Classic French Vinaigrette
A bright, balanced vinaigrette built on Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and good olive oil, with minced shallot softened in the vinegar for a mellow bite. The mustard holds the emulsion together so it stays creamy and clings to greens.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Makes
- About ¾ cup (180 ml), enough to dress 6 servings of salad
Steps
Before you start
- Bring the olive oil and mustard to room temperature if they were refrigerated; cold oil emulsifies less easily.
- Choose a fruity, mild extra-virgin olive oil. Very peppery or bitter oils can taste harsh in a vinaigrette.
- Set a damp kitchen towel under your mixing bowl so it doesn't slide while you whisk.
- Plan for a 10-minute rest for the shallot and vinegar; it softens the shallot's sharpness.
Mince the shallot
- Peel the shallot and slice it very finely, then mince into pieces no larger than 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Measure 2 tablespoons (20 g) and place it in the mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Pieces are tiny and uniform so no one gets a large raw chunk.
Tip: Use a very sharp knife; a dull one bruises the shallot and makes it bitter.
Macerate in vinegar
- Pour the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) red wine vinegar over the shallot and stir in the ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Let the bowl sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
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Ready when: Shallot looks slightly translucent and smells mellow rather than sharp.
Tip: Salt dissolves in vinegar but not in oil, so add it now.
Whisk in mustard
- Add the Dijon mustard and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to the bowl.
- Whisk for about 15 seconds until the mustard is fully dissolved into the vinegar with no lumps.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and uniformly pale tan.
Drizzle in oil
- Set the bowl on the damp towel.
- Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a very thin stream, about 1 tablespoon at first, drizzling slowly.
- Once the mixture thickens and looks creamy, pour the rest in a slightly faster steady stream, whisking all the while, about 1 minute total.
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Ready when: Dressing is glossy, thick, and creamy, with no puddles of separated oil.
Tip: If the dressing looks broken (oily and thin), whisk 1 teaspoon mustard in a fresh bowl and slowly whisk the broken dressing into it.
Taste and adjust
- Dip a lettuce leaf into the dressing and taste it.
- Add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed.
- If it tastes too sharp, whisk in 1 teaspoon water, or a bit more oil, until balanced.
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Ready when: Tangy but rounded, with salt that brightens rather than dominates.
Tip: Tasting on a leaf is more accurate than tasting from a spoon, since the dressing is meant to season greens.
Dress and serve
- Re-whisk, or shake in a closed jar, just before using.
- Toss about 2 tablespoons per 2 packed cups of greens, adding gradually, until the leaves are lightly and evenly coated.
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Ready when: Leaves glisten lightly with no dressing pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Dress delicate greens right before serving so they don't wilt.
Good to know
Tips
- The classic ratio is about 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar; here it is 8 tablespoons oil to 3 tablespoons vinegar, a touch more acidic for brightness.
- Adding the oil slowly at the start is what builds a stable emulsion; don't rush the first tablespoon.
- Add a teaspoon of honey if your vinegar is especially sharp.
- Fresh herbs such as tarragon, parsley, or chives can be stirred in just before serving.
Make ahead
"Make up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate in a sealed jar. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and shake well before using."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours while serving. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in a sealed jar (olive oil may solidify slightly; let it stand 20 minutes and shake to re-emulsify). Not recommended for freezing."
Substitutions
- red wine vinegar → white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar. Same quantity; white wine vinegar is a little milder, sherry vinegar a little nuttier.
- shallot → finely minced red onion or 1 tablespoon minced chives. Red onion is sharper, so macerate it the full 10 minutes; chives need no soaking.
- extra-virgin olive oil → half olive oil, half neutral oil such as grapeseed. Gives a lighter flavor if your olive oil is strongly peppery.
- Dijon mustard → whole-grain mustard. Gives a more rustic texture, but the emulsion will be slightly looser.
