Make your own Basic Vinaigrette with 3 Variations utilizing basic pantry ingredients and a jar. It’s easy, inexpensive, and flexible for all your salad and marinade needs.

Making your own vinaigrette is SO easy. All you need is few pantry ingredients and a jar to make a basic vinaigrette. I am sharing how to make 3 variations using the base recipe so you can play with your favorite herbs, spices, and other add-ons. When you start making homemade vinaigrette, in the long run, it ends up being cheaper and you also reducing waste that comes from packaging, bottling etc. I hope this Basic Vinaigrette with 3 Variations will add value to your everyday life and find a permanent place in your kitchen.

The most basic formula for vinaigrette is the right balance of oil to vinegar, which is often 3:1. Start with extra virgin olive oil as your base (my preferred oil for making dressings and vinaigrette) but if you find extra virgin olive oil to be strong, go with something milder or mix strong flavored oil with mild one to  balance out the flavor. Some other oils could be canola or avocado.

For the vinegar, you can go with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even citrus juice from lemon or limes. I like vinaigrette little bit on the acidic side so I do little bit more vinegar than classic 3:1 ratio but it is entirely up to you.

Once you have figured out the ratio of oil to vinegar, season it with salt and pepper to create a basic vinaigrette. Basic vinaigrette can be made in a large batch as a base and you can add garlic, Italian seasoning, mustard, herbs, honey/agave for sweetness etc to create different variations.

 

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I am sharing 3 variations : balsamic vinaigrette, creamy vinaigrette, and Parmesan pepper vinaigrette, all of which are made utilizing the basic vinaigrette recipe.

Oil and vinegar are two completely different molecules, which is why they do no mix easily. You can force them to mix by whisking, shaking in a jar, using a blender. It is also helpful to introduce a emulsifier such as garlic, mustard powder, honey, egg yolk, miso etc to  help mix oil and vinegar together easily.

You really can’t go wrong with basic vinaigrette. Play with the ratio of oil and vinegar to your liking and adjust last minute seasonings to perfect your basic vinaigrette. Once basic vinaigrette is ready, you can tweak things for a change into balsamic vinaigrette, creamy vinaigrette, or Parmesan pepper vinaigrette

Basic vinaigrette can be left on your counter top for a really long before it goes bad. If you use any other ingredients besides salt and pepper such as garlic, shallots, lemon juice, herbs etc, you should store it in the fridge for 7-10 days. I find creamy ones start to go bad or start separating within 3-5 days.

Basic vinaigrette can be used as a salad dressing, to marinate your meat/fish, and well as grilled veggies. Creamy dressing and balsamic can be used a dip for raw veggies as well.

Basic Vinaigrette with 3 Variations

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• Basic Vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoons vinegar (white, apple cider, red wine)

  • Salt, black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Measure and pour ingredients in a mason jar and shake it vigorously until blended. Alternatively, you can pour ingredients in a bowl and whisk it together. If making a large batch, use a food processor/blender to mix ingredients.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic

• Salt, black pepper to taste

Basic Creamy Vinaigrette

• 1⁄4 cup basic vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoon plain yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise (for vegan, use 1/2 ripe avocado)

Parmesan-Pepper Dressing

• 1 batch basic creamy vinaigrette dressing

• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

I hope you will start making your own basic vinaigrette soon and put your own spin to it. Or, pin Basic Vinaigrette with 3 Variations for later!