How to Make Vinaigrette (Plus 3 Essential Variations!)

The final dish
As seen on
Cookie + Kate
Total Time
5 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(267)

Ingredients

3/4 cup
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar of choice (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
BeginnerVegetarianHealthyQuick and Easy
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Preparation

Chef’s notes

Balsamic vinegar:
Makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches.
Red wine vinegar:
Packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, cabbage and more (think Greek salads).
White wine vinegar:
This is a more mellow vinegar and it’s especially nice with more delicate flavors like cucumber and sweet corn. It’s lovely on just about every green salad out there.
Greek/Italian variation:
Use red wine vinegar. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano and, optionally, a pinch of red pepper flakes.
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