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Our Favorite Vinaigrette is a versatile, delicious salad dressing that everyone should have in their recipe collection!
This easy vinaigrette has been our go-to salad dressing recipe for years, and we make it anytime we have dinner guests. Everyone loves this simple vinaigrette so much – and we’ve been asked for the recipe so often – we had to share the recipe here!
Originally named “Our Favorite Vinaigrette” by the authors of the famed The Silver Palate Cookbook, the recipe was included in that cookbook as a vinaigrette for serving over asparagus. But we love it so much, we use it as a salad dressing.
This Favorite Vinaigrette is a simple dressing made with ingredients you likely have on hand in your kitchen pantry: Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, a touch of sugar and other seasonings. We also add fresh herbs to the vinaigrette – most often fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, but chives are also a delicious variation. (Feel free to try other fresh herbs as well!)
The original recipe calls for whisking the ingredients together by hand – but we used an immersion blender to mix the ingredients for a more emulsified and creamy version. Prepared either way, this Favorite Vinaigrette is sure to become a favorite of yours too!
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Favorite Vinaigrette
Our Favorite Vinaigrette is a versatile, delicious salad dressing that everyone should have in their recipe collection!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Minced parsley and/or snipped fresh chives to taste (we used about 1 to 2 Tablespoons of fresh parsley)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a tall cup (ideally the one that comes with an immersion blender), add in the mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Whisk with a fork to combine just slightly.
- Add the olive oil and blend using the immersion blender until completely combined and thickened.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Cover until ready to use.
- (Note: As noted above, if you do not have an immersion blender, this can also be made by whisking all of the ingredients by hand until thickened.)
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This post originally appeared on A Family Feast in December 2012. We’ve updated the post and photos.
a bit too salty for our taste but very good!
Thanks Susie!
Can I Mede ahead this ?
Can I storage and how?
Sure. Keep in the refrigerator and bring back to room temperature before serving on your salad.
Our favorite family vinaigrette recipe. I even passed it to some family members and friends. Super duper easy to made and delicious.
So glad you enjoy the vinaigrette as much as we do Tash!
This is a tasty and simple recipe. I substituted Apple cider Vinegar instead of Red-wine Vinegar as that’s what I had available and it turned out to be very delicious and not over powering in any way but with a nice fresh taste.
Thanks Leesahh – nice to know that the recipe works well with a different vinegar!
How much herbs do you usually add? A 1/4 cup? I am a measurer type cook:)
Great question Megan! 🙂 For this recipe, we’d suggest 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs – but if you find you’d like to go with more, feel free! We will update our recipe! Thanks for asking!
MY FAVORITE VINAIGRETTE could you use dill instead of parsley?
Also do you have a honey dill dressing recipe? (not thick)
Hi Phil – Yes – you could definitely swap dill into this recipe. We don’t have a honey dill dressing recipe – but this recipe is versatile. You could add some honey with the dill and if you can find a mustard with honey in it, swap that in for the Dijon. Hope that helps!
I tried and love the vinaigrette. I would like to know where you purchased the little jar you have it in. It’s perfect for a small amount or portion, and the bale makes it unique.
Hi JoAnn – I’m afraid that little jar is probably 15 years old so you may not find it today!! If I remember correctly, I bought it at Pier 1 Imports – and you’re right, it’s the perfect little size!
Hello. This looks yummy. What is the shelf life? Why is it homemade dessings expire quicker than store bought dressing? Thank you
Hi Joan – You can keep this dressing in the refrigerator safely for one week — two weeks at the very most! Store bought dressing usually contain preservatives so they have a much longer shelf life! Hope you enjoy the dressing! Thanks for visiting.
Yum!
Glad you enjoyed the salad Shiloh! Now I’m thinking we need to make it again soon ourselves…