Red Wine Vinaigrette
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This red wine vinaigrette is a simple, classic dressing made with pantry staples. It’s well balanced, easy to whisk together, and works on everything from salads to roasted vegetables.
A good red wine vinaigrette is one of those recipes that’s always worth having in your back pocket. This version is simple, balanced, and made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It comes together in minutes and works just as well on everyday salads as it does for pasta salads, roasted vegetables, or even as a quick marinade.
Table of Contents
Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients
Like I mentioned, this is an easy dressing that uses staples you probably already have in your kitchen. Here’s what you need:
- red wine vinegar – the star of the show! I like to use a high-quality red wine vinegar (aka not the cheapest one on the shelf) for salad dressings because there’s minimal ingredients and the flavor really shines through.
- Dijon mustard – mustard is a great addition to vinaigrettes. It not only adds flavor, but it also helps to emulsify the dressing.
- maple syrup or honey – the extra hint of sweetness really ties the dressing together and gives it the perfect balance.
- sea salt and black pepper – seasons the dressing and brings out the flavor(s) from all the other ingredients.
- extra virgin olive oil – I recommend using a higher quality extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings like this. Save your regular olive oil for cooking.
Variations
- Lemon juice: Add a little zip to the dressing with fresh lemon juice. Add a little at a time (about 1 teaspoon) to taste.
- Greek yogurt: Want to make a creamy variation of this dressing? Add in Greek yogurt! You can add as little as 1 tablespoon or as much as 1/3 cup. I recommend full fat Greek yogurt for extra creaminess, but you can use low-fat or fat free if needed.
How to Use Red Wine Vinaigrette
- On just about any green salad. It is delicious on this blackened chicken Cobb salad, vegan Cobb salad or this cucumber tomato salad.
- As a dressing on pasta salad. I can’t wait to try it on my healthy pasta salad!
- As a marinade for meat. I plan to marinate chicken breasts in this vinaigrette and grill for the ultimate summer dinner.
- Drizzle across roasted vegetables. If you aren’t putting dressing on your veggies, you’re missing out!
- On a sandwich. I love ordering Italian subs and sandwiches… mainly because of the delicious vinaigrette they add! I’m going to have to recreate that at home with this dressing.
Red Wine Vinegar vs. Red Wine Vinaigrette
Don’t get confused by these names! Red wine vinegar and red wine vinaigrette are not the same. Red wine vinegar is fermented red wine that has turned into vinegar. It has a fairly strong vinegar taste and smell. Red wine vinaigrette combines red wine vinegar with oil, seasoning and a little sweetness for a delicious, versatile dressing.
How to Store
I like to mix my dressings in mason jars, which are easy for shaking and storing! In general though, you want to store homemade dressings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This red wine vinaigrette should last for up to a week in the fridge. I use these 8 oz mason jars and plastic lids for storing.
If the contents separate or solidify in the refrigerator, just let the dressing come to room temperature on the counter and then shake to combine!
More Easy Vinaigrettes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Red Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a small bowl or glass jar and whisk until combined. Alternatively you can add all of the ingredients into a mason jar and shake until combined.
Notes
- Garlic or shallot: If you happen to have fresh garlic or shallot on hand, either would be a great addition to this dressing. Just add about 1-2 teaspoons of either, minced.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Photos by Ashely McLaughlin.
Awesome salad dressing and salads!!!!
So happy to hear that, Bonnie! I love sharing fresh dressings to brighten up any salad.
Made this and put it on a lovely spinach salad (I prefer spinach over lettuce) and it was perfect. I also used it on a sandwich instead of my regular mustard just because I wanted some extra flavor and it was absolutely spectacular 😋! Thank you so much for this recipe, it’s going straight into my recipe box!
Yay!! I’m so glad this vinaigrette was a hit, Tiffany! Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I made salad with chicken, fresh veggies and this red wine vinaigrette and it turned out to be the tastiest salad ever… I couldn’t thank you enough for this recipe.. It’s a great taste changer and a perfect add on to weight loss recipes.
Woo! That makes me so happy to hear, Riya! Thank yo so much for the review. I really appreciate it!