How To Make Red Wine Vinaigrette
This salad dressing literally comes together in 5 minutes or less. I love making a big batch at the beginning of the week and storing it in the fridge for salads all week long!
This is a great last minute dressing, but it can also be made in advance!
How To Make Salad Dressing:
Easy! All you really need to do to make this salad dressing recipe is stir or shake all of the ingredients together until combined. You can either accomplish this
- In a bowl or measuring cup: Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until combined.
- In a mason jar: Combine all ingredients, cover with a lid, and shake vigorously until combined.
- In a blender: Combine all ingredients and pulse until combined.
Why Make Homemade Salad Dressing
Many store-bought dressings are loaded with processed ingredients, preservatives and sugar so making your own dressing is much healthier. Plus, its cheaper! And once you get started making your own youll figure out what ratios you like best and it becomes so easy to whip up different variations.
As youll notice most of these healthy homemade salad dressings Im sharing have recurring ingredients garlic, apple cider vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, sea salt and pepper. So once you have these items in your pantry/fridge you can make a bunch of different dressings!
All of the dressings are made with whole ingredients and yield about 3/4 cup, which is about 12 Tablespoons and 6 servings. Each serving size is 2 Tablespoons. Oh, and if youre looking for sugar-free options, check out the zesty tahini and the apple cider vinegar dressings.
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How To Make Pear Salad
STEP 1. Make the candied pecans
Heat the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and butter melt and begin to bubble .
Add the vanilla extract, and stir in the pecans until theyre coated . Stir for another minute. Remove from the heat.
Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet and put into the refrigerator to cool .
When cooled with a candied coating, chop the pecans, and add them to the assembled salad.
STEP 2. Make the dressing
Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and sea salt in a small jar and shake until combined . Set aside for serving.
STEP 3. Assemble the salad
Combine the chopped candied pecans, mixed greens, sliced fresh pears, red onion, crumbled goat cheese and pomegranate arils in a large bowl. Gently toss until the ingredients are combined.
Alternatively, you can assemble the salad on a platter by layering a bed of lettuce, pears, red onion, crumbled goat cheese, and pomegranate arils. Add the chopped pecans on top .
Serve with the dressing on the side .
Everyday Salad Dressing Ingredients:
Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few quick notes about the salad dressing ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Olive oil: Its important to use good-quality olive oil for salad dressings because its flavor is quite prominent in the dressing. I always recommend shopping for olive oil that is certified extra-virgin and really love this brand for salad dressings.
- Garlic: I prefer to press or mince a small clove of fresh garlic for this salad dressing. But if youre in a hurry, a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder will work too!
- Lemon juice : Most of the time, we make this recipe in our house with freshly-squeezed lemon juice, which I find is super versatile and works with nearly any kind of salad. But if you prefer to turn this recipe into a vinaigrette, you can opt instead to use any type of vinegar that you choose.
- Dijon mustard: I also almost always add a teaspoon of creamy Dijon mustard to my salad dressings. But that said, if you would like a more mustard-y dressing, feel free to double or triple the amount of Dijon. Or if you prefer a grainy mustard, whole-grain Dijon will work great too.
- Fine sea salt: To bring out all of those delicious flavors.
- Black pepper: And however much freshly-cracked black pepper you prefer!
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Its Fun To Do Even More If You Want Here Are Some Ideas For Oil And Vinegar Salad Dressing Add
Balsamic vinaigrette
Use balsamic vinegar. A touch of sweetener granulated sugar, honey, pure maple syrup, or even brown sugar helps mellow out the acidity, while a bit of Dijon mustard helps round it out. I like to use white balsamic vinegar for a lighter balsamic dressing in both flavor and looks.
Herb vinaigrette
Add fresh chopped herbs like dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, or thyme
Ginger vinaigrette
Add finely minced fresh garlic or even some garlic powder in a pinch.
Raspberry vinaigrette
Add fresh or frozen raspberries along with the other salad dressing ingredients to a blender and puree. Also works with strawberries or blueberries! Go with about 1/2 cup berries per 1 cup of dressing. A bit of shallot and a drizzle of honey go nicely too.
Champagne vinaigrette
Use champagne vinegar for a light, elegant touch.
Citrus vinaigrette
Swap out half of the vinegar for lemon, lime, or orange juice. Blood orange is especially pretty! Throw in a little zest for an extra punch.
Spicy vinaigrette
Crushed red pepper flakes, a dab of horseradish, or even a bit of Sriracha add a touch of heat.
Shallot vinaigrette
Add a bit of finely minced shallots to the equation. Shallots add so much flavor! You can also add onion or scallions.
Dijon vinaigrette
Dijon mustard adds flavor and acts as an emulsifier its kind of vinaigrettes best pal. More about emulsifying in a minute. I like to add about a half teaspoon to a teaspoon of Dijon mustard per 1 cup of dressing.
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Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients
This lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe is super simple to make. Heres what youll need:
- Fresh lemon juice To make it zippy and bright!
- Extra-virgin olive oil It gives the dressing body and richness.
- Garlic It adds a nice kick.
- Dijon mustard For tangy depth of flavor.
- Honey or maple syrup I list it as optional, but its sweetness perfectly balances the sharp garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard.
- Fresh or dried thyme Again, its optional, but if you ask me, herbs make everything better. With its fresh, aromatic flavor, it adds something special to this lemon vinaigrette.
- And salt and pepper To make all the flavors pop!
When youre ready to make the dressing, add the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Then, add the olive oil. As youll see in the recipe below, I make my lemon vinaigrette with varying amounts of oil. If Im tossing it with raw greens and vegetables, I want it to have a mellower flavor. Then, I use 3 parts acid to 4 parts oil. If Im dressing heartier ingredients like roasted vegetables or potatoes, I want it to taste sharper, so I use a 1:1 ratio. I recommend starting with a 1:1 ratio and adding more oil as needed.
As you pour in the oil, whisk continuously until the dressing is emulsified. Stir in the thyme, and season to taste with more oil, salt, and/or pepper. Enjoy!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
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How Do You Make A Creamy Vinaigrette
To get extra creamy vinaigrette, you want to emulsify it. Dijon mustard acts as a natural emulsifier, so whisking the mixture thoroughly should do the trick.
Pro tip: If you want to take it to a new level, try using your immersion blender or food processor instead of mixing. I rarely do this, because it seems a bit time consuming, but when I do, Im always super pleased with the results.
It also purees the minced garlic, making the dressing completely smooth. This is entirely optional, and will not make or break the recipe. In these photos, I simply whisked the dressing until it was emulsified.
Mandarin Chicken Salad Dressing
This is a recipe we love to make to go with a Mandarin Chicken Salad. Its a fresh, flavorful salad packed with superfoods. For the dressing, all you need to do is combine six tablespoons of our Roasted Walnut EVOO with two tablespoons of Tangerine Balsamic. Its tangy and perfect for dinner in the yard on a warm spring evening.
This one is a more complex recipe. Youll need, of course, olive oil, but also lime juice, cilantro, garlic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Its a zesty dressing that works great with Mexican food such as a Mexican Chopped Salad, or a Guacamole Salad.
If you want to add protein to your meal, whip up some shrimp and use this dressing as a marinade. Its a match made in heaven.
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Choosing Storing And Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Light, heat and air are enemies of olive oil freshness. Look for containers made from dark glass tin or even clear glass placed in a box, or mostly covered by a label advises the UC Davis Olive Center.
Store olive oil in a cool, dark place, such as inside a cupboard in a cooler location away from the stove and oven. Refrigeration will cause olive oil to become cloudy and harden. Olive oil returns to its normal color and consistency when returned to room temperature. If you bought olive oil in bulk, you may wish to refrigerate a portion to prolong its quality until you’re ready to use it.
To enjoy EVOO at its best, UC Davis Olive center recommends buying an amount that will be finished in about six weeks after being opened. If you limit exposure to light, heat and air, it will likely maintain a satisfactory quality beyond this. Properly stored, unopened EVOO may maintain its quality for two or more years.
EVOO, because of its more pronounced flavor compared to other forms of olive oil, is most often used to flavor salads and dressings as a base for marinades and is drizzled on foods, such as pasta, just before they are served. The flavor profile of EVOO varies from robust to more subtle and fruity. Match the flavor to the ingredients red meat, for example, may support a more intense flavor. More delicate foods, such as white fish and veggies, may pair better with a milder EVOO.
References
Making An Olive Oil Salad Dressing
Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County
“Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.”~ Food & Drug Administration’s qualified health claim for olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil has a higher natural phenol content than other forms of olive oil. EVOO is the least processed of the various types of olive oil so it retains more phenols. Like monounsaturated fat, the phenols in EVOO also may contribute to desirable blood lipid levels .
What healthier way to enjoy olive oil than as part of a dressing served over a salad filled with nutritious fruits and vegetables? A benefit of making a simple oil and vinegar dressing is you control the amount of ingredients, such as salt and fat. And, you can make a fresh salad dressing from common kitchen ingredients in a couple of shakes or whisks.
Here’s how to make a basic olive oil dressing using the general guidelines for a classic French vinaigrette:
A classic French vinaigrette is typically 3 to 4 parts oil and 1 part acid .
Seasonings include salt, pepper and often Dijon mustard and/or garlic.
- raspberry, blueberry or other fruit vinegar
- champagne vinegar or
- lemon, lime or orange juice
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The Best Way To Store A Vinaigrette
Store vinaigrettes in a jar or other container with a tight lid so that its easy to shake it up again when you need it. If you made a basic vinaigrette with just olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, you can stash it on the counter or in the cupboard for several weeks. If any of the ingredients in your vinaigrette were previously refrigerated or are fresh, like lemon juice or minced shallots, then store it in the refrigerator up to five days.
Taste Adjust Seasonings And Serve
Once its mixed, just taste and adjust the seasonings if you like, and youre good to go. Tasting tip: For the most accurate idea of what the dressing will taste like on your salad, dip a leaf into the dressing, shake off the excess, and try.
If youre not serving your vinaigrette right away, you may have to shake it again right before serving. But heres where the bonus of a couple of the add-ins come into play: both Dijon mustard and honey help emulsify the dressing, which keeps it together longer. So consider adding one or both of these if youre entertaining and dont want the embarrassment of a broken-down dressing or if you are just plain tired of shaking.
And thats it!
- 1/2 – 1teaspoonsugar or honey
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How To Make Homemade Salad Dressing
Each of these recipes are made with minimal ingredients. There are a few ways to mix up homemade salad dressings:
- Put all of the ingredients in a mason jar and shake it up! I like using this method for oil-based dressings like vinaigrettes.
- Put all of the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend! I like using this method for creamier dressings that use ingredients like avocado but it also works great for vinaigrettes!
Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
Honey Poppy Seed: Whisk 2 teaspoon black poppy seeds, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in cup olive oil. This one I have around most of the time because it always hits the spot. This is great on salads with berries and other sweet fruits in them, it compliments them nicely. If you are vegan, you can swap the honey for maple syrup, it’s delicious still!
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What Is The Best Oil For Homemade Vinaigrette
You cant go wrong with extra virgin olive oil, which I use 95% of the time.
Or choose a light, flavorless oil like grapeseed oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. Avocado oil can be delicious, too. For some extra flavor, you can even swap in a touch of nut oil like walnut oil or hazelnut oil or a bit of sesame oil adds a nutty vibe that complements Asian foods nicely. Just use a light touch with the more potent oils.
It goes without saying that higher quality oil is going to taste the best. But personally, as you can see by the photo, Im not opposed to a little Costco generic brand love. Tastes pretty great to me!
Caper & Anchovy Dressing
Garlic and anchovy is the ultimate savoury and salty combination. Finish with a drizzle of red wine vinegar and a handful of versatile capers. To make, crush 1 clove garlic with a pinch of salt and 2 anchovy filletsin oil in a pestle and mortar. Whisk in 2 tbsp red wine vinegar followed by 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp capers.
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How To Make Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad
In a small bowl, mix together the red onion, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let the dressing marinate for 5 minutes so the flavors can really meld and develop.
Mix the chopped shrimp, tomato, avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the marinated onions over the top and stir well to combine.
If you arent going to serve the salad right away, reserve the dressing on the side until youre ready. Once the dressing is added, the salad will begin to wilt, so to keep it super fresh add the dressing right before serving.
Why Italian Olive Oil Isn’t The Best
Don’t get fooled into thinking Italian olive oils are the best. Or, other oils from around the Mediterranean.
I used to think that Italy and Greece had the best extra virgin in the world. While that might be true sometimes, often it’s not.
Walk in to any supermarket. Pick up a bottle of extra virgin from Italy.
Does it have the harvest date?
If the harvest date was 2016, the oil is probably past mature and therefore on the verge of becoming rancid.
What about an EU certification label?
Chances are, it won’t. And, if it doesn’t, you’re throwing your money away on very poor quality oil. Which, at the end of the day, defeats the purpose of using this balsamic vinaigrette recipe to make a healthy salad dressing.
Does the bottle cost under ten bucks?
And does it just say “imported from Italy” and that’s all the information divulged? Then, it’s likely fake extra virgin olive oil.
Does the bottle say that the olives come from several countries?
If so, don’t buy it.
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