10 Easy & Simple Homemade Vinaigrette Recipes

Guideline for 10 beautifully basic vinaigrette recipes that can be made in minutes with a few simple ingredients from your pantry! In my opinion there’s nothing better than a fresh made vinaigrette! Customized to your taste, and your menu! Your family and friends will think you are OH So Fancy! Less than five minutes is all the time you need. You will stand in the grocery store longer than that deciding on which dressing you want and pay ten times the price so lets get started!

Why I love to make homemade vinaigrette

I’m going to state the obvious homemade salad dressing is so much better than store-bought dressings. Number two reason is that I can make just enough for what I need. So often I ended up with twenty bottles of salad dressing in my fridge that are all half full. Make what you need for the salad you are making or upcoming weeks menu. Number three, I can make homemade dressing to our liking or to match the dinner menu. Number four, anyone can do it! Literally!

Vinaigrette is actually a great basic recipe to start little ones out in the kitchen with, all you need is a jar, let them pour the oil, vinegar, and toss in the added flavorings that you like, help them put the lid on tight and then let them shake, shake, shake! What a great way to get little ones to eat salad!

Gather these ingredient

I have made a basic ingredient list below which will allow you to make basic vinaigrette recipe for two to one hundred people in a matter of minutes and it will be delicious every time!

The classic Vinaigrette is Oil and Vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper. 3:1 ratio.

This is how you make vinaigrette

1. Decide what flavors you want to incorporate into your salad dressing.
2. You will need a container with a lid that will hold at least 1 1/2 cups. I like to use half quart mason jars or repurposed jelly jars.
3. Add 1/4 cup vinegar. Whatever flavor you choose; balsamic, apple cider, red wine, white vinegar, any specialty flavored vinegar.
4. 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Oil. I prefer to always use a good extra virgin olive oil. However you can use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or any specialty flavored olive oil you might have hanging around.
5. Salt and Pepper to your taste. At this point you have a simple vinaigrette. 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar plus a salt and pepper.
6. ADDING Aromatics: fresh herbs, dried herbs and spices, ginger, garlic, shallots, finely minced onion. Adding aromatics takes making your own salad dressing to a whole new level!
7. ADDING Sweetener: honey, maple syrup, agave, molasses, monk fruit sweetener, granulated sugar, brown sugar, fruit jam.
8. ADD flavor: per your taste you can add anything you like into your vinaigrette. You cannot make a mistake. A few examples: Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of jam, horseradish, wasabi, red pepper flakes, chili crisp.

Tips and Variations

• Creamy Dressing : It is easy to make any of these homemade dressings into a creamy dressing by adding 1-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, whole fat greek yogurt, or sour cream. Add as much as you like up to 3 tablespoons, depending on the level of creaminess desired. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
• Fresh Ingredients : Use any fresh herbs or aromatics per your taste. I would advise allowing 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature in a mason jar with a secure lid. After serving store any leftovers in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
• Citrus Juice : Using citrus juice such as lime, lemon, grapefruit, or orange juice can give your dressing a bright delicious twist. A quarter cup of juice from one fruit and don’t forget to use a teaspoon of zest; this will add so much flavor.
• Using as a Marinade : All of the vinaigrette recipes in the recipe card below can be used as marinades for meat, fish, or shrimp. Marinade chicken, pork, and steak up to 24 hours ahead of serving. Marinate fish for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Shrimp for no more than 15 minutes, the acid in the vinaigrette will start to cook the shrimp causing it to become rubbery if you marinate too long.
• Baste: I used the Spicy Cilantro Lime dressing to baste chicken legs as I grilled them. They were perfection!
• Coleslaw: toss any of these vinaigrettes with shredded cabbage and you will have delicious side dish for your next barbecue.
• How To Serve : 1. Simply serve with green salad, 2. toss with arugula, 3. drizzle over fresh tomatoes warm out of your garden and sliced thick and sprinkled with sea salt. 4. Wash and chop kale, massage the kale salad, and toss with vinaigrette.
• Storage : I love to use mason jars for my homemade salad dressings. Remember even a simple oil and vinegar vinaigrette needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Place a piece of tape on the lid with name of dressing and the date you made it.

ALL of these delicious homemade vinaigrettes can double perfectly as marinades for your meats and fish, before grilling or baking.  

Closing notes on making vinaigrette at home

You can make a good quality vinaigrette for less money with bold flavors that suit your taste. Use what you love and it will be amazing! If at the last minute you realize your store bought dressing has gone past it’s expiration no sweat! Toss pantry ingredients you have on hand, based on the outlines I have given you, in a jar give them a good shake and in less than a few minutes you have a salad dressing that will wow your guests!