As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Add a dash of French cuisine to your daily salad when you mix up a batch of this simple Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s quick to make and adds a flavor that can’t be beat.
this …
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you budget recipes and money-saving tips every week!
I grew up eating plenty of salads. I was a salad girl, always choosing a salad when dining out or even when making my own meals. Those salads, however, were always doused in bottled dressing. I didn’t know any different.
Then about the time I approached college, I realized you could actually make your own dressing. It wasn’t until I spent a year in France and watched Michele and Delphine, my French mom and sister, whip up vinaigrette on the fly, or au pif, as Michele would say.
Get Meal Plan 6This recipe is featured in Good Cheap Eats Meal Plan 6. Get the free 3-day meal plan, all the budget-friendly recipes, tips for what to do with leftovers, and the customizable printable grocery list.
Over the years I’ve developed some standard dressings that serve as my go-to dressings: Buttermilk Ranch dressing, Basic Vinaigrette, Cilantro Lime Dressing, and Blue Cheese. And now that I think of it, thisTarragon Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipeis pretty awesome as well. So many salad dressings, so little time.
This classic Dijon Vinaigrette is one that we enjoyed on salads most days, when salad was simply a bowl of greens and vinaigrette served after the main dish and before the cheese course. Thankfully, it goes with any number of toppings on a salade composeeas well, making it a must-know in your repertoire of homemade salad dressings.
Michele and Delphine never measure out the ingredients for this Dijon Vinaigrette, just spooning in mustard and pouring in vinegar and oil until it looks right. That’s how I generally make it as well. Why dirty more dishes?
For those of you who want more specific amounts, I’ve provided those here, but don’t be afraid to bust out of the measuring spoons and eyeball it. In fact, some folks just mix enough for one salad in the bottom of the salad bowl. Even fewer dishes to wash with plenty of flavor.
This Dijon Vinaigrette dressing goes great on almost any salad or bowl, with or without fancy toppings. I particularly like it with these:
Ham and Cheese Salad
Quinoa Vegetable Salad
Easy Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Egg and Sausage Breakfast Bowls
Nicoise Salad Wraps
Salade Nicoise Recipe
While it’s easy enough to mix up just enough Dijon Vinaigrette for one night’s meal, I often mix up a jar of it to use on my daily salads or to pack with my husband’s lunches. It should be good in the fridge for about a week. This dressing also works well as a nice chicken marinade.
If you’re making this for a Whole 30, be sure to use a compliant Dijon mustard. I prefer Koops.
What I’m presenting here is the straight up version without the embellishment of herbs and spices, but you can definitely go off road and add your favorites to change things up.
Dijon Vinaigrette
Add a dash of French cuisine to your daily salad when you mix up a batch of this simple Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s quick to make and adds a flavor that can’t be beat.
Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.
Kept in an airtight container, this vinaigrette can safely be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks. However, it yields only a bit more than half a cup, so you'll undoubtedly go through it rather quickly; the recipe only takes five minutes to put together, so making a new batch won't be a daunting task.
The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For my personal taste, that's a little too oily — but it's totally up to you. My simple system is: In a small screw-top jar, place vinegar and a pinch of salt; cover and shake (this helps to dissolve the salt).
For a traditional vinaigrette, you'll need to mix about 3 tablespoons of oil to 1 tablespoon of vinegar. You'll also want to add some salt and pepper to taste. Of course, for all four ingredients, the better the quality you use, the better your vinaigrette will taste.
In general, vinaigrette consists of 3 parts of oil to 1 part of vinegar whisked into an emulsion. Salt and pepper are often added. Herbs and shallots, too, are often added, especially when it is used for cooked vegetables or grains. Sometimes mustard is used as an emulsifier and to add flavour.
Homemade vinaigrettes that include fresh or cooked vegetables (like garlic), herbs and fresh citrus juices will last around three days, according to Ziata. Preservative-free vinaigrettes you'll typically find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store will last a little longer, three to five days.
No, you do not. However, should you refrigerate mustard? If you want to maintain the optimal flavors, then yes. According to the official website for French's Mustard, “Dijon and Horseradish mustards will lose their distinct flavors if not refrigerated, so we encourage refrigerating both.”
It may be obvious to store creamy ranch dressing on your refrigerator's shelf, but oily dressings such as Italian or a vinaigrette should be kept cold after opening too. That's because their key ingredients—think things such as shallots and citrus juice—will go rancid without refrigeration.
However, if the dressing is significantly past the expiration date, or if there are any signs of spoilage (such as an off smell, appearance, or taste), it should be discarded.
Sweetness balances out acidity, spice, and bitterness. A salad composed of bitter greens may benefit from a sweeter dressing. But sweetness can come from sources other than one-note white sugar; consider honey, pureed dates, maple syrup, jam, or molasses as sweeteners that also add flavor and mouth-feel.
First Oil, Then Vinegar. It's somewhat akin to the old Far Side adage, "First Pants, Then Shoes." If you add the vinegar first, the oil slides off and ends up in a puddle at the bottom of the bowl, instead of coating every leaf. 3 to 1. This is the standard ratio of oil to vinegar: three parts oil to one part vinegar.
Put the mustard, vinegar and olive oil in a jar and season. Shake vigorously to mix. Store in a cool place (not the fridge) until ready to use. Use for all your salads or try one of our recipes, right.
However, classic vinaigrette dressings are based on a ratio of three parts oil to one part white wine vinegar, with added flavorings to complement the salads or dishes in which they are being used.
Lets start with a vinaigrette. These are the lightest of all dressings. On the simplest level they're merely any kind of acid (think lemon, lime, vinegar etc.) whisked together with oil salt and pepper.
Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204
Phone: +2135150832870
Job: Regional Design Producer
Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games
Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.