Red Wine Vinaigrette

At a glance

What stands out: Classic red wine vinaigrette is straightforward to mix with pantry ingredients. Make it fresh for every salad, no preservatives needed! Everyone should have this uncomplicated vinaigrette recipe in their back pocket!

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small jar with lid, or bowl with whisk
Servings: 8

The dressing we make without thinking

Often, we're making a salad for one (that would be us!). We pour a little olive oil and red wine vinegar into a small jar. We don’t measure, we just eyeball it. We add a pinch of sugar, whatever seasonings we're in the mood for, maybe a dab of Dijon, salt and pepper. We cover the container, give the dressing a good shake and pour it on our salad. It takes about 2 minutes.

We can almost guarantee that you’ll be making your own dressing from now on, too, once you try this red wine vinaigrette recipe!

(If you haven’t tried making your own croutons, please give these a try. You’ll never look back!)

What makes it special:

• Lots of ways to enjoy it. This simple vinaigrette tastes great on all kinds of salads: fresh greens and vegetables, pasta salads, grain bowls, you name it. It’s popular in Mediterranean cuisines.
• Tastes better than purchased dressing. The vinaigrette is fresh because you just made it! There isn’t any need for preservatives. You know every ingredient in your dressing is good quality, with no artificial flavor or color. (we're pretty certain that the bottle you bought at the grocery store is not made with good quality olive oil.)

What goes in

• Red wine vinegar: Although this recipe is called “red wine” vinaigrette, the vinaigrette is not made with regular red wine, but red wine vinegar, which is actually red wine that’s been fermented differently. Better quality red wine vinegars tend to taste better than “industrial” brands which can be sharper and more acidic.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Vinaigrettes are basically two ingredients: vinegar and oil. Use a good quality olive oil for a standby flavor.
• Shallots: We like to add finely minced shallots to our red wine vinaigrette. If you’re a fan of pickled red onions, you’ll see that adding shallots to a vinaigrette is essentially the same idea. Some folks add minced garlic instead, or neither.
• Sugar, salt, and pepper: Adding sugar is optional and depends somewhat on the quality of your vinegar and how tangy it is. Salt and pepper are not optional but you can add as much or as little as you like. (A popular brand has 350 mg per 2 tablespoon serving. If you make our recipe as written, your from-scratch vinaigrette will have less than half that!)

How it comes together

You can make this vinaigrette in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, or in a small mixing bowl, with a whisk. We often use a half-pint Mason jar, or a clean recycled jar.

Prep the shallots. Peel the shallots and finely mince them. We like to soak the chopped shallots in the red wine vinegar for fifteen minutes or so to soften and mellow the flavor. (Do we always soak them? Nope, only when we have a little extra time.)

Combine ingredients. Once you have your shallots ready, add the rest of the ingredients and shake or whisk until combined. Your vinaigrette is ready to serve!

Ways to change it

• Add Dijon. Many vinaigrettes include a bit of mustard. The mustard not only adds a subtle flavor but helps the vinegar and oil mix together (emulsify). We've chosen not to add it to this recipe but feel free to try it if you like.
• Make it creamy. Substitute ¼ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for ¼ cup of the olive oil. Use a small whisk to completely emulsify the dressing.
• Try another variation. Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for a zesty dressing. Omit the shallots if you like. Fresh minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder can be added. Make the dressing keto/Whole30 friendly by omitting the sugar. Add dried or fresh herbs for extra flavor.
• More vinaigrette recipes: Try our Italian dressing, Greek dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, or white wine vinaigrette. They’re similar to this red wine vinaigrette recipe but with different seasonings and/or vinegar.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Because this recipe contains shallots, it should be refrigerated. It will keep for a couple of days in a tightly covered container. If you make the vinaigrette without shallots or fresh garlic, it will keep at least a week in the refrigerator. If the oil in the dressing solidifies in the fridge, just let it set out a half hour or so, then shake well. It will return to its original state.

To serve: If you don’t serve the vinaigrette right away, always give it a good shake or stir before you pour it on your salad. The oil and vinegar tend to separate and it’s best to blend it together before pouring. If the oil in the dressing solidifies in the fridge, just let it set out a half hour or so, then shake well. If you’re in a hurry, set the jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes

• Yield: 8
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot ( 1 medium shallot)
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Method

1. In a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine minced shallots and vinegar, and let set for 15 minutes to soften the shallots, and mellow the flavor.
2. Add olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper, and whisk or shake to combine. Taste, and add more sugar, salt, or pepper, if desired.
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well before using. This classic vinaigrette goes perfectly with all kinds of salads: fresh greens and vegetables, pasta salads, and grain bowls.

Notes

Storage: Because this recipe contains shallots, it should be refrigerated. It will keep for a couple of days in a tightly covered container. If you make the vinaigrette without shallots or fresh garlic, it will keep at least a week in the refrigerator. If the oil in the dressing solidifies, just let it set out for a half hour, or put the container into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes, then shake well. It will return to its original state.

Variations: Adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard will help the dressing emulsify, if you prefer. You can omit the shallots, or substitute a clove of minced garlic (or use both). Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for zesty dressing. Add dried or fresh herbs if you like.

Creamy red wine vinaigrette: Substitute ¼ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for ¼ cup of the olive oil. Use small whisk to completely emulsify the dressing.