“My go-to everyday dressing. I make with immersion blender for a creamy dressing. Love this.”
Why we love this dijon vinaigrette
After spending the last few days eating nothing but Grinch cookies, tourtiere, shrimp with cocktail sauce, not to mention a few drink indulgences – like pink squirrel cocktails and Christmas sangria – our house in need of a major fresh food fix.
Don’t worry though, I won’t be going new years resolutions here, but I do have a handful of 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.
More salad dressing recipes: Caesar vinaigrette / honey chipotle dressing / maple miso vinaigrette
Ingredient notes:
- White wine vinegar – If you have red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar on hand, you could substitute one of these and they will work similarly in terms of acidity and flavor. If you want a sweeter twist, balsamic vinegar could be a fun swap.
- Dijon mustard – If you don’t have dijon a spicy brown or whole-grain mustard will provide the most similar flavor with a bit more texture.
- Olive oil – A neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil will work if you need to subtiture, but it will be milder in flavor.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
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.
More dressing recipes: thousand Island dressing / avocado green goddess dressing / taco salad dressing
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 recipes: Thai noodle salad with light peanut dressing / tropical salad with mango dressing / butternut squash and kale salad / pear arugula salad
Easy Dijon Vinaigrette
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 fully emulsified.
- Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
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.