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!
Delicious and so easy to make. Thank you.
Delicious! We use it for salads, to marinate chicken and for pasta salad. One of my go to’s for sure
I made this today. I used an old salad dressing container (glass) and just dumped all of the ingredients in the container. Once I shook it all up, it was thoroughly combined and looked store-bought.
It is awesome! Exactly what I was lookin for- flavorful, goes with a lot of salads, all of the ingredients on are on hand for me.
Terribly bland and too oily. I tried fixing it but ended up tossing it.
Just made and enjoyed this delicious dressing! I’ve had trouble getting just the right acid balance, and this is perfect. I did add a tiny bit of sugar. Will definitely make often!
This is now my favorite Vinaigrette. It is going to be my go to recipe for now on. The only thing I added was 4 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar as I like it a little more tangy. I do suggest adding the honey it is just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for the recipe!
Made the red wine dressing, but it did not turn out the same color as the one you have pictured. More look the color of your every day dressing. Os what did I do wrong? Followed your instruction
.It was good though.
Maybe this not the place to ask a question, but not sure where else too.
Thanks Kit
Mine didn’t come out red either. I followed the recipe to a tee. I may try adding a bit more red wine vinegar to it.
Can red wine + vinegar ever = ‘red wine vinegar’ ?
and thanks for this very practical idea!
No, vinegar made intentionally from red wine has properties that white vinegar does not. Essentially, you will not be very happy with the result. White vinegar has a metallic, bitter taste to it. Red wine vinegar is smoother and fruitier.
Grab some cheap burgundy, Gallo comes to mind (great for cooking, but not exactly a refreshing beverage IMHO) and buy apple cider vinegar with the “mother” which is the mass you see floating in the bottle of vinegar. Pour the wine into a large Mason jar, remove the cider from the bottle, carefully, so as to leave the mother. Pour the mother into the wine and put a cotton cloth over the opening of the Mason jar and replace the ring only. Set in a dark place and wait, and wait ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Okay, two weeks usually gets the buggies (wild yeasts, bacteria, the good kind etc) doing its magic. In three weeks you will have a bold, flavorful, fruity red wine vinegar that will knock your socks off. And by that, I mean you may never seek out red wine vinegar from the store ever again.
There will be gnats, fruit flies, they are attracted to this stuff. Remove the sealing ring, throw away the cloth. Run the vinegar through a sieve leaving a small amount of vinegar and the mother in the jar you brewed the vinegar in, seal with ring and lid, keep in cool dark place.
Takes a little practice, but is the way my grandmother made vinegar and gives you the satisfaction of homemade. Reduce with water if it seems too acidic for your tastes, but use only water that has been boiled hard for 5-10 minutes and allowed to cool to room temp or refrigerated. Or use distilled water.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve used this recipe- absolutely gorgeously tangy with a little bit of sweet to stop it being sharp ??
Clare
Dose your dressing look like the one pictured? Mine doesn’t come any way near to it. Trying to figure out why.
Kit
I make a lot of homemade dressings and this is by far the best red wine vinaigrette I’ve made. It’s so we’ll balanced and smooth. I halved the garlic just as a preference. I love being able to throw it together with ingredients most people have already. I used it for a salad of arugula, quinoa, roasted beets, apples, gorgonzola, and chopped almonds.
Gina
Dose your dressing look like the one pictured? Mine doesn’t come any way near to it. Trying to figure out why.
Kit