Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
adapted from Cookie & Kate’s How to Make Basic Vinaigrette
(I use this type of dressing almost every time I made a salad. It is easy, quick, and always delicious. Plus, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons vinegar of choice (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (optional: I almost never put a sweetener in unless I accidentally over mustard or vinegar and am out of oil to balance it out)
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced (optional: when it isn’t garlic season, I either forgo this or substitute garlic powder or garlic salt and don’t add salt again)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- dried herbs (I will sprinkle dried herbs like thyme, basil, or oregano into the mix for a little extra favor)
Instructions
- In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Stir well with a small whisk or a fork until the ingredients are completely mixed together.
- Taste, and adjust as necessary. If the mixture is too acidic, thin it out with a bit more olive oil or balance the flavors with a little more maple syrup or honey. If the mixture is a little blah, add another pinch or two of salt. If it doesn’t have enough zing, add vinegar by the teaspoon.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for future use. Homemade vinaigrette keeps well for 7 to 10 days. If your vinaigrette solidifies somewhat in the fridge, don’t worry about it—real olive oil tends to do that. Simply let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or microwave very briefly (about 20 seconds) to liquify the olive oil again. Whisk to blend and serve.
