sherry vinegar is similar to red wine vinegar but slightly less intense.
Watch How to Make Vinaigrette
Please let me know how you like this vinaigrette in the comments! I love hearing from you and I’m dying to hear about the salads you make with it (#saladobsessed).
If you’re looking for more salad dressings that keep well, don’t miss my sunshine salad dressing (yogurt-based honey-mustard dressing), green goddess dressing, carrot ginger dressing or jalapeño-cilantro dressing (made a little creamy with some tahini).
You’ll also find four delicious salad dressings in my book, Love Real Food. Many more salads here!
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 ¾ cup dressing, enough for about 6 medium salads (assuming 2 tablespoons per salad).
Ingredients
- ½ 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
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Balsamic vinegar: Makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches.
Red wine vinegar: Packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, cabbage and more (think Greek salads).
White wine vinegar: This is a more mellow vinegar and it’s especially nice with more delicate flavors like cucumber and sweet corn. It’s lovely on just about every green salad out there.
Greek/Italian variation: Use red wine vinegar. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano and, optionally, a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this using white balsamic vinegar and it was wonderful! I added an extra tablespoon of the vinegar because I like my dressing a little more on the tart side. Anxious to try other vinegars now!
Thank you for sharing your variation, Pat!
Been hooked on this recipe for about a year now. It’s the best salad dressing recipe I’ve ever tried!
Great to hear, Nabeeha! Thank you for your review.
Easy to follow instructions had all ingredients at home and tastes great
Made this dressing yesterday using red wine vinegar. It was delicious and will definitely make again. Thank you
You’re welcome, Chrissy! Thank you for your review.
This is so so so yummy!! I tried it just for kicks when I realized I was out of salad dressing, but I love it so much more! Never going back, thank you!!
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Julia.
Vinaigrette is an emulsion. To get a vinaigrette not to separate you need to emulsify the oil into the vinegar/mustard mix by drizzling the oil slowly while vigorously whisking. I use an immersion blender for this. 1st, add all the ingredients other than oil to the blenders mixing cup, then gently add the oil which will float on top. Now immerse the blender blades all the way to the bottom of the mix and only then turn it on, then very slowly move it up the mixing cup. As you move it up slowly the blender will bring more and more of the floating oil into the mixture, creating a perfect emulsion that will never separate. This is also a very easy way to create home made mayonnaise (which is also an emulsion).
Just made this for an impromptu dinner party. It’s fantastic! So simple and good. I used white wine vinegar, as I wanted it light. I also used agave nectar, as I just wanted to soften the acidity without deadening the flavor of the mustard and vinegar, and agave is not as strongly flavored as honey or maple syrup. It’s just delicious!
That’s great! I’m glad it worked well for you, Sue.
Didn’t have garlic cloves so used 2 tsps of garlic powder. That was the only substitute. Turned out fantastic! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. I hated to give it to them. I wanted to be the only one making it, but I did. Great on my southwestern bean & rice salad as well. A definite keeper. Thank you.
This is a great vinaigrette. You can change it up depending on your taste and what you’re serving it with. I usually use balsamic vinegar (usually 1:2 vinegar to olive oil)…sometimes add 2tsp (or more) of strawberry jam…sometimes Dijon…sometimes honey…sometimes lime and/or cilantro…garlic always…you really can’t go wrong with this basic recipe.
I’m quite sick with morning sickness and all supermarket dressings taste awful. This recipe was so, so good. My picky three year old loved it so much she tried eating it like soup. Thank you!
I am going to try this for a recipe I saw on my local news by Mr. Food and his Steakhouse Salad. MMMM! Can’t wait!
Great with apple cider vinegar and lots of garlic. Just what this ho hum salad needed.
Can you use soy sauce instead of the vinegar if I don’t have the vinegars listed?
Thanks
Hi Mary, I wouldn’t recommend soy sauce as that would really change the taste.
Love the simplicity Delicious every time! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you for your review.
Wonderful recipe. Why have I been slowly drizzling oil into a vinaigrette all this time? Just put it together, shake or use small whip. Tastes great. Keeps well. Thanks!
Johanna Bos
Who knew it could be so easy!
Defiantly a keeper and like you said, great jumping off point.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Sharon!
I was looking for a dressing to make for a side salad with burgers, I made this using white balsamic and I used honey as the sweet element, it was delicious.
That’s great, Angela! I appreciate your review.
I tried the balsamic vinegar dressing. Mine tasted good but seemed thick.
All recipes look so good and fresh.
Made a batch and put it in the fridge at work… just loved it. I didn’t use Dijon mustard, because I didn’t have any and substituted it with the brand I had. The tips of how to tweak the recipe to make the flavours to ones own taste was great. Thank you.
Finally a vinaigrette dressing worthy of saving
Was delicious
Delicious I made it with some good oil and balsamic vinegar
Next time I think I’ll cut back on the garlic. It’s a keeper
I made this with a few tweaks and my husband loves it. I combined, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, & lemon juice, used dry mustard powder, garlic powder, and a pinch if Italian seasoning, and an extra tbsp of honey. Very tasty!
Delicious! I think the honey adds a lot. So many vinaigrette recipes are too sour and this is just perfect. Thank you!
Perfect ratios. I use a white wine vinegar that I like and maple syrup, and is perfect for simple green salad every time.
I’m glad you enjoy these!
Yes I have made this. And I do variations and it I say is delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Dorothy!
Made the white wine vinegar version with some Brazilian pepper honey. Everyone loves it, including my not-too-fond-of-salad daughter who asked me to teach her how to make it.
Been making basic dressing for some time,everyone loves it and are now making it,fantastic
Awesome, thank you! Used the recipe above (w/ balsamic), no tweaks or substitutions. Perfect for a “shoot! I am out of vinaigrette!!” kind of day:)
Perfect ratios! I used half red wine vinegar and half balsamic – still.perfect
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Coulinjo! I appreciate your review.
Great recipe! It was incredibly easy to follow and your notes make it easy to adapt to what one has in their kitchen. I live in the tropics so I also add a little grated fresh ginger. And when I add fruit, I’ll put a little mango, or pineapple which works really well with the balsamic and the red wine. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
My daughter gave me a nice bottle of champagne vinegar for Christmas so I used that and it was remarkable.
Enjoyed this recipe very much, will try with a mixture of a tbsp of each type of vinegar next time, but great start many thanks.
Andy
Thank you for your review!
Thank you for posting tried the Basic Vinaigrette, it was a hit.
I’m glad you hear that, Piera!
Thanks for the recipe! I used red wine vinegar and it was so yummy :)
You’re welcome, Ashley!
Your basic vinaigrette has become my go to homemade salad dressing! I used red wine vinegar and honey. Delicious!
I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Laura.
I made the recipe for dinner guests. I used apple cider vinegar because that is the only vinegar I ever use, and I left out the sweet part. It was so good & my guests enjoyed it as well. That will be a staple in my house. You are right. No need to ever have store bought dressing!
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you all enjoyed it, Cristie.
Amazing! I was a tiny bit anxious because i was having trouble mixing – the oil was being obstinate, but it finally mixed.
So good, I finally have the perfect dressing for my spinach and beet salad. I used the balsamic vinegar in my concoction.
Thank you!
Made the basic vinaigrette with red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Delicious! It will be my new favourire. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s great to hear, Diane! Thank you for your review.
yum.
I made this with the red wine vinegar and honey. I absolutely loved it! I used it on a mixed salad of romaine lettuce zucchini strips cherry tomatoes cucumber yellow bell pepper avocado and feta. It was perfect! This is the best dressing I’ve had in a long while and I count restaurant versions too. I’m trying it on a macaroni salad next. I also found the note on how long it can keep in the fridge helpful, I always wonder about that. Thanks for your great recipe.
Great to hear! Thank you for sharing, Louisa.
I made with red wine vinegar, and I AM HOOKED! So good. I thought about omitting the honey, because I generally don’t like things sweet, but I included it and the balance of all the flavors was perfect. Thank you for my new go-to salad dressing!
I’m glad you loved them!
I love this vinaigrette!!! I made it for my son to and he said, alright mom!! I use it all the time. Thank you
You’re welcome, Barbara!
I made this dressing today using a black current balsamic vinegar I purchased at a Farmers Market last weekend in LA. I used a local Colorado honey instead of the maple syrup (We are from Colorado but living in LA now)
I’ll be using on baby field greens with toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese this evening.
Delicious, Delicious, Delicious! I’m always looking for a new variation and this one hit the mark! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Stacey! I’m glad you loved it.
Amazing and simple a new staple in our house!! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Tyler! Thank you for your review.
I like using equal parts olive oil and red wine vinegar. I add garlic and Greek seasoning. I squeeze lemon juice over salad. This Greek salad only needs about 1 T. dressing for a salad plate size salad. I’m going to try making it with balsamic vinegar. Also, I haven’t added dijon but will do so next time.
I made the recipe with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. It was delicious and I appreciated the explanation of the variations and how they pair with certain types of foods. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Peggy! Thank you for your review.
This was fantastic! I’ve made a similar balsamic for years, yet I didn’t feel like digging out the recipe. So I found your recipe online. The main difference was that you use a Tablespoon vs a teaspoon of Dijon, and you use a bit less vinegar, and more garlic. Those changes made a world of difference!! My husband likes dressings a bit sweeter, so I just made the maple syrup overflow from the spoon a bit. Excellent and my new go-to. He, this meat and potatoes loving man, complemented the dressing (never has he complemented a salad). I was floored and completely concurred! Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Coco!
I’ve been using this dressing recipe for years and it never fails. Everyone who has it says it’s the best. Haven’t bought store bought since I discovered this over 25 years ago.
Apple cider vinegar with maple syrup turned out AMAZING. I threw it together for dinner guests last minute, I’ve never tried it before, and it was wonderful.
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing, Kelcie.