Easy Homemade Vinaigrette Recipe (with Lots of Variations)
This homemade vinaigrette recipe will elevate your salads to a whole new level using pantry ingredients. It’s an easy five minute olive oil salad dressing that comes with four main variations, plus even more adaptations so you can mix and match the flavors to your liking. Never buy boring ‘Italian’ dressing again!
Looking for more pantry basic recipes like this? Check out my quick homemade ketchup sweetened with honey, this 5-minute homemade mayonnaise, and lots more pantry basic recipes here.
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I grew up with mostly store-bought salad dressings (like many of you, I assume) and when I moved out on my own, it didn’t even occur to me to make salad dressing.
When I realized you could make oil-and-vinegar dressings (the simple answer to the “what is vinaigrette?” question) at home I couldn’t believe how easy it was – like so many of the other pantry basics that I discovered could be easily made at home!
Once I realized how easy salad dressings were, it gave me the confidence to make a lot of other salad dressings, too, like Caesar, Honey Mustard, simple strawberry vinaigrette, and the best Ranch.
But our staple salad dressing remains this easy homemade vinaigrette ratio of oil + vinegar + Dijon + seasonings because it’s quick, I always have the ingredients, and it’s perfect on a green salad.
Take five minutes to whip up the basic homemade vinaigrette recipe or one of the variations and it will become a staple for you too. You really don’t have to put up with additives or lots of sugar like the store stuff!
I’m sharing the basic recipe plus a few of our favorite varieties, but with this recipe in your cooking arsenal you’ll find it really easy to put your own spin on it with different vinegars (red wine vinaigrette), herbs (Italian dressing), seasonings (lemon-pepper), and other ingredients to create lots of different salad dressings.
Below find the basic vinaigrette ingredients and then how to add or change ingredients to make three other dressings (plus even more variation ideas!):
- Balsamic
- Lemon-Herb
- Asian Style
And don’t miss my simple mixing tips to help your vinaigrette dressing fully blend.
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious vinaigrette recipe and variations:
Basic Vinaigrette Recipe
Basic Vinaigrette: olive oil + cider vinegar + Dijon + minced garlic (fresh or dried) + salt & ground black pepper (optional: honey or other sweetener).
The basic vinaigrette can start with any vinegar or oil you have, but since it’s only a few ingredients, it’s nice to use a quality extra virgin olive oil and flavorful vinegar that’s milder than plain white (though it will do in a pinch!) like apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
TIPS: 1)Leave the basic vinaigrette as is or add Italian seasonings for an ‘Italian’ dressing, 2)Use honey, maple syrup, or sugar if you are used to store-bought dressings (you can gradually decrease it if you want as you get used to homemade).
Variation 1: Balsamic Vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing: all the basic vinaigrette ingredients + balsamic vinegar.
To adapt the main recipe, simply lower the amount of your base vinegar (cider, red wine, etc) and add balsamic vinegar to create your own fancy-schmancy balsamic salad dressing.
Since balsamic is naturally sweeter, you probably won’t need any honey if you used it in the basic recipe, however I’ve found that maple syrup balsamic dressing is a favorite of everyone I serve it too!
TIP: Not all balsamic vinegars are the same – if you’re using an aged balsamic that’s thicker (and sweeter) you’ll want to add only a tablespoon or two. If the balsamic is a regular grocery store variety, you may be able to use mostly balsamic, but most balsamic dressings also include another type of vinegar.
Variation 2: Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
Lemon Herb Dressing: olive oil + lemon + Dijon + garlic + herbs of choice + salt & pepper.
Simply replace the vinegar with fresh lemon juice, add herbs and you’ve made a lemon herb salad dressing. A completely different flavor from the base recipe – how easy is that? It’s wonderful for Greek salads with feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
Variation 3: Asian Style Vinaigrette
Asian Style Salad Dressing: olive oil+ rice vinegar + sesame oil + Dijon mustard + honey (not pictured) + sriracha sauce + garlic + salt and pepper.
Simply using rice vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha sauce changes our basic recipe into a flavorful Asian style dressing! I love this on Asian inspired cabbage slaws (cabbage + carrots + onions + sesame seeds) and noodle salads.
How To Make Homemade Vinaigrette
Here are a few helpful tips – the full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the printable recipe card below.
There’s just two easy steps to making your own salad dressing:
- Step 1: decide the type of vinaigrette you will be making and gather your ingredients.
- Step 2: Add all the ingredients into a small bowl, glass measuring cup, or mason jar and whisk together.
See? It really does take just five minutes!
Recipe Mixing Tips
The main thing with homemade salad dressing recipes is that they do tend to separate (that’s why the store bought versions have emulsifiers and other ingredients).
In addition to shaking before use, there are a couple of ways to mix your dressing when you’re making it that may help it stay emulsified.
1. Manual Whisking Tip: This method is the easiest and quickest, though it may not last as long:
- Add all your ingredients into a 1 or 2-cup glass measuring cup.
- Center a metal whisk between two hands and then roll it back and forth quickly to create a fast whisking motion.
Voila! Perfectly emulsified dressing in seconds that will not separate immediately – without having to use any type of blender.
2. Immersion Blender or Blender Tip: This method produces a vinaigrette that will stay combined for the longest.
- Add your ingredients to a wide mouth mason jar or 1-2 cup glass measuring cup.
- Insert an immersion blender into jar and mix until completely combined.
- OR – add all the ingredients to a blender and blend about 30 seconds.
More Variations
Once you have the basic recipe down, you really can change it up to be almost any type of oil based dressing you like!
- Red Wine Basil Vinaigrette: Add dried or fresh basil and use only red wine vinegar.
- French Vinaigrette: Add dried Herbs de Provence and use a white wine vinegar.
- Southwest Vinaigrette: Add a little hot sauce to the basic recipe – use over a salad of lettuce, onions, beans, tomatoes, olives and cheese.
- Raspberry Vinaigrette: Add a 1/4 cup raspberries, pureed to the basic or balsamic recipes. This works with other berries, too, like blueberries, blackberries, or cranberries.
- Creamy Italian Salad Dressing: add two tablespoons of mayonnaise to the basic vinaigrette (one of my favorite easy variations).
Homemade Salad Dressing Supplies
Here are some of my go-to supplies for making homemade salad dressings:
- 2 cup glass measuring cup
- Medium metal whisk
- Small glass tablespoon measurer
- Easy pour lids for mason jars (this is what I mostly use to store dressings – so easy)
- Glass salad dressing jars with flip top lids
- Recycled glass dressing jars – use what you have!
Your Questions Answered
Store this in a refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks if it doesn’t contain fresh garlic or 4-5 days if using fresh garlic.
If you don’t put any fresh garlic or herbs in the dressing, you can store it at room temp so it doesn’t solidify for about a week.
If storing in the fridge the olive oil will solidify so we usually heat ours for a few seconds (5-10 seconds) in the microwave, shake it and it’s good to go!
The Dijon mustard provides substance as a thickener as well as flavor. You can make it without but I’ve always felt it’s better with it.
Most online sources say a white or red wine vinegar is best. I’ve found that I prefer milder vinegars like apple cider and rice vinegar, but any vinegar in a homemade dressing is better than store bought!
So basically if you’ve got vinegar and oil, you can make a dressing at home!
And did you know that vinaigrettes are considered the healthiest type of salad dressing? They are usually lower in calories and fat than creamy dressings and can be high in antioxidants and other nutrients, depending on the type of vinegar used.
So go forth and make your own vinaigrette salad dressings!
More Easy Homemade Salad Dressings to Try
Best Comments
I haven’t bought any salad dressing since you posted this and your honey mustard. Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! -Amy
I made your balsamic dressing this evening and like it. I’m going to quit buying salad dressing! -Nancy
Your traditional vinaigrette has been my go to for a long while. Today for a Mediterranean spread at work I made the lemon herb vinaigrette. This is now my new favorite. It was a hit!! -Laurie
I hope you love this pantry basic vinaigrette recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a recipe/star rating so I know how you liked it!
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Best Vinaigrette Recipe (with Variations!)
Ingredients
Basic Vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup to taste optional
Balsamic variation (replace the 1/3 cup vinegar in basic recipe with):
- 2 tablespoons aged Balsamic
- 1/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar
Lemon-Herb Variation changes & additions:
- 1/3 cup lemon juice -replace ALL of basic recipe vinegar with this
- 1 to 2 teaspoons dried herbs of choice OR 1 tablespoon fresh thyme + basil, Italian, oregano, etc.
Asian Variation changes & additions:
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar -replaces ALL regular vinegar in basic recipe
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients you’re using together in a 1 or 2-cup measuring glass (or add straight to a bottle to shake and store).
- Whisk by holding the whisk handle between your hands and rotating back-and-forth quickly until the ingredients are completely combined OR by using an immersion blender or regular blender (it's quicker to make it straight in the bottle, but it doesn't mix and stay combined as thoroughly as when whisked).
Notes
- Red Wine Basil Vinaigrette: Add dried or fresh basil and use only red wine vinegar.
- French Vinaigrette: Add dried Herbs de Provence and use a white wine vinegar.
- Southwest Vinaigrette: Add a little hot sauce to the basic recipe – use over a salad of lettuce, onions, beans, tomatoes, olives and cheese.
- Raspberry Vinaigrette: Add a 1/4 cup raspberries, pureed to the basic or balsamic recipes. This works with other berries, too, like blueberries, blackberries, or cranberries.
- Creamy Italian Salad Dressing: add two tablespoons of mayonnaise to the basic vinaigrette (one of my favorite easy variations).
Nutrition
Note: This pantry basic homemade vinaigrette recipe was originally published in 2010, was updated in 2016 and 2024.
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