ClosePhoto:Getty Images. EatingWell design.If you’ve resolved to eat more veggies, meal-prep regularly, or spend less on takeout in 2025, it’s likely that you’ll be making a few salads this January. The secret to a good one is all in the dressing, so mastering a simple vinaigrette will help elevate your salads far beyond the sad desk lunch. Store-bought salad dressing may be more convenient, but as long as you have some pantry basics on hand, making your own vinaigrette takes only a few minutes. Plus, you’ll be able to tweak the flavors just the way you want them.While a vinaigrette may seem simple, making a good one can be tricky. Vinaigrettes need the right balance of acidity and oil to provide a punch of flavor and to be well emulsified. Thankfully, six chefs around the U.S. were happy to divulge their secret to getting a vinaigrette just right: a bit of Dijon mustard.25 Winter Salads That Are So Good, You’ll Want to Eat Them for DinnerWhy Dijon Mustard?Besides acting as a flavor bomb in your vinaigrette, Dijon can hold your salad dressing together. “Adding Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier to suspend acid droplets within the oil, creating a luxurious coating for lettuce and greens,”Lisa Lotts, recipe developer and owner of Garlic & Zest, says. “If you don’t achieve that creamy suspension, you won’t get the full flavor of the vinaigrette.”You don’t need much mustard either: just a tablespoon or two is allJohnathan Benvenuti, chef and owner of Bar Becky in Long Beach, California, uses when he needs to re-emulsify his vinaigrette if it separates during storage.Getting the oil and vinegar properly emulsified will also help ensure that it coats your greens and other ingredients. “If you’re just drizzling oil and vinegar into a bowl, you’ll end up with a separated mess that doesn’t coat anything evenly. To fix this, always whisk your acid, mustard and seasonings together first, then slowly stream in your oil while whisking constantly,”Chef Dennis Littleyof Ask Chef Dennis Productions says. A blender or hand mixer can also be used, or some chefs recommend giving the dressing a thorough shake in a Mason jar.Dijon mustard was the most frequently mentioned addition to keep your vinaigrette emulsified, but it’s not the only option. “Honey, mayo or mustard can help keep the party together if you need a little binder,” explainsMaurice Wells, executive chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago.Giada De Laurentiis Just Shared Her Favorite Vinaigrette—and It Has Just 4 IngredientsWhat’s the Right Ratio for a Balanced Vinaigrette?Beyond ensuring that your vinaigrette is emulsified, most chefs we spoke with said that achieving the right balance between the vinegar and oil was key to mastering this simple dressing. Many chefs follow a 3-to-1 ratio for oil to vinegar, as that’s traditionally what the recipe calls for. However, a few we spoke with prefer a bit more acidity in their dressing. “When I’m making my standard red wine or balsamic vin, I put 65% oil, 35% vinegar and a little Dijon mustard. From there you can really add any seasoning you’d like, depending on the salad or whatever you are dressing,”Jonathan Kavourakis, chef and owner of Fanny’s Restaurant and Bar in Bloomfield, New Jersey, says.Private chef, cookbook author and founder of Super Dirt Foods,Kristin O’Connoruses a similar ratio in her vinaigrettes but recommends tasting as you prepare the dressing to ensure that it’s balanced correctly. “Taste as you go! Grab a piece of lettuce or just use your (clean) pinkie to do a little taste test and see how it is going. This is how even the best chefs cook and actually know they are serving the best-tasting food they can,” she says.Our 19 Most Popular Vinaigrette RecipesWhat Else Can You Add to a Vinaigrette?A vinaigrette is sort of like a classic white T-shirt, meaning that it can be accessorized with a long list of seasonings, herbs and flavors. Salt and pepper should always be included, but beyond that, our chefs recommend adjusting the vinaigrette’s recipe to complement the salad it’s being served with. For example, a simple mixed green salad will benefit from tarragon or chives for a bit more robust flavor, O’Connor says. Shallots, parsley, garlic and basil are also classic additions.Feel free to get even more adventurous though: Kavourakis likes to add a Thai chile or Italian long hot for a bit of heat in his vinaigrettes. For a red wine vinaigrette, he also adds in feta for a creamy texture and briny flavor. If you want to highlight the sweet elements in a salad, honey or agave can also be added.Vinaigrettes may take a bit of tweaking to perfect, but they can be relatively forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment. “Vins are hard to mess up. You can always add more oil, or add more vinegar or lemon or anything to fix it,” Kavourakis says. “Messing up is a good thing; you fix and move on and work toward perfection.”The #1 Ingredient to Keep In Your Freezer for Making SaladsWas this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
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Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Getty Images. EatingWell design.
If you’ve resolved to eat more veggies, meal-prep regularly, or spend less on takeout in 2025, it’s likely that you’ll be making a few salads this January. The secret to a good one is all in the dressing, so mastering a simple vinaigrette will help elevate your salads far beyond the sad desk lunch. Store-bought salad dressing may be more convenient, but as long as you have some pantry basics on hand, making your own vinaigrette takes only a few minutes. Plus, you’ll be able to tweak the flavors just the way you want them.While a vinaigrette may seem simple, making a good one can be tricky. Vinaigrettes need the right balance of acidity and oil to provide a punch of flavor and to be well emulsified. Thankfully, six chefs around the U.S. were happy to divulge their secret to getting a vinaigrette just right: a bit of Dijon mustard.25 Winter Salads That Are So Good, You’ll Want to Eat Them for DinnerWhy Dijon Mustard?Besides acting as a flavor bomb in your vinaigrette, Dijon can hold your salad dressing together. “Adding Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier to suspend acid droplets within the oil, creating a luxurious coating for lettuce and greens,”Lisa Lotts, recipe developer and owner of Garlic & Zest, says. “If you don’t achieve that creamy suspension, you won’t get the full flavor of the vinaigrette.”You don’t need much mustard either: just a tablespoon or two is allJohnathan Benvenuti, chef and owner of Bar Becky in Long Beach, California, uses when he needs to re-emulsify his vinaigrette if it separates during storage.Getting the oil and vinegar properly emulsified will also help ensure that it coats your greens and other ingredients. “If you’re just drizzling oil and vinegar into a bowl, you’ll end up with a separated mess that doesn’t coat anything evenly. To fix this, always whisk your acid, mustard and seasonings together first, then slowly stream in your oil while whisking constantly,”Chef Dennis Littleyof Ask Chef Dennis Productions says. A blender or hand mixer can also be used, or some chefs recommend giving the dressing a thorough shake in a Mason jar.Dijon mustard was the most frequently mentioned addition to keep your vinaigrette emulsified, but it’s not the only option. “Honey, mayo or mustard can help keep the party together if you need a little binder,” explainsMaurice Wells, executive chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago.Giada De Laurentiis Just Shared Her Favorite Vinaigrette—and It Has Just 4 IngredientsWhat’s the Right Ratio for a Balanced Vinaigrette?Beyond ensuring that your vinaigrette is emulsified, most chefs we spoke with said that achieving the right balance between the vinegar and oil was key to mastering this simple dressing. Many chefs follow a 3-to-1 ratio for oil to vinegar, as that’s traditionally what the recipe calls for. However, a few we spoke with prefer a bit more acidity in their dressing. “When I’m making my standard red wine or balsamic vin, I put 65% oil, 35% vinegar and a little Dijon mustard. From there you can really add any seasoning you’d like, depending on the salad or whatever you are dressing,”Jonathan Kavourakis, chef and owner of Fanny’s Restaurant and Bar in Bloomfield, New Jersey, says.Private chef, cookbook author and founder of Super Dirt Foods,Kristin O’Connoruses a similar ratio in her vinaigrettes but recommends tasting as you prepare the dressing to ensure that it’s balanced correctly. “Taste as you go! Grab a piece of lettuce or just use your (clean) pinkie to do a little taste test and see how it is going. This is how even the best chefs cook and actually know they are serving the best-tasting food they can,” she says.Our 19 Most Popular Vinaigrette RecipesWhat Else Can You Add to a Vinaigrette?A vinaigrette is sort of like a classic white T-shirt, meaning that it can be accessorized with a long list of seasonings, herbs and flavors. Salt and pepper should always be included, but beyond that, our chefs recommend adjusting the vinaigrette’s recipe to complement the salad it’s being served with. For example, a simple mixed green salad will benefit from tarragon or chives for a bit more robust flavor, O’Connor says. Shallots, parsley, garlic and basil are also classic additions.Feel free to get even more adventurous though: Kavourakis likes to add a Thai chile or Italian long hot for a bit of heat in his vinaigrettes. For a red wine vinaigrette, he also adds in feta for a creamy texture and briny flavor. If you want to highlight the sweet elements in a salad, honey or agave can also be added.Vinaigrettes may take a bit of tweaking to perfect, but they can be relatively forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment. “Vins are hard to mess up. You can always add more oil, or add more vinegar or lemon or anything to fix it,” Kavourakis says. “Messing up is a good thing; you fix and move on and work toward perfection.”The #1 Ingredient to Keep In Your Freezer for Making SaladsWas this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
If you’ve resolved to eat more veggies, meal-prep regularly, or spend less on takeout in 2025, it’s likely that you’ll be making a few salads this January. The secret to a good one is all in the dressing, so mastering a simple vinaigrette will help elevate your salads far beyond the sad desk lunch. Store-bought salad dressing may be more convenient, but as long as you have some pantry basics on hand, making your own vinaigrette takes only a few minutes. Plus, you’ll be able to tweak the flavors just the way you want them.While a vinaigrette may seem simple, making a good one can be tricky. Vinaigrettes need the right balance of acidity and oil to provide a punch of flavor and to be well emulsified. Thankfully, six chefs around the U.S. were happy to divulge their secret to getting a vinaigrette just right: a bit of Dijon mustard.25 Winter Salads That Are So Good, You’ll Want to Eat Them for DinnerWhy Dijon Mustard?Besides acting as a flavor bomb in your vinaigrette, Dijon can hold your salad dressing together. “Adding Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier to suspend acid droplets within the oil, creating a luxurious coating for lettuce and greens,”Lisa Lotts, recipe developer and owner of Garlic & Zest, says. “If you don’t achieve that creamy suspension, you won’t get the full flavor of the vinaigrette.”You don’t need much mustard either: just a tablespoon or two is allJohnathan Benvenuti, chef and owner of Bar Becky in Long Beach, California, uses when he needs to re-emulsify his vinaigrette if it separates during storage.Getting the oil and vinegar properly emulsified will also help ensure that it coats your greens and other ingredients. “If you’re just drizzling oil and vinegar into a bowl, you’ll end up with a separated mess that doesn’t coat anything evenly. To fix this, always whisk your acid, mustard and seasonings together first, then slowly stream in your oil while whisking constantly,”Chef Dennis Littleyof Ask Chef Dennis Productions says. A blender or hand mixer can also be used, or some chefs recommend giving the dressing a thorough shake in a Mason jar.Dijon mustard was the most frequently mentioned addition to keep your vinaigrette emulsified, but it’s not the only option. “Honey, mayo or mustard can help keep the party together if you need a little binder,” explainsMaurice Wells, executive chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago.Giada De Laurentiis Just Shared Her Favorite Vinaigrette—and It Has Just 4 IngredientsWhat’s the Right Ratio for a Balanced Vinaigrette?Beyond ensuring that your vinaigrette is emulsified, most chefs we spoke with said that achieving the right balance between the vinegar and oil was key to mastering this simple dressing. Many chefs follow a 3-to-1 ratio for oil to vinegar, as that’s traditionally what the recipe calls for. However, a few we spoke with prefer a bit more acidity in their dressing. “When I’m making my standard red wine or balsamic vin, I put 65% oil, 35% vinegar and a little Dijon mustard. From there you can really add any seasoning you’d like, depending on the salad or whatever you are dressing,”Jonathan Kavourakis, chef and owner of Fanny’s Restaurant and Bar in Bloomfield, New Jersey, says.Private chef, cookbook author and founder of Super Dirt Foods,Kristin O’Connoruses a similar ratio in her vinaigrettes but recommends tasting as you prepare the dressing to ensure that it’s balanced correctly. “Taste as you go! Grab a piece of lettuce or just use your (clean) pinkie to do a little taste test and see how it is going. This is how even the best chefs cook and actually know they are serving the best-tasting food they can,” she says.Our 19 Most Popular Vinaigrette RecipesWhat Else Can You Add to a Vinaigrette?A vinaigrette is sort of like a classic white T-shirt, meaning that it can be accessorized with a long list of seasonings, herbs and flavors. Salt and pepper should always be included, but beyond that, our chefs recommend adjusting the vinaigrette’s recipe to complement the salad it’s being served with. For example, a simple mixed green salad will benefit from tarragon or chives for a bit more robust flavor, O’Connor says. Shallots, parsley, garlic and basil are also classic additions.Feel free to get even more adventurous though: Kavourakis likes to add a Thai chile or Italian long hot for a bit of heat in his vinaigrettes. For a red wine vinaigrette, he also adds in feta for a creamy texture and briny flavor. If you want to highlight the sweet elements in a salad, honey or agave can also be added.Vinaigrettes may take a bit of tweaking to perfect, but they can be relatively forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment. “Vins are hard to mess up. You can always add more oil, or add more vinegar or lemon or anything to fix it,” Kavourakis says. “Messing up is a good thing; you fix and move on and work toward perfection.”The #1 Ingredient to Keep In Your Freezer for Making Salads
If you’ve resolved to eat more veggies, meal-prep regularly, or spend less on takeout in 2025, it’s likely that you’ll be making a few salads this January. The secret to a good one is all in the dressing, so mastering a simple vinaigrette will help elevate your salads far beyond the sad desk lunch. Store-bought salad dressing may be more convenient, but as long as you have some pantry basics on hand, making your own vinaigrette takes only a few minutes. Plus, you’ll be able to tweak the flavors just the way you want them.
While a vinaigrette may seem simple, making a good one can be tricky. Vinaigrettes need the right balance of acidity and oil to provide a punch of flavor and to be well emulsified. Thankfully, six chefs around the U.S. were happy to divulge their secret to getting a vinaigrette just right: a bit of Dijon mustard.
25 Winter Salads That Are So Good, You’ll Want to Eat Them for Dinner
Why Dijon Mustard?
Besides acting as a flavor bomb in your vinaigrette, Dijon can hold your salad dressing together. “Adding Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier to suspend acid droplets within the oil, creating a luxurious coating for lettuce and greens,”Lisa Lotts, recipe developer and owner of Garlic & Zest, says. “If you don’t achieve that creamy suspension, you won’t get the full flavor of the vinaigrette.”
You don’t need much mustard either: just a tablespoon or two is allJohnathan Benvenuti, chef and owner of Bar Becky in Long Beach, California, uses when he needs to re-emulsify his vinaigrette if it separates during storage.
Getting the oil and vinegar properly emulsified will also help ensure that it coats your greens and other ingredients. “If you’re just drizzling oil and vinegar into a bowl, you’ll end up with a separated mess that doesn’t coat anything evenly. To fix this, always whisk your acid, mustard and seasonings together first, then slowly stream in your oil while whisking constantly,”Chef Dennis Littleyof Ask Chef Dennis Productions says. A blender or hand mixer can also be used, or some chefs recommend giving the dressing a thorough shake in a Mason jar.
Dijon mustard was the most frequently mentioned addition to keep your vinaigrette emulsified, but it’s not the only option. “Honey, mayo or mustard can help keep the party together if you need a little binder,” explainsMaurice Wells, executive chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago.
Giada De Laurentiis Just Shared Her Favorite Vinaigrette—and It Has Just 4 Ingredients
What’s the Right Ratio for a Balanced Vinaigrette?
Beyond ensuring that your vinaigrette is emulsified, most chefs we spoke with said that achieving the right balance between the vinegar and oil was key to mastering this simple dressing. Many chefs follow a 3-to-1 ratio for oil to vinegar, as that’s traditionally what the recipe calls for. However, a few we spoke with prefer a bit more acidity in their dressing. “When I’m making my standard red wine or balsamic vin, I put 65% oil, 35% vinegar and a little Dijon mustard. From there you can really add any seasoning you’d like, depending on the salad or whatever you are dressing,”Jonathan Kavourakis, chef and owner of Fanny’s Restaurant and Bar in Bloomfield, New Jersey, says.Private chef, cookbook author and founder of Super Dirt Foods,Kristin O’Connoruses a similar ratio in her vinaigrettes but recommends tasting as you prepare the dressing to ensure that it’s balanced correctly. “Taste as you go! Grab a piece of lettuce or just use your (clean) pinkie to do a little taste test and see how it is going. This is how even the best chefs cook and actually know they are serving the best-tasting food they can,” she says.
Our 19 Most Popular Vinaigrette Recipes
What Else Can You Add to a Vinaigrette?
A vinaigrette is sort of like a classic white T-shirt, meaning that it can be accessorized with a long list of seasonings, herbs and flavors. Salt and pepper should always be included, but beyond that, our chefs recommend adjusting the vinaigrette’s recipe to complement the salad it’s being served with. For example, a simple mixed green salad will benefit from tarragon or chives for a bit more robust flavor, O’Connor says. Shallots, parsley, garlic and basil are also classic additions.
Feel free to get even more adventurous though: Kavourakis likes to add a Thai chile or Italian long hot for a bit of heat in his vinaigrettes. For a red wine vinaigrette, he also adds in feta for a creamy texture and briny flavor. If you want to highlight the sweet elements in a salad, honey or agave can also be added.
Vinaigrettes may take a bit of tweaking to perfect, but they can be relatively forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment. “Vins are hard to mess up. You can always add more oil, or add more vinegar or lemon or anything to fix it,” Kavourakis says. “Messing up is a good thing; you fix and move on and work toward perfection.”
The #1 Ingredient to Keep In Your Freezer for Making Salads
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