Vinaigrette Recipe

Article by Alice K. Thompson

Skip your supermarket’s endless salad dressing aisle and clear out those half-empty dressing bottles in the fridge: Just four pantry staples, a whisk and a bowl will give you a vinaigrette with flavor and freshness store brands can’t match. Our test kitchen’s five-star recipe follows the standard 3-to-1 oil-to-vinegar ratio for a simple vinaigrette recipe that’s always a winner. Once you master the basics, try branching out: Add your favorite dried or chopped fresh herbs, try different vinegars and oils or adjust the ratio of vinegar to oil for tarter or milder versions.

How to Make Vinaigrette Like A Pro

There are just a few tricks to making a smooth, delicious dressing every time. Here’s what the experts at Food Network want you to know.

Understand oil and vinegar. These two ingredients don’t usually want to mix, but the process of emulsification binds them together into a smooth, stable sauce. Mustard helps bring them together as you whisk the oil into the vinegar, so don’t leave it out.

Stabilize your bowl before whisking. Stabilizing your bowl before you begin to whisk is key: You’ll be holding the whisk in one hand and streaming in oil with the other, so you won’t be able to hold the bowl steady. Make a loose ring with a kitchen towel and place the bowl in the middle to steady it – no third hand required.

Gradually whisk together the oil and vinegar. Place your oil in a measuring cup with a spout, then begin whisking it into the vinegar and mustard as slowly as possible — almost drop by drop in the beginning, when the emulsification is just forming. After about 1 minute, begin to gradually increase the strength of the stream. The whole process should take about 3 minutes.

Don’t want to whisk? Reach for a jar. Whisking produces a stable blend so the oil and vinegar won’t separate, even after a couple days, but there’s no reason you have to do this — a shaken vinaigrette is just as delicious. So grab a jar with a lid (pint-size is good), tip all your ingredients in and give it a good few shakes before using it.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Dip a small lettuce leaf or spoon into your finished vinaigrette and give it a taste. Add more salt or pepper if needed or whisk in more oil if it’s too tart or more vinegar if you want it brighter.

Dress the salad right before serving. Generally, you’ll want to toss your dressing and salad together at the last moment. Greens and most vegetables will begin to soften quickly from the acid and salt in dressings and could become mushy. The exception? Grain, pasta or potato salads, where absorption makes for a tastier dish.

Vinaigrette Ratios

A classic oil-to-vinegar ratio is 3-to-1; for instance, this recipe calls for 1/4 cup vinegar to 3/4 cup olive oil for a recipe that makes 1 cup. But slightly less oil for a tangier dressing is common and preferable in some instances, especially with richer foods (think avocado or cheese) or strongly flavored greens or vegetables (like kale or asparagus). If you think you’d like a tangier dressing, try a 2-to-1 ratio to begin with; mix and taste, then whisk in a bit more oil if you think it’s too strong. For a milder dressing for delicate foods, you can follow a 4-to-1 ratio, adding a bit more vinegar if needed.

How to Use Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette’s famous balance of flavors goes way beyond dressing green salads. Here are some of our favorite ways to put a batch to work.

As a marinade: Vinaigrette has exactly what you need to flavor and tenderize meats: acid, salt and oil. It’s also an ideal soak for vegetables before grilling them.

For pasta and grain salads: Toss pasta, rice or whole grains with a generous amount of vinaigrette and some crunchy veggies for easy, tasty side dishes.

In potato salad: Skip the mayo and toss your potato chunks with vinaigrette for a light, punchy variation.

As a sauce: Vinaigrette is a favorite spooned over light foods like fish and seafood and perfect for dressing just about any steamed vegetable.

On sandwiches: Try a drizzle of vinaigrette on your next sandwich for a light, bright alternative to mustard or mayonnaise.