This classic Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe is super versatile, it only takes a few minutes to whip up, and it always tastes SO delicious!
As many of you may have noticed over the years, there seems to be a bit of a trend with many of the salad (and pasta salad!) recipes here on the blog:
SO many of them are tossed with a red wine vinaigrette.
What can I say? It’s one of my all-time favorite dressings! It’s ultra quick and easy to whip up. It’s made with ingredients I always have on hand. It’s wildly versatile, and compliments nearly any kind of salad. And it’s consistently so freaking delicious.
Seriously, this is one of those classic recipes in life that I recommend every cook memorize so that you can always have it in your back pocket. And I’m pretty certain that your salads will be all the more delicious for it.
To make the vinaigrette, simply whisk all of your ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Or — my favorite method — add the ingredients to a mason jar, then cover and give everything a good shake-shake-shake until combined.
I love this classic recipe. But there are endless ways you could also customize it, such as:
- adding in a tablespoon or two of mayo or Greek yogurt to make it creamy
- adding in extra lemon juice to make it really tangy
- adding in some tahini to give it a Mediterranean twist
- adding in some Parmesan, to make it extra cheesy
- swap out the Italian seasoning for chopped fresh herbs, or a different dried seasoning blend
- etc.
I recommend it on:
- nearly any green salad (such as my Family’s Favorite Salad, Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Salad, or this Arugula Salad with Parmesan and Lemon)
- pasta salads (such as my Mediterranean Pasta Salad, Rainbow Antipasto Pasta Salad, or this Lemony Artichoke Pasta Salad)
- panzanellas (such as my Summer Panzanella)
- as a marinade for grilled chicken, steak, pork or shrimp
- as a sauce to toss with roasted vegetables
Really, you hardly can go wrong with a classic red wine vinaigrette. So here’s my favorite recipe for how to make it!
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl (or shake together in a sealed jar) until emulsified.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
This was amazing
Wonderful and super easy recipe! I added a few splashes of extra red wine, and replaced the Dijon mustard for a 1:1 mix of mayo and spicy English mustard and it really worked well. As others have mentioned, it sticks to the lettuce well and only needs a little for a lot of yummy flavor.
Turned out REALLY food. Perfect proportions, great flavor. The tip about letting it sit for 15-20 minutes was night and day flavor difference. Definitely adding this to the family stapes.
Incredible! I’ve been buying the premade salads at the store and decided to do it myself. Could not find a red wine vinaigrette at the store so thought I’d try the first one I found on google.. wow I am beyond happy at how delicious this dressing is. I didn’t know how much I needed this in my life!! Will definitely be making again.. and again.. and again!
Easy and delicious ! Added 1/2 packet of Stevia to add a little sweetness.
I absolutely loved this dressing for my favorite pasta salad! Perfect combination of ingredients. I did add about a tablespoon of lemon juice to give it more zip.
Whoa! added another 1/2 teaspoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoonof salt …So fresh and tasty …Just great!
This is a very good simple recipe that can be made with staples on hand. I needed a red wine vinaigrette for a lovely Cobb Salad. After tasting, it was perfect but, the young ones might like something a bit more tame. I added about 1/4 cup mayonnaise and it did the trick, (plus, amped the volume a bit. Yay! Leftovers!). However, the dressing truly is great tasting as-is. I did not add sweetener to keep it Keto. Thanks for the recipe. I will keep this one handy!
I came across this dressing because I ran out of balsamic vinegar and needed to improvise. What a find! It’s now my new favourite and I have shared with friends who love it like I do. No need to add honey to this favorful dressing!
I would replace the honey w/ a bit of basil, this would add some sweetness and aroma. Also a touch of chilli and lime seasoning, maybe 1/4 teaspoon.
I was looking for a fresh, new recipe for my family. Found this one and took a roll of the dice and ended up being the big winner! This dressing is VERY flavorful and sticks to the salad. You only need a couple of teaspoons on an average plate of side salad. It’s a refreshing, Italian-tasting vinaigrette. I did not add any honey as was suggested as an option, but might consider it for a summer salad. Definitely adding this one to the family favorites category.