In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy Don’t We Refrigerate Oil and Vinegar?So Then Does Homemade Vinaigrette Need to Be Refrigerated?Does Store-Bought Vinaigrette Need to Be Refrigerated?When Stored Properly, How Long Do Vinaigrettes Last?The Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why Don’t We Refrigerate Oil and Vinegar?
So Then Does Homemade Vinaigrette Need to Be Refrigerated?
Does Store-Bought Vinaigrette Need to Be Refrigerated?
When Stored Properly, How Long Do Vinaigrettes Last?
The Bottom Line
A bright, zingy vinaigrettemakes a delicious addition to salads, roasted vegetables and so much more, and they’re fairly quick and simple to whip up. But if you’re making it ahead of time or have leftovers, how should you store it? Olive oil and vinegar, the two main ingredients, don’t need to be refrigerated. Plus oil solidifies in the fridge, and no one wants a chunky vinaigrette. So does it need to be refrigerated? We chatted with two experts to get to the bottom of this culinary conundrum.
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In general, it’s a good idea to refrigerate homemade vinaigrettes. The exception to this would be if your homemade vinaigrette solely consists of shelf-stable ingredients like oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. “Even with some mustard, honey or tahini included, the vinaigrette will likely be safe to eat unrefrigerated; however, the flavors will keep best when stored cold,” Ziata says. “Refrigerating vinaigrettes is a good habit to have, especially if various other ingredients are being added in for flavor and/or emulsification.” She notes that you should always refrigerate vinaigrettes that include perishable ingredients like eggs, heavy cream, citrus juice, fresh herbs and vegetables.
Sims notes that unless your vinaigrette is a mixture of just oil and vinegar, refrigeration is your best bet from a food-safety standpoint. “If you add in vegetables and/or herbs, the potential growth forClostridium botulinumbecomes a factor,” she said. “Botulinum spores can be quite harmful and are a serious foodborne illness matter, and many illness outbreaks over decades have been traced to home-prepared vinaigrettes and vegetables in oil.” The best way to prevent these spores from growing is refrigeration.
When you take your homemade vinaigrette out of the fridge, you may find that the mixture has separated. “If the vinaigrette loses its emulsion in the fridge, and the oil solidifies and floats to the top, bring it to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving, and whisk [or shake] to bring the emulsion back,” Ziata says.
While store-bought vinaigrettes may contain stabilizers and preservatives to extend their shelf life, it’s a good idea to refrigerate them after opening. Ziata notes that doing this will help the dressing last longer and taste better. Sims recommends following the instructions on the product label. “These instructions can save you frombotulismexposure and prevent serious illness,” she says.
Homemade vinaigrettes that include fresh or cooked vegetables (like garlic), herbs and fresh citrus juices will last around three days, according to Ziata. Preservative-free vinaigrettes you’ll typically find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store will last a little longer, three to five days. “Inexpensive, shelf-stable bottled dressings will last a month in the fridge, if not longer, thanks to their preservatives,” she says.
Sims added that store-bought vinaigrettes generally last longer “because food processors have access to processing techniques and ingredients that many of us will not have at home that prevent microbial growth and spoilage.”
While oils and vinegars don’t need to be refrigerated on their own, once you add in ingredients like fresh-squeezed citrus juice, mustard and garlic to make a homemade vinaigrette, it’s a good idea to pop any leftovers in the refrigerator. Doing so will help your homemade (and store-bought) vinaigrettes last longer and hold onto peak flavors, and help keep you safe from foodborne illnesses. If you find that your vinaigrette has solidified and/or separated after storing it in the fridge, give it time to come back to room temperature before whisking it up to emulsify the mixture once again.
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