Make this easy, five minute homemade vinaigrette salad dressing recipe one, two, or all four ways (+ more) and never buy boring ‘Italian’ dressing again!
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 dressings were, it gave me the confidence to make a lot of other salad dressings, too, like Caesar, Honey Mustard, and the best Ranch. But our staple salad dressing remains this easy homemade vinaigrette ratio of oil + vinegar + Dijon + seasonings.
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: Balsamic, Lemon-Herb, and Asian Style (and you’ll also find even more ideas for variations in the full recipe). You can click at the top or bottom of the page for a printable recipe with the variations listed.
Basic Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
olive oil + cider vinegar + Dijon + garlic + salt & pepper (honey or other sweetener optional) = Basic Vinaigrette
Your basic vinaigrette can start with any vinegar or oil you have, really, but since it’s only a few ingredients, it’s nice to use a quality 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. Leave as-is or add Italian seasonings for ‘Italian’ dressing.
Variation 1: Balsamic Vinaigrette
basic vinaigrette ingredients + balsamic = Balsamic Salad Dressing
All you need to do is lower the amount of your base vinegar (cider, red wine, etc) some and add balsamic vinegar to create your own fancy-schmancy balsamic salad dressing. Not all balsamics are the same, though – if you’re using an aged balsamic that’s thicker (and sweeter) you’ll want to add just a Tablespoon or two. If your balsamic is the regular variety, you may be able to use mostly balsamic, but most balsamic dressings have another type of vinegar.
Since balsamic is naturally sweeter, you probably won’t need any honey if you used it in the basic recipe.
Variation 2: Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
olive oil + lemon + Dijon + garlic + herbs of choice + salt & pepper = Lemon-Herb Dressing
Simply replace the vinegar with 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
olive oil+ rice vinegar + sesame oil + Dijon + honey (not pictured) + sriracha sauce + garlic + s&p = Asian Dressing
Did you know you can take the same basic homemade vinaigrette salad dressing recipe, use rice vinegar and add Asian flavor from sesame oil and sriracha sauce to make an Asian dressing? Yep, it’s that easy! This is perfect for Asian inspired cabbage slaws (cabbage + carrots + onions + sesame seeds) and noodle salads.
Click the arrow for the printable recipe + an easy mixing tip!
Thank you for these recipes, I had made a dressing for coleslaw only, but never for salads. This gives me choices. Thsnks again.
You’re welcome – I think you will love these choices, Olga!
ah-ha got it thanks!
Hi! Thanks for this! What are the proportions?
Sorry, Kelly- proportions for what? The ingredients are all included in the printable recipe – did you see that?
How long will this keep for and can I store at room temp or in fridge? I find if I put homemade dressing in fridge the oil solidifies and it’s never the same.
It lasts a long time, BJ – we’ve never had it go bad. 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. We usually heat ours for a few seconds in the microwave to use it after being in the fridge, shake it and it’s good to go!
I made your basic recipe and loved it! I was wondering how long the dressing lasts in the fridge? And if you had any suggestions about what to do if it clumps up.
Glad you like it, Emily! If there are no fresh ingredients like garlic or herbs, you can store the dressing at room temp and the olive oil won’t clump. I usually do have garlic in there, so store it in the fridge – it lasts just short of forever. 🙂 You just need to gently warm it to room temp to use however you like – we microwave the bottle for 5-8 seconds until it’s smooth again.
Love ur recipes–I especially love how u incorporate “variations” at the end 🙂
Thank you so much – glad you found them helpful!
I haven’t bought any salad dressing since you posted this and your honey mustard. Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! What an amazing talent! By the way, where can we find that great salad dressing bottle. The pint canning jar we use doesn’t pour all that well =). -Amy (your littlest sis)
The hot sauce is a GREAT idea that I haven’t tried yet! And I love your bottles.
Thank you so much for linking up!
🙂 Katie
Jennifer- thanks for the award! And I’m with you on the store dressings- sometimes not even free is worth it. 🙂
I used to make all my own dressings, but then kept getting free ones at the store and got out of the habit. But I don’t like what is in them, so am determined not to buy anymore.
Oh, I gave you an award at my new homesteading blog, check it out please.