Easy Mustard Vinaigrette ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food

Dressing FAQs

A vinaigrette is a salad dressing consisting of oil and something acidic, such as vinegar, or a citrus juice like lemon, orange, or lime. A vinaigrette may also include herbs, spices, or other flavorings such as shallots, garlic, or mustard. All of these options make for a wide range of delicious flavor combinations.

Is there a difference between just Oil & Vinegar and a vinaigrette?

Yes and no—vinaigrette is a kind of dressing. Oil and Vinegar is a simple example of a vinaigrette, but there are many other types of vinaigrettes you can make as well.

What does dressing dressing taste like?

Depending on the recipe, most vinaigrettes will have a tangy, bright flavor, and some may even be a little tart.

What is the oil to vinegar ratio for making a vinaigrette?

You can adjust to taste, but one part vinegar to three parts olive oil whisked together is a great start for a simple vinaigrette.

How to store dressing?

You can store it in a small leak-proof container with a lid, such as a jar or the salad dressing bottle mentioned below. This will make it easy to shake up before using again. If your dressing contains any ingredients you’d normally store in the fridge (such as citrus juice), then the dressing will also need to be stored in the fridge, but keep in mind the oil will harden when cold so be sure to let it sit out or warm it up a bit each time before using.

How long will homemade dressing last?

This depends on the ingredients. If you only use pantry-safe ingredients such as oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, you can keep it in a sealed container in your pantry or on the counter for weeks. Otherwise, a week in the fridge is a good rule of thumb.

Ingredients Needed to Make Mustard Vinaigrette

olive oil – I recommend finding an organic extra-virgin olive oil.
white wine vinegar – You could also sub champagne vinegar.
Mustard – Just your regular yellow mustard will do, or you could use whole-grain or Dijon mustard.
Salt – Not too much, just a 1/4 teaspoon.
Garlic – One clove peeled and thinned.
Paprika – Just a pinch is needed.
Pepper – To taste.

How to Make Easy Mustard Dressing

Simply combine all your ingredients in a jar (or the bottle mentioned below), screw a lid on the top, and shake to mix! The dressing will naturally separate over time, so you may need to shake it up more if you’re having it leftover. While not necessary, if you emulsify it with an immersion blender or even a milk frother (like you’d use for a coffee), the dressing will take much longer to separate.

The Best Salad Dressing Invention Ever!

Salad dressing bottle that shows ingredients and measurements. — Salad dressing bottle with recipes and measurements.

This bottle may not look like much, but detailed on the side are 8 different salad dressing recipes in a “fill to here” type fashion. It does call for some refined oils and such, but nothing that can’t easily be substituted for more wholesome ingredients.

What Recipes are Included on the Bottle?

The recipes include Asian, Caesar, French, Greek, Italian, Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Honey Mustard—all of which you can make and store in this bottle.

Perfect for Gifts

We’ve had ours for several years now, and we absolutely love it! Many of our family and friends also now have one of these salad dressing bottles because one holiday season I went a little crazy and bought one for just about everybody I know. I just love practical gifts and at less than $12 a pop this one is hard to beat. 🙂

What to do With Homemade Salad Dressing

Homemade dressings only last about a week so you’ll need to meal plan if you want to use it up.

Salads: You can use this mustard vinaigrette dressing on any type of salad but it’s especially great on mild-flavored mixed salad greens.
Marinade: Cover chicken or pork in mustard vinaigrette and let it sit overnight to marinade before cooking.
Pasta salad: Start with cooled or leftover whole grain pasta and add in some fresh veggies like cucumber, green pepper, and red onion. Toss with mustard dressing.
Sandwich topping: Add a splash of homemade dressing to a meat sandwich for extra flavor.

Why Does Homemade Oil Vinaigrette Get Hard in the Fridge?

If you haven’t made an oil based homemade vinaigrette before it can be a little disappointing to find your dressing hardened or thickened after a few hours in the fridge. This is normal! When exposed to cold temperatures, olive oil solidifies to a consistency that resembles butter.

The good news is that once an oil based dressing warms up it will be back to normal. Make sure you let your oil sit out a bit before using it, and don’t forget to shake the bottle before each use in case any ingredients have separated.

Does This Vinaigrette Dressing Use Yellow Mustard or Dijon?

I made my dressing with yellow mustard, but you could use organic Dijon mustard too. Compared to yellow mustard’s mild flavor, Dijon typically has more tang and spice. If you decide to use Dijon mustard in your homemade vinaigrette dressing, choose a variety that doesn’t have large seeds.

How to Use Dry Mustard Powder Instead of Prepared Mustard

Using dry mustard powder in this recipe is also an option, but it may not turn out the same. Mustard powder is just ground up mustard seeds; it’s much spicier than prepared mustard. Prepared mustard also includes other spices to help give it a balanced flavor.

If you want to use mustard powder, only use 1/3 of a teaspoon. You can always add more to adjust for taste. If you find your vinaigrette lacking flavor with just mustard powder, add more garlic and paprika.

Can I Add Honey to Make a Honey Mustard Vinaigrette?

Yes! I was trying to avoid added sugar in this recipe, but if you want a sweeter homemade dressing honey is a great real food ingredient for vinaigrette. To make honey mustard vinaigrette, simply add a teaspoon of honey to your dressing. Adjust to taste as needed.

Is This Easy Mustard Dressing Healthy?

Healthy eating looks different for every family. In our house, anything made with real food ingredients and no added sugar is considered healthy; especially something like salad dressing that’s used to top leafy greens!

All the fat in this recipe comes from olive oil, which is considered a healthy fat. If you choose organic, whole grain mustard there’s also no added sugar or highly processed ingredients.

While we don’t have any complex dietary needs in our house, the low carb count in this easy mustard dressing makes it a diabetic friendly salad dressing option.

Other Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

After you make the Easy Mustard Vinaigrette dressing recipe below, here are some more dressing recipe ideas to try!

Salad Recipes

If you love salads, here are some of my favorites to try.

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