This Simple Formula Guarantees Perfect Salad Dressing Every Time (2024)

  • Recipes
  • Salads
  • Salad Dressings

Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories

updated Oct 11, 2023

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This is the salad dressing that The Kitchn editors use week after week. The best news: All you need to do is memorize our simple formula for oil and vinegar, then mix in some flavor.

Makesabout 1 cup

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In This Article

  1. The Basic Vinaigrette Formula
  2. How to Make Vinaigrette
  3. Types of Oil to Use
  4. Types of Vinegar to Use
  5. Tasting and Adjusting Your Vinaigrette
  6. The Best Way to Store a Vinaigrette

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It’s time for you to embrace homemade salad dressing, starting with this super-easy vinaigrette. You don’t need a recipe, and you don’t even really need measuring spoons — all you need is a basic understanding of how oil and vinegar work together.

Quick Overview

The Basic Vinaigrette Formula

The most basic ratio for making a salad vinaigrette is:

  • one part vinegar (or other acid)
  • three parts oil

Using this basic formula, there are almost endless variations. For instance, you could use one tablespoon of cider vinegar and three tablespoons of olive oil. Or you could make a big batch of dressing and use 1/4 cup of vinegar mixed with 3/4 cups olive oil. Or use ounces, or milliliters, or the side of a jam jar. You get the picture — this a ratio, so you can use the means of measuring the ingredients that you prefer.

How to Make Vinaigrette

Once you have the ratio down, you can play around with the ingredients. These are the basic steps when making your own vinaigrette:

  • Choose your oil and acid. Remember, it’s the ratio that’s important. You can play around with the flavors however you’d like.
  • Whisk together your ingredients. Or shake them to combine in jar!
  • Season to taste. If you want to mellow it out, add more oil. Too bland? Adjust the salt and pepper.

Types of Oil to Use

Use a tasty oil to make your vinaigrette — any tasty oil. This can be a fancy extra-virgin olive oil you just picked up at the farmers market, or a mild-flavored one that you really like from Trader Joe’s (we have a list of the olive oils we recommend most). Just about any oil that remains a liquid at room temperature can work. Some examples to inspire you:

  • Walnut oil
  • Sesame oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Sunflower seed oil
  • Pumpkin seed oil

Whichever oil you choose, it doesn’t need to be particularly specialized or expensive — it just needs to be an oil with a flavor you like.

If you don’t like very strong, intense flavors with your salad, stick with more neutral-flavored oils like grapeseed or regular olive oil. Or, try combining a small amount of a strongly flavored oil with a milder-flavored oil.

Types of Vinegar to Use

Anything goes for the vinegar or acid, but the same rule applies: Pick something that will be delicious. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Champagne vinegar
  • Rice vinegar
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Fresh-squeezed lemon, lime, or other citrus juices

It can also be fun to experiment with interesting new flavors of vinegar that you come across. Again, as long as you enjoy the flavor, it will likely make a good vinaigrette.

Just avoid plain distilled white vinegar. It has a very strong, harsh flavor that isn’t generally very good in vinaigrettes.

How to Add Flavor to Your Vinaigrette

Oil and vinegar are the base of the vinaigrette, but they need a little help if they’re going to really make a salad appetizing. If you’re new to making salad dressings at home, try starting out with just adding some simple salt and pepper. Even with just these two seasonings, you’ll be surprised at how well they will round out the vinaigrette.

From there, you can start amping up your vinaigrette with all sorts of ingredients.

  • Mustard: A spoonful of mustard adds a nice tanginess; Dijon mustard is most traditional for a French vinaigrette.
  • Miso: A small scoop of miso adds a mellow, salty-sweet flavor.
  • Herbs: Fresh herbs give vinaigrettes a punch of brightness.
  • Alliums: Minced garlic or shallots add pungency.
  • Sweetener: If you like a bit of sweetness in your salads, add some jam, honey or maple syrup.

It’s hard to go wrong when making a vinaigrette, and you’ll learn your own tastes and preferences the more you make them.

Once you’ve settled on the ingredients going into your vinaigrette, it’s time to whisk everything together. Oil and vinegar will naturally separate into two separate layers, but when we’re making a salad, we want them to bind together so they coat a salad evenly and give us a uniform flavor as we’re eating.

Combining oil and vinegar so they bind together to create an almost creamy concoction is called emulsifying, and we can do this in one of three ways:

  • whisk the ingredients together in a bowl
  • shake them together in a jar
  • blend them with a blender

None of these will create a stable emulsion — one that doesn’t separate back into its component parts (like mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce) — so be sure to use your vinaigrette before it separates back into oil and vinegar. If that happens, simply shake to recombine the vinaigrette before using.

3 Ways to Mix a Vinaigrette

You can make a vinaigrette by whisking it together in a bowl, shaking it together in a jar, or blending it with a blender. Here’s more information about all three:

Whisk with a fork or whisk

  • Best for: Making a single salad for lunch or dinner.
  • What to do: Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl or right in the salad bowl. Tilt the bowl and whisk the vinaigrette quickly for a few seconds. First you’ll see bubbles of the oil and vinegar break into each other, and then the vinaigrette will become uniform. The vinaigrette will quickly separate back into oil and water, so use it right away.

Shake in a jam jar

  • Best for: Making a large batch of vinaigrette to use throughout the week.
  • What to do: Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar or other container with a lid. Screw on the lid and shake the jar vigorously for a few seconds until the vinaigrette comes together. Use what you need for your salad, then store the rest in the fridge. The oil and vinegar will separate as it sits, so you’ll need to re-shake the vinaigrette every time you use it.

Blend in a blender or with an immersion blender

  • Best for: Making a vinaigrette with solid ingredients, like garlic or fruit; the blender mixes them in completely and makes your vinaigrette very smooth.
  • What to do: Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until the vinaigrette is smooth and uniformly combined. A blended vinaigrette will still gradually separate back into its layers, so be sure to use the vinaigrette right away.

Tasting and Adjusting Your Vinaigrette

Before you actually use your vinaigrette to dress your salad, be sure to give it a taste. This is your moment to change the ratio of vinegar and oil, add more salt and pepper, or make any other last-minute adjustments.

Since tasting a vinaigrette on its own can give you a skewed idea of its flavor, taste it by dipping the edge of one of the greens into the vinaigrette. This will give you a much better idea of how your vinaigrette will taste with the finished salad.

The Best Way to Store a Vinaigrette

Store vinaigrettes in a jar or other container with a tight lid so that it’s easy to shake it up again when you need it. If you made a basic vinaigrette with just olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, you can stash it on the counter or in the cupboard for several weeks.

If any of the ingredients in your vinaigrette were previously refrigerated or are fresh, like lemon juice or minced shallots, then store it in the refrigerator up to five days.

Beyond Basic Vinaigrettes to Try

  • Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Sherry Vinaigrette
  • Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • Red Onion Vinaigrette
  • Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette
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Basic Vinaigrette Recipe

This is the salad dressing that The Kitchn editors use week after week. The best news: All you need to do is memorize our simple formula for oil and vinegar, then mix in some flavor.

Makes about 1 cup

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 3/4 to 1 cup

    olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or any good-tasting oil

  • 1/4 cup

    good-tasting vinegar or lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    salt

  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon

    black pepper

  • Optional extras (choose 1 or 2, to taste): 1 minced shallot, 1 minced or grated garlic clove, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon grainy mustard, 1 to 2 tablespoons minced herbs, 1 to 2 tablespoons finely grated cheese, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon honey

Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons

  • Bowl, blender, or jar with lid

  • Whisk, fork, blender, or immersion blender

Instructions

Show Images

  1. Measure all ingredients into a bowl, blender, or jar.

  2. Combine the vinaigrette: If using a bowl, use a fork or whisk to rapidly blend the vinaigrette together. If using a jar, top with the lid and shake until the vinaigrette is combined. If using a blender, blend until the vinaigrette is thoroughly combined.

  3. Taste the vinaigrette: Dip a leaf of salad into the vinaigrette and give it a taste; tasting the dressing with the greens gives you a better idea of how the vinaigrette will taste with a salad than if you taste it on its own.

  4. Adjust the taste: Add more olive oil for a more mellow flavor, more vinegar or lemon juice for more tartness, and more of any of the other ingredients to taste. Whisk, shake, or blend to combine.

  5. Use the vinaigrette: For a side salad for 2 to 4, start with a tablespoon of dressing, toss, and continue adding until the greens are evenly coated and look glossy. Serve immediately.

  6. Store the vinaigrette: Transfer leftover vinaigrette to a jar or other container with a lid (if it's not already in a jar). If the vinaigrette contains any fresh ingredients, like lemon juice or minced shallots, store it in the fridge. Vinaigrettes will keep for 3 to 5 days; shake to recombine the vinaigrette before using.

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How To

This Simple Formula Guarantees Perfect Salad Dressing Every Time (2024)

FAQs

This Simple Formula Guarantees Perfect Salad Dressing Every Time? ›

For a perfect dressing, Williamson says you should use three parts oil to one part vinegar along with a little emulsifier, which can be anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon depending on the quantity of dressing you're making.

What is the formula for salad dressing? ›

As a matter of fact, I frequently just drizzle a little olive oil on my salad, followed by some vinegar and salt, and then toss the greens. It's delicious. The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

What primary ingredient is used in most salad dressing? ›

Expert-Verified Answer. The primary ingredient in salad dressing among the given ones is oil. Salad dressing typically consists of a combination of ingredients, but the primary ingredient that forms the base of most salad dressings is oil.

What keeps salad dressing from separating? ›

The key to success is to incorporate emulsifying ingredients into your water base, so it will trap and hold the oil droplets. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream as you whisk or process it, so the stream of oil is broken into tiny droplets as soon as it enters the mix.

What does the perfect salad contain? ›

Throw in some orange veggies such as carrots which are rich in contain beta carotene and add tomatoes which contain lycopene. Other great options are vitamin C-rich yellow and red peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, and mushrooms.

Which salad dressing is the best option in terms of health? ›

Oil and vinegar.

In general, dressings with fewer ingredients tend to be healthier. And it doesn't get any simpler than oil and vinegar. “This is a great option, because it won't have any added sugar or salt,” says Allers.

What are the ingredients used in preparing salad and dressing? ›

Place lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, green onion, jicama, cucumber, and bell pepper in a large salad bowl. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, water, garlic, dill, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving.

What is the simplest form of dressing? ›

This is equally true for even something as simple as a salad dressing, which a vinaigrette is as simple as it gets. Vinaigrettes are an emulsion of 3 parts vegetable oil (usually olive oil) and 1 part acid (usually vinegar or acidic fruit juice), seasoning, and sometimes other flavourings.

What is the most basic formula for making a vinaigrette? ›

2 Ingredients: The basics

Traditional vinaigrette recipes call for a ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar. However, some people—like me—prefer their dressings to pack more punch and choose a 2:1 oil-to-vinegar ratio.

How does salad dressing separate? ›

The water and oil molecules have distinct chemical properties that don't interact well together. You may have seen this if you've attempted to make a salad dressing by shaking together oil and vinegar (which is mostly water), which gives a temporary suspension that quickly separates.

How to get salad dressing to emulsify? ›

To make them mix, or to emulsify, all you need to do is whisk with a fork or whisk or puree in a blender. By mixing fast, the oil breaks into the tiniest of droplets so that it has no choice but to mingle with the other ingredients. However, as it is natural, with the passing of time, the oil will separate again.

How do you stabilize salad dressing? ›

In many vinaigrettes, mustard is the go-to stabilizer. Since most households have a jar of mustard handy, this is a pretty easy pantry add-in. You should follow a basic ratio of one part acid to three parts oil, plus the emulsifier.

What are the components of salad dressing? ›

Salad dressings represent one of the typical oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions composed of vegetable oil, vinegar, egg yolk, and starch, which can be categorized into three groups based on the oil content: (1) mayonnaise, (2) spoonable, and (3) French-type dressings.

How should dressing be applied to salads? ›

The dressing should just coat the leaves so they glisten. A proper salad is never 'swimming' in dressing.

What are the four 4 components of salad? ›

The basic parts of a salad are the base, the body, the garnish, and the dressing. The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination.

What is the number 1 salad dressing? ›

Ranch Dressing

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

What's the healthiest dressing to put on a salad? ›

6 healthy salad dressings you can make in less than 3 minutes
  1. Classic lemon and olive oil. This is a very easy dressing that is good with strong-flavoured leaf salads, such as rocket or kale. ...
  2. Lime and chilli dressing. ...
  3. Simple balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  4. Raspberry vinaigrette. ...
  5. Creamy cucumber dressing. ...
  6. Creamy mint dressing.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

“Crunchy noodles are like eating chips,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It. All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams).

What to add to salad to make it better? ›

Add one or more of these protein-rich foods to your salad:
  1. lean meat: chicken or turkey breast, lean steak.
  2. lower-fat cheese: light cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese.
  3. legumes: kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans.
  4. eggs: hard boiled.
  5. soy products: cubed tofu, edamame.

What is salad dressing a mixture of? ›

A salad dressing is a heterogeneous mixture because it consists of two or more compounds that are unequally distributed (oil, vinegar, and herbs).

What are the three basic types of salad dressing? ›

In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...

What are the components of a salad dressing? ›

Salad dressings are vegetable-oil-in-water emulsions containing vinegar, sugar, an emulsifier, and flavors.

What type of mixture is in salad dressing? ›

as we see that Salad dressing is made up of constituents which are present in more than one phase like lemon juice in liquid phase and vegetables in solid. Therefore, salad dressing is an example of heterogeneous mixture.

What is the ratio for a vinaigrette? ›

For a traditional vinaigrette, you'll need to mix about 3 tablespoons of oil to 1 tablespoon of vinegar. You'll also want to add some salt and pepper to taste. Of course, for all four ingredients, the better the quality you use, the better your vinaigrette will taste.

What stabilizers are used in salad dressing? ›

In the case of salad dressings, some common emulsifying agents are mustard, yogurt, and egg yolks. These ingredients contain compounds that have a dual affinity for both water and oil, allowing them to act as a bridge between the two liquids and stabilize the emulsion.

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