My easy vinaigrette recipe takes just minutes to make using a handful of everyday ingredients. This homemade salad dressing is fresh, tangy and so much better than store-bought dressing!
Homemade Vinaigrette in Less Than 5 Minutes!
I haven’t bought salad dressing at the store in years. I just can’t bring myself to do it, when homemade dressings taste so much better and are better for you (no unpronounceable ingredients!). This classic vinaigrette recipe is one of my go-to dressings for a green salad. It’s smooth and tangy and keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks.
What I love most about this vinaigrette is that I can whip it up in less than 5 minutes. You’ll need only four ingredients to make it, plus salt and pepper. You likely have everything you need in your kitchen right now, so if it’s almost dinnertime and a side salad is on the menu, whip up a batch of this vinaigrette to drizzle over it!
This is my go to dressing! Love it and make it every other week in a triple batch!
Melissa
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a look at what you’ll need to make this vinaigrette:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is a key ingredient in a vinaigrette, so its flavor will shine through. Choose one you love!
- Apple Cider Vinegar: A great vinaigrette balances acid and sweetness. I love apple cider vinegar here for its flavor, but red wine, white wine, balsamic, or champagne vinegar all work beautifully. Or, try my Lemon Vinaigrette which uses lemon juice instead of vinegar.
- Honey: The honey balances out the tartness of the vinegar. You can add more or less, to taste. If you need a substitute pure maple syrup works well.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds flavor and helps to emulsify the vinaigrette. If you don’t care for Dijon, the dressing will still be delicious without it.
- Salt and Pepper: Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
How to make Vinaigrette
Combine ingredients: You can whisk the dressing together in a small bowl or you can combine the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to mix. A jar is convenient for storage.
Taste and adjust: Once everything is mixed together, taste the dressing and adjust the ingredients to your tastes. If it’s too sweet, add a little more vinegar or olive oil. If it’s too acidic, add a little more honey or olive oil. You can also add more salt and pepper to make the flavors pop.
This recipe makes about 6 tablespoons of dressing, enough to dress 4 servings of salad. You can easily scale up the recipe to make more dressing for a crowd or to store for later.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
Here are a few more favorite salad dressings that I make all the time!
- Balsamic Vinaigrette: I make this one all the time!
- Italian Dressing: Perfect for pasta salad, too.
- Honey Mustard Dressing: When you’re craving something a little different.
- Greek Salad Dressing: Fresh and zesty!
- Homemade Ranch Dressing: So much better than anything from the store.
Did you make this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Easy Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, see note
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey, or pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, or kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or in a small bowl. Seal the jar with the lid and shake until well combined, or whisk until well combined.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons honey, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, black pepper
- Taste and adjust the ingredients as necessary. If the dressing is too sweet, add a little more vinegar or olive oil. If it is too acidic, add a little more honey or olive oil.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 tablespoons of dressing, enough to dress 4 servings of salad. You can easily scale up the recipe to make more dressing for a crowd or to store for later.
- Storage: Dressing can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The dressing will separate as it sits and the oil may solidify in the refrigerator. After chilling, let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature until the oil melts and then shake or stir vigorously to recombine the ingredients.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar may be substituted with white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, champagne vinegar or red wine vinegar. If you’d like to use lemon juice try my Lemon Vinaigrette recipe.
I originally shared this recipe in January 2020. Updated March 2026.
I’ve been making my own dressing for years and I had to tell you this is one of the tastiest vinaigrette dressings I have ever made. My husband loved it also and he isn’t usually a fan of this type of dressing ! Thanks for the great recipe !
This vinaigrette salad dressing was simple and absolutely delicious. I will definitely make it whenever I need one, highly recommend.
I made this dressing using red wine vinegar. I also added a tsp of Italian seasoning and 1/4 cup of basil puree. Drizzled over grape tomatoes, diced cucumber and feta cheese for a yummy summer salad. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This dressing is delicious!!!! I love garlic, so I added a tablespoon of minced garlic…….def. my go to salad dressing
BEST, easiest dressing! Can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it.
This salad dressing was so quick to make and tasted delicious. I used it on my salad straight away. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Absolutely delicious! Quick & easy to make, this is my new go to salad dressing
My new go to salad dressing. Tastes absolutely divine.
I added a little more salt, but overall, it was a great recipe and a healthier alternative than store-bought. I will use this method from here on out.
Favourite of the whole family! Love this recipe! Easy and really tasty!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely love the dressing on my summer salads. Sometimes I do add a little lemon juice to it to give it a little bit more of a tart taste.
Thank You Kristine for all the delicious salad dressing recipes!! We eat alot of salads & it is so nice to have your dressing recipes to change up flavours. And they are so easy to make. Store bought dressing are definitely out in our house. Greatly appreciate you sharing these recipes!!
Love this recipe! Made it a little different because I didn’t have balsamic vinegar, used German seasoned vinegar instead.
Wow so easy and incredibly yum. This will be my go to for sure . I made it to use on a mango rocket salad and the flavour was a great combination. Mangoes are in season now so I’m really glad I found this recipe to compliment the salad.
Great recipe. Easy and delicious
Made it with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup and it was a big hit.
This recipe is the best and easiest one I’ve tried. I’m going to try it as a marinade for my chicken thighs today.
This is my go to dressing! Love it and make it every other week in a triple batch!
Very simple and tasty, quick and easy go to.