Back to Basics: How to Make a Vinaigrette Without a Recipe
Every month, we’ll take a deep dive into a simple technique or piece of kitchen wisdom that will change the way you cook. Back to Basics isn’t about memorizing another recipe — it’s about learning something so well you don’t need one.
I don’t think I’ve measured the ingredients for a salad dressing in years. Once you understand the basic formula — and, more importantly, what to do when it doesn’t taste quite right — there’s really no reason to follow a recipe. The base of a vinaigrette is an easy combo of oil + acid + salt, and everything after that is an opportunity for flavor. Here are the key things to get it right:
1. Start with the acid. Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, and fresh lemon juice are all great acids and they’ll all make different vinaigrettes. Something straightforward like red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice is a good starting point, and once you get comfortable, you can branch out and even start mixing acids for a balance of flavors.
2. Next add flavor. Some of my favorite boosts are honey, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, minced shallots, chopped herbs, a spoonful of fig jam, the last scrape of pesto from the jar, a splash of pepperoncini brine, a teaspoon of miso, an anchovy. Not all at once, obviously, but see where your heart takes you. (If you’re using something strong like garlic or shallot, let it hang out in the acid for five minutes to soften the bite.)
3. Salt goes before oil. This is a small detail, but salt dissolves better in vinegar so season first. I like to be aggressive with my pinch of salt since the dressing has an entire bowl of salad to boost. Give it a good whisk or shake to fully incorporate.
4. Learn your favorite ratio. The classic vinaigrette ratio is three parts oil to one part acid. I like punchy flavors, so I probably land more like 2:1. Save yourself the dishes and just eyeball a pour of oil that’s somewhere between two and three times the amount of acid, depending on how strong you like your dressing. Give it a good whisk or shake again to incorporate.
5. Taste in situ. The only way to get an accurate taste test is to take a leaf from your salad and dip it into your dressing. Too sharp? Add more oil. Too bland? Add more acid. Too bitter? A squeeze of honey will round it out. Too flat? Add a pinch of salt. Too salty? Grab the oil again. Keep making tiny adjustments until your leaf dip is perfect.
6. Go with your gut. Give a person a vinaigrette recipe and you feed them for a day; teach a person to make a vinaigrette and you feed them for a lifetime. Is that how it goes? Anyway, the point is, once you get the feeling for a choose-your-own-adventure vinaigrette, you start seeing half a lemon, three sprigs of dill, and the bottom of a mustard jar as the start of something exciting.
Casey Elsass is a food writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Brooklyn. He is the author of the bestselling cookbook What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life and has co-authored more than 30 cookbooks. His writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Bon Appétit, NPR, Food52, and, of course, Cup of Jo.
P.S. 10 fall dinners, and five more salad dressings.
(Photos by Pacifico Silano.)
Tags: Back to Basics
Comments
53 commentsmustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil mix with the vinegar/lemon juice – so a teaspoon of dijon is a must :)
“Finally a no-measure approach that actually works. Making simple dressings has become so much easier after reading this.”
I have found white balsamic vinegar is a terrific acid for salad greens.
thank you! good read and tips! please keep these casey posts!
Agree!!! I love them.
A splash of real maple syrup-somehow especially yummy in the fall !
My tip: Take a jam jar and batch make the dressing for the week (bonus points if there is still a bit of jam in there!). I use the finger method a chef told me once: hold your finger to the jar and fill up to that in acid then two/three fingers of oil.
This is genius!!
My near daily “breakfast salad” : a healthy splash of ume plum vinegar and drizzle of olive oil over arugula, top with two gooey eggs. Ume plum vinegar is my secret Kitchen weapon —salty, acidic, perfect for finishing nearly any dish (thanks to my friend SH who introduced me!)
Ooooohhhhh….
Love these tips! I’ve been making my own salad dressing forever. My advice is to replace a little of the oil with water (I like a slightly thinner consistency) and I make/store my dressing in this thing: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/food-storage/oxo-good-grips-salad-dressing-shaker/12d?productId=10032632&country=US¤cy=USD&adpos=&cid=cse%7CSSC%7CGoogle%7CTCSP_NTM_US_EN_Kitchen-LIA_PMAX_X_22873784350___en&g_acctid=801-592-2151&g_adgroupid=&g_adid=&g_adtype=pmax&g_campaign=TCSP_NTM_US_EN_Kitchen-LIA_PMAX_X&g_campaignid=22873784350&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=&g_network=x&sc_intid=10057600&scid=scplp10057600&utm_campaign=pla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22873791502&gbraid=0AAAAADHVesgVtaSp3nX9uaoU1tubFVtWv&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr8_ri-u7lwMVJU9HAR2KpAhUEAQYAiABEgImpvD_BwE
I think people invite me to dinner potlucks for my salads. My go-to dressing is 1:1 on olive oil and Costco balsamic (it’s aged and sweet!), a pressed garlic clove, salt, pepper, and a smidge of either honey, grainy mustard, or oyster sauce. And for the salad itself, I always think about the base (baby kale? Spinach? Arugula?), the protein (most often eggs – sometimes halved and jammy), the texture (avocado, tomatoes, sweet potato, cheese), the fun factor (fruit, herbs, black garlic, even a sliced pack of seaweed), the crunch (pistachios, pepitas, candied pecans).
Finishes a salad at Jane’s, heads over to Ann’s house, YUM! Ann, this salad also sounds bonks (in the best way.)
Please come to my potluck.
I always salt and pepper the lettuce dry as well!
Never thought to do this. *mindblown*
Having somewhat intuitively arrived at a similar formula, I’ll share for anyone whose taste buds work like mine do: I find that within the overall category of “flavor” it’s important to balance sweetness (or lack thereof) and pungent flavors (garlic, shallot, ginger, mustard) as separate elements or dials to adjust.
First I coat the greens in a little olive oil and salt, tossing with my fingers, or massaging and squeezing a bit if it’s kale. I might just add a squeeze of lemon and call it a day, especially if it’s delicate baby arugula to go on the side of something saucy and heavy. If it’s a proper salad I shake a tablespoon of dijon with maybe a third cup of oil in a jar, and add a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar, and salt. But slicking the greens with just olive oil first helps the dressing spread without wilting the whole salad and weighing it down by tossing the whole thing. with dressing.
Living for these Wednesday posts and wanted to add that adding nutritional yeast and / or miso give a lot of extra umami. Also lately I’ve been using a splash of pickle juice or olive brine for extra pop and depth.
Obsessed with these posts!! Nothing makes me feel more chic in the kitchen than whipping something up confidently without a recipe. Can’t wait for more (and would love a book version someday – would be the perfect gift for new grads and aspiring home chefs!)
The tip to taste with a leaf is so smart!
Love this new column!
Love this and love a fresh salad with homemade dressing. I’m thinking this salad would be perfect atop those chicken cutlets!!!
Yes yes yes. Fresh garlic from a tube to make it truly easy. Add some mayo and/or grated parm (use immersion blender) and you have creamy Italian dressing :)
There is nothing like making your own dressing. it’s so easy and so much better than anything you can. I did try the newer Trader Joe’s blue cheese dressing which is delicious, but not something I want to eat every day. Mine varies, but my “house” dressing is olive oil, apple cider vinegar, worscestershire sauce ( it’s a bit sweet, a bit umami) salt, fresh cracked pepper and a touch of dijon. Sometimes herbs or a diced shallot, onion or garlic powder. My dad made his own red wine vinegar and it’s on my list to get that started again since he has passed. It was the best!
Also, shortcut: you can use the same principles to zhuzh up generic store-bought dressings that are so-so. Italian? Add a splash of vinegar and smash a garlic clove and let it marinate in there for a minute before dressing. Caesar? Add a squeeze of anchovy paste and dash of lemon juice.
My family raves about my 88-year old mom’s olive oil and vinegar salad dressing. My siblings and I ate it nearly every night of our lives growing up. Recently, as my mom was dressing the salad for a family dinner, my nephew asked how many times she’s made it. We calculated 5 times a week for 70 years for 18,200 times. No wonder she’s so good at it! And all that olive oil, tomatoes, and greens probably has something to do with why she’s still making family dinner for a crowd so many years on.
I have not bought salad dressing in years because once you start making your own, nothing else compares! I stick to rice wine vinegar because it’s mellow and mild. A favorite combo lately has been a generous spoonful of mango jam and a tiny spoonful of chili crisp. It has the tiniest kick that doesn’t put off my kids. Apricot jam and grainy mustard is also a nice combo.
Oh my gosh this sounds scrumptious! Thanks for sharing!
How long can you keep a batch of said dressing? I like to make a larger amount in bulk and then use it all week (or weeks…) but wonder if I am pushing the envelope on food safety. Also, I’ve been doing 1:1 oil to vinegar….woah! I think I’ll go to 2:1 and see if it makes them even better :) Thanks for this!
Dont use fresh garlic; use garlic powder instead. Fresh garlic can lead to botulism in a dressing if left too long.
Food microbiology professor here… you can get a ph strip if you like and test your dressing- if the ph is below 4.6 it should be good for a few weeks in the fridge because bacteria struggle to survive in a ph that low. If you put anything fresh in it, like garlic, shallot, etc., then it would be shorter, like a week.
I’m much closer to 1:1 with my dressings too! I like acid. 1:2 or 1:3 would be way too oily to me. Each to their own!
Thank you! I usually am too lazy for any chopping so my go-to is just ACV, honey, dijon, and EVOO. Last night I did add garlic but used it all at once!
Thanks for the inspiration! My two favorite salad dressings are the Wagamama salad dressing (with ketchup, soy souce and ginger, amongst the ingredients) and hollyhock dressing (sooo good; with nutritional yeast). Both recipes can be found online.
Loving all of the posts in this new section! The simplest stuff is sometimes the hardest and it makes such a difference to master these things with non-judgmental instructions! Thanks!
Just a thank you for last week’s recipe of chicken cutlets! I’ve made them twice since last Wednesday. 5/5 of us enjoyed them- a real unicorn of a recipe. My teenager said, “This is gas”, which is the highest compliment one can receive these days. Thanks again!
Omg I love hearing that, thank you!
I think I got the framework from RecipeTin Eats, but I do a no- measure combo of soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, honey (or syrup) and lemon juice/rice vinegar.
Love this! Homemade vinaigrette without a recipe is one of my most used home cook skills for sure. I make lots of variations but when people say, “Will you bring a salad with you dressing???” my go to, which is also the most basic recipe I’ve made hundreds of time is the juice of 1 lemon, tiny splash of apple cider vinegar, big squeeze of honey, big spoonful of dijon mustard (alternatively I will replace both with a high quality honey mustard if I have it around), trader joes Onion Salt (it has lots of different alliums in it and is my most used spice mix aside their salmon rub), salt, and pepper, best olive oil I have. If I have a few extra minutes and already have a knife and cutting board out I will add minced shallot. Perfect every time.
The scrambled egg tutorial was so good. I’d been watering down my eggs with milk, but the texture is so much better with your method. I’m a believer.
Yay! Thank you Jill!
Yes! I made the eggs for breakfast the other day. They were great- and I usually prefer fried eggs!
“The bottom of a mustard jar” – thanks for the reminder! I just add the rest of the ingredients to the jar and shake. No need for an extra item to wash!
An even better hack, love that.
I love this! So helpful, thank you!
As a visual home cook, I add the dry add ins into a jar first (no need to dirty measuring spoons, then vinegar, then oil. Mustard and/or honey last to taste. I tend to only make what the salad needs that meal because cold vin is icky. And fresh herbs are better added to the salad than the dressing-less wilt. Dry herbs are sawdust in dressing.
Adding a teeny sploosh of soy sauce makes a mysteriously delicious vinaigrette.
… or a smidge of miso!
I love both of these ideas.
Love this! I haven’t bought salad dressing in, I dunno, 15 years. It’s so easy and takes about a minute. Maybe two. I’m a 2:1 ratio girl myself. I usually add a bit of dijon, grainy mustard, anchovy paste or grated garlic. I did not know the salt trick, so thank you! I’ll adjust. Ooh, in the spring, I like to make wilted lettuce. I fry two slices of bacon for bacon bits then use the grease as my base. I add thinly sliced spring onions and then apple cider vinegar. Then I toss lettuce and radishes in the warm dressing. So good!
Jane, please make me a salad sometime; they are always better when made by someone else and your spring salad sounds divine!
Joining the line to order one of Jane’s salads.