Easy Dijon Vinaigrette
This easy Dijon vinaigrette is my go-to salad dressing and it’s made with basic kitchen staples so you’ll always have a great dressing no matter what salad you want to make.
“My go-to every day dressing. I make with immersion blender for a creamy dressing. Love this.” -Terri
Why we love this dijon vinaigrette recipe
Are you ready for a little post holiday diet? I know I sure am. I spent the last few days eating nothing but Grinch cookies, tourtiere (in bite-sized form) and shrimp with cocktail sauce. And, a few other super indulgent things like pink squirrel cocktails and Christmas sangria. Needless to say, our house in need of a major detox.
Don’t worry though, I won’t be going full-on whole 30 here, but I do have a handful of awesome healthier recipes coming your way starting with this Dijon vinaigrette. It’s my favorite simple salad dressing and I make it even more than my dairy free ranch or my hibachi-inspired ginger dressing.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
- Measuring spoons
- Glass measuring cup
- Wire whisk
- Garlic press or microplane
How do you make Dijon vinaigrette?
Start with a vinegar-oil base. I like to do a 2:1 ratio to keep things on the lighter side. A lot of dressings call for a 3:1 ratio, but I really don’t think it’s necessary to use that much oil. You can always add more, so feel free to adjust the ratio to your tastes.
Add your seasoning. Since we’re making a Dijon vinaigrette, I add a good dollop of Dijon mustard – about 2 tablespoons.
Mix your ingredients. There are several ways to do this. The easiest is to give it a good whisk until the oil has been fully incorporated into the remaining ingredients. You can also shake it vigorously in a mason jar – or any container with a tight lid.
How do you make a creamy vinaigrette?
To get extra creamy vinaigrette, you want to emulsify it. Dijon mustard acts as a natural emulsifier, so whisking the mixture thoroughly should do the trick.
Pro tip: If you want to take it to a new level, try using your immersion blender or food processor instead of mixing. I rarely do this, because it seems a bit time consuming, but when I do, I’m always super pleased with the results.
It also purees the minced garlic, making the dressing completely smooth. This is entirely optional, and will not make or break the recipe. In these photos, I simply whisked the dressing until it was emulsified.
Tips for making Dijon vinaigrette
- If you’re making your salad at the same time as the Dijon dressing, try whisking your ingredients together the bottom of the salad bowl. This will leave you with one less dish to clean up.
- To fix dressing that has separated in the refrigerator, simply give it a good whisk, or shake with it in a mason jar with a tight lid. I like these plastic lids for mason jars. They’re also great for storing your Dijon vinaigrette.
More salad dressing recipes:
- Caesar salad dressing recipe
- Lemon chipotle dressing
- Maple miso vinaigrette
- Avocado cilantro dressing
- Thousand Island dressing
Easy Dijon Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 1 cup 1x
Description
This easy Dijon vinaigrette is my go-to salad dressing and works with virtually any salad you might want to make. It’s made with basic kitchen staples that we always have on hand, like Dijon mustard and lemon juice. With just the right amount of tang and bite, it’s great for adding a flavor to your greens or even using as a quick marinade for veggies or meats.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk until smooth and everything has emulsified.
- Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 113
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Sodium: 165g
- Fat: 12.8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8g
- Carbohydrates: 0.5g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0
How long will this vinaigrette save?
It should be good for up to a week!
I just made this with a Modena white vinegar and used the immersion blender. This is sooooo good! The best!
Mz. Tina! You are CORRECT w/Modena w/wine vinegar!! I am GLAD that I scrolled to your great suggestion w/the imulsifier also!!!
Great recipes
Made for the 4th of July picnic. Received Many compliments!
OMG…great recipe! I was in a pinch, have little in the house and found this recipe. It was a God-send! I will definitely be making this on a regular basis from now on!
Delicious – almost made exactly as written – I even measured for the salt and pepper. Needed a tiny bit of sweet so I added 1/4 tsp white sugar.
Delish! Made as directed the first time — easy and tasty. This time I only needed enough for a large single serving salad topped with a crab cake so cut recipe down to: 2 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 1/2 tsp mustard; salt/ pepper to taste. Omitted garlic clove.
This is a wonderful dressing, it would also be delicious on a potato bean salad
I love this recipe! I saw someone mentioned wanting to sweeten it up, and I usually use a honey Dijon mustard which does the trick!
Do I store the dijon vinaigrette dressing in the fridge
Yes. It should be stored in the fridge if you aren’t going to use it right away.
My go-to every day dressing. I make with immersion blender for a creamy dressing. Love this.