Red Wine Vinaigrette

Tangy zest meets a hint of sweetness in this homemade red wine vinaigrette. And I can’t wait to drizzle it over everything.

I’m talking salads, quinoa, meat, and more.

Made with just a few pantry staples, it’s cost-effective without sacrificing your palate.

Trust me, you will not regret making red wine vinaigrette at home!

Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients

In my opinion, it’s not a salad without a dressing. And as much as I love Caesar, I’ve been on a real vinaigrette kick lately.

Luckily, they’re super easy to whip up. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Olive Oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil is vital to this recipe. 

• Red Wine Vinegar: It’s not a vinaigrette without it! Use good-quality vinegar for maximum flavor. 

• Garlic: The recipe calls for 1-2 cloves, but use as much as you like. 

• Dijon Mustard: It helps emulsify the mixture, plus it adds a delicious tanginess. 

• Seasonings: Dried oregano, salt, and pepper round out the dressing. Feel free to use Italian seasoning instead of oregano.

• Honey: To balance the acidic bite of the vinegar. (I don’t recommend sugar as it won’t dissolve properly.)

How To Make Red Wine Vinaigrette

Ready to find out how easy it is to make restaurant-quality salad dressing at home?

You’ve got two options:

1. WHISK. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until fully emulsified.

2. SHAKE. Add everything to a mason jar and shake until well blended.

Variations

The great thing about making vinaigrette at home is controlling the taste.

So, here are a few easy variations you might want to try:

• Make it your own. Play around with the measurements, add fresh herbs, use maple syrup- whatever you like!

• Add some cheese. You’ll never go wrong with grated Parmesan. But since it’s salty, you might want to reduce or omit the salt in the recipe.

• Make it creamy. Whisk in some Greek Yogurt for a creamy variation. 

• Add a little bit of spice. Red pepper flakes, chili oil, and cayenne work wonders in this dressing. 

• Turn it into a balsamic vinaigrette. Swap the red wine vinegar for balsamic vinegar. 

• Try it with tahini! This delicious sesame paste adds nuttiness and umami to the dressing. 

How to Use Red Wine Vinaigrette

Red wine vinaigrette is super versatile! Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• Use it on salads (obviously). It’s delicious over these microgreens recipes. Or you can add it to any of these green salad recipes.

• Drizzle it over roasted vegetables. Red wine vinaigrette adds the perfect zing to roasted potatoes, zucchini, cabbage, onions, and more.

• As a marinade. This vinaigrette is a fantastic marinade for chicken, beef, or fish. It adds flavor and tenderizes the protein.

• On pasta salads! Substitute red wine vinaigrette for the dressing on this Greek pasta salad, or maybe add a splash to your next batch of potato salad.

How to Store

Store your red wine vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

The oil may separate and/or solidify in the fridge, but this is no problem!

Just let it sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature, the give it a shake.

More Homemade Vinaigrettes You’ll Love

Lemon Vinaigrette
Dijon Vinaigrette
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Raspberry Vinaigrette
White Balsamic Vinaigrette