Every Home Cook Should Know How to Make Dijon Vinaigrette

Stop paying $4, $5, or more for a bottle of salad dressing at the grocery store. They are filled with added sugar and chemical preservatives that nobody wants. Instead you can make this tangy dressing in just a couple minutes and it tastes a thousand times better than anything you can purchase in a bottle, and at a fraction of the cost.

Everyone should have a basic, go to salad dressing recipe in their arsenal that you can whip up at a moments notice. This is something that every home cook should readily be able to make.

For some reason I always thought making a salad dressing was a complicated, time consuming affair that required a ton of ingredients. Nope! Once you see how easy it is to make your own salad dressing you will be wondering why you did’t give it a try sooner.

This is my go to salad dressing. I whip it up all the time in just a couple minutes. It’s delicious on a simple lettuce and tomato salad but equally yummy on a fancier salad. It is so versatile and it works on just about anything. I have even used it to marinate chicken breasts, so good!!!

There are literally hundreds of variations that you could combine to make this salad dressing. The one thing to keep in mind is that most oil and vinegar salad dressings, like this one, call for a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

You can change up the type of oil and vinegar you use. My personal favorite is to combine a red wine vinegar with a good quality olive oil and add a generous squeeze of Dijon mustard. You could easily use a vegetable oil and regular white vinegar if that is what you have on hand.

If you prefer a milder, not so tangy dressing use a Balsamic Vinegar for a milder, sweeter taste. Substitute lemon or lime juice for the vinegar if you have them on hand. Add citrus zest to the dressing for some lovely added flavor. The lemon juice and zest produces a bright, tangy dressing, perfect for a light summer salad.

Whatever oil, vinegar and mustard combination you use, add some salt, and freshly ground pepper. Shake it all up and you’re good to go!

To make it even better, I also like adding fresh minced garlic, garlic powder and onion powder to the basic recipe. Your imagination is the only limit when it comes to adding flavor.

Serving an Italian meal? Chop up some fresh basil from the garden, or some chives or Parsley for a different variation. Or try adding a pinch of Italian seasoning for some additional flavor.

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Serving a simple lettuce and tomato salad with your favorite Mexican meal? Try adding a little Mexican Oregano or a pinch of cumin to this dressing.

For an asian inspired dressing, combine olive oil with Rice Vinegar and add a splash of Soy sauce and Sesame oil. Go easy on the Sesame oil, it has a very strong flavor, a little goes a long way. Add some toasted sesame seeds, freshly grated or ground ginger and green onions sliced very thin.

Same idea as the basic recipe, but with a completely different flavor profile. Like some heat? What about stirring in a little Wasabi for some kick? Doesn’t that sound fabulous? I know, right?

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Just use what you readily have available. No trip to the grocery store required!

Yes it really is that easy! Place all the ingredients in a jar and shake it all up to combine.

We personally love a more sour, tart salad dressing so the oil and vinegar ratio we prefer is closer to 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Play around with the basic recipe until you find a combination and ratio that you and your family loves.

I found this bottle of mustard in the fridge. We loved the added kick we got in the dressing from the Horseradish in this mustard.

So stop buying those expensive, overpriced, chemical laden salad dressings at the grocery store. Instead, make your own, using healthy ingredients, for a flavor packed, easily customizable dressing that comes together in just a few short minutes!

Did You Make This?

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