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!
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!
Reader Raves
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
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!
More Easy Homemade Salad Dressings to Try
Note: This pantry basic homemade vinaigrette recipe was originally published in 2010, was updated in 2016 and 2024.
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So I am allergic to mustard so I need to leave it out. And possible substitutions?
The main reason for mustard in vinaigrette is to work as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar to mix (there is some flavor, too). You can use either mayonnaise or honey/maple syrup in place of the mustard. Also add 1 teaspoon of water – for some scientific reason I don’t know, this helps mix the vinaigrette, too. 🙂
Hello Jamie. I was just trying to figure out the nutrition levels on your dressing for the Asian vinegrete. I am coming up with a much higher calorie count for mine when using a tracker. Can you please help me figure out what I may be doing wrong?
This was so interesting, Jeremy! I doubled checked the calculations in my recipe card nutrition calculator and now it’s showing more fat, so more calories. No idea why that calculated differently before. It’s probably more accurate now, but your tracker is probably the best since that’s it’s main function. I would say that the addition of sesame oil in the Asian version will change it some, but it’s pretty easy to lower the amount of oil you use to get a number you’re after in vinaigrettes.:)
So…you use dijon mustard in all your vinegarette dressings? To make the Asian version, you simply change the vinegar out for the rice vinegar and add the additional ingredients as listed. Correct?
Never mind, Jamie! I didn’t scroll far enough to read the answer to that question!! Thank you:)
Okay!
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!!
I’m so glad, Laurie! And that spread sounds great – lucky co-workers. 😀
I’m new to your site and haven’t made any of the salad dressings yet but have copied all the recipes for future use. But I was wanting to send the post to my daughters and there is no way to do it on this post! How hard would it be to add this? For now I can copy and paste, and would love to spread the word. Thanks! And since we farm and garden I’m anxious to check out the rest of what you have.
Oh, gosh, Paula – I just removed the sharing plugin for the site because of a glitch and was advised not to replace it, that people don’t really use them. You’re the second comment I’ve gotten about it, so I guess my readers do!! Thank you for the feedback – I will add a sharing option back in. 🙂
Does Dijon go in the Asian version? or can I leave it out?
Yes, I use the mustard in all the variations – it provides creaminess as well as flavor. Since there is mustard in Asian foods, I think it works okay – but as always, you can adjust to your taste and leave it out!
I made your balsamic dressing this evening and like it. I’m going to quit buying salad dressing. Do you have a good recipe for a creamy dressing?
So great to read this, Nancy! I have a really great ranch dressing recipe: https://anoregoncottage.com/pantry-basic-best-homemade-ranch/ and a honey mustard dressing we love: https://anoregoncottage.com/pantry-basics-honey-mustard-dressing/
You can see most of the dressing recipes here: https://anoregoncottage.com/homemade-salad-dressings/
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.