A classic vinaigrette comes together in about 5 minutes and offers endless opportunities for variety. If you've never made a vinaigrette, follow the measurements in the recipe the first time. After that, just eyeball it, adjusting each ingredient to suit your tastes.
Classic Vinaigrette is part of our No Recipe Required series.
No Recipe Required is a series of quick and easy dishes that are more idea than recipe. Each dish in this series is meant to inspire really good, really quick and easy meals that can be adapted to what you like, what you have on hand, and how many people you're cooking for.
Classic Vinaigrette Variations
*For all the following variations, begin with the Classic Vinaigrette Recipe below.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette: Reduce vinegar to 3 tablespoons and add 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Taste and add as much more more pomegranate molasses as you like.
Chili Vinaigrette: Add a teaspoon or two of chili sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes.
Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette: Use red wine vinegar to make the classic recipe. Whisk in 2 or 3 tablespoons of Roasted Tomato Sauce.
Lemon Vinaigrette: Substitute 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice for the vinegar. Add ½ teaspoon dried oregano.
Balsamic Vinaigrette: Substitue balsamic vinegar for the red or white wine vinegar. Add a pinch of Italian seasoning.
Italian Vinaigrette: Add 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Bacon Vinaigrette: Add 1 tablespoon crumbled bacon, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar or an additional teaspoon of honey.
Creamy Vinaigrette: Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt.
Creamy Garlic Italian Vinaigrette: Add another clove or two of minced garlic, extra ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning. Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt.
Parmesan Vinaigrette: Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.
Salsa Vinaigrette: Whisk 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon honey in a bowl. Whisk in 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add 1 cup salsa or picante sauce and stir to combine.
Lemon Shallot Sesame Vinaigrette: Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar, and add 1 tbsp lemon zest, ¼ cup chopped shallot, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
More No Recipe Required Recipes
Classic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ¼ cup finely minced shallot
- ¼ cup red or white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add shallot and vinegar to a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the mustard and honey. Slowly pour oil into the mixture in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Dressing will keep for up to 1 week. Store in an air tight container in your refrigerator. Shake well before using. Refrigerating oil can cause it to solidify. If the oil in your dressing looks somewhat solid, let it sit out on the counter for a bit to come back to room temperature. Alternatively, you can put the jar of dressing in a bowl of warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes or so.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
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