Memorize This Vinaigrette Formula and Your Salads Will Forever Thank You (2024)

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Michael Ruhlman explains how to embrace a simple oil to vinegar ratio that leads to 3 variations of a classic vinaigrette salad dressing.

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Michael Ruhlman

Memorize This Vinaigrette Formula and Your Salads Will Forever Thank You (1)

Michael Ruhlman

James Beard Award winning author of 2 dozen books. Writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Gourmet and others.

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Updated January 25, 2024

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First things first. I am a huge fan of Elise and am honored to be here on this blog. Elise, thank you!

Some of you know I’ve just published a book called Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. It’s all about proportions and how knowing proportions for fundamental techniques liberates you in the kitchen.

Here is a perfect example of a culinary ratio, one that’s fairly standard: The 3-to-1 vinaigrette, or 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar.

Making Your Own Vinaigrette Saves Money

That we are willing to pay three or four dollars for bottled salad dressing when a delicious vinaigrette costs just pennies to make yourself, is an example of just how far away from the kitchen our processed food system has taken us.

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What Is the Vinaigrette Ratio?

A ratio is just a baseline. Maybe you prefer a very sharp vinaigrette with just two parts oil. If you use lime juice as your acid, you may need more than 3 parts oil. I think the standard 3-to-1, though, is just right.

In the dressings below, I use extra virgin olive oil. If you want, you could use a more neutral oil. It’s all a matter of what flavors you want.

Replace it with a tasty nut oil, and your vinaigrette is transformed again (replace the olive oil with walnut oil in the first recipe here, add some chopped walnuts and a dash of honey for a superlative walnut vinaigrette).

One Oil to Vinegar Ratio, A Thousand Vinaigrettes

Embrace a single ratio, and you will walk away with a thousand vinaigrettes. Here are three examples, all based on mixing two tablespoons of sherry vinegar with six tablespoons of olive oil (for a half cup total), each one building off the other.

The Best Sherry Vinegar

Remember the better your sherry vinegar, the better the vinaigrette (look for those produced in Spain).

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The Vinaigrette Ratio

Yield1/2 cup

Method

Sherry Vinegar-Based Vinaigrette

  1. Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette

    This is a great all-purpose vinaigrette for salads, sliced tomatoes or other raw vegetables.

    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    Combine the vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper. Give it a stir with a whisk or fork to soften the shallot then drizzle the oil in while whisking.

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  2. Tarragon-Mustard Vinaigrette

    This is a little heartier than the above, can be used to dress greens, whole vegetables and would make a lovely sauce drizzled over lean white fish.

    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon minced tarragon

    Combine the vinegar, shallot, salt, pepper, and mustard. Give it a stir with a whisk or fork to soften the shallot then drizzle the oil in while whisking. Stir in the tarragon just before serving.

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  3. Gribiche Vinaigrette

    Gribiche is traditionally mayonnaise-based, but I like it as a vinaigrette better. It makes a wonderful sauce for roasted pork loin, or any pork preparation. Last week I used it to dress a salad of pancetta lardons and arugula. It's hearty and packed with ingredients.

    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 teaspoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon minced tarragon
    • 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon chopped cornichons
    • 2 teaspoons capers, roughly chopped

    Combine the vinegar, shallot, salt, pepper, and mustard. Give it a stir with a whisk or fork to soften the shallot then drizzle the oil in while whisking. Stir in the tarragon, egg, cornichons and capers.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

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    Memorize This Vinaigrette Formula and Your Salads Will Forever Thank You (9)

  • Salad Dressings
Memorize This Vinaigrette Formula and Your Salads Will Forever Thank You (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for salad dressing? ›

As a matter of fact, I frequently just drizzle a little olive oil on my salad, followed by some vinegar and salt, and then toss the greens. It's delicious. The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

What is vinaigrette made of? ›

Vinaigrette (/ˌvɪnɪˈɡrɛt/ VIN-ih-GRET, French: [vinɛɡʁɛt]) is made by mixing an oil with a mild acid such as vinegar or lemon juice (citric acid). The mixture can be enhanced with salt, herbs and/or spices. It is used most commonly as a salad dressing, but can also be used as a marinade.

How do you make Nora Ephron's vinaigrette? ›

Ephron's is a simple formula: “Mix two tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard with two tablespoons good red wine vinegar. Then, whisking constantly with a fork, slowly add six tablespoons olive oil, until the vinaigrette is thick and creamy.

Is vinaigrette healthy? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

What is the most basic formula for making a vinaigrette? ›

2 Ingredients: The basics

Traditional vinaigrette recipes call for a ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar. However, some people—like me—prefer their dressings to pack more punch and choose a 2:1 oil-to-vinegar ratio.

What is the healthiest dressing to put on your salad? ›

6 healthy salad dressings you can make in less than 3 minutes
  • Classic lemon and olive oil. This is a very easy dressing that is good with strong-flavoured leaf salads, such as rocket or kale. ...
  • Lime and chilli dressing. ...
  • Simple balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  • Raspberry vinaigrette. ...
  • Creamy cucumber dressing. ...
  • Creamy mint dressing.

What are the 3 types of vinaigrette? ›

Once basic vinaigrette is ready, you can tweak things for a change into balsamic vinaigrette, creamy vinaigrette, or Parmesan pepper vinaigrette.

Which vinegar is best for vinaigrette? ›

In addition to white wine vinegar, red wine, sherry, balsamic and cider vinegars can all be used in the same quantities as above. It's really down to personal taste and it's great to have a selection of vinegars in your cupboard to give variety to even the simplest salads.

What is in a Mandy's vinaigrette? ›

Ingredients: Canola oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, tamari sauce (water, soybean, salt, sugar), sesame oil.

Is balsamic vinegar and vinaigrette the same? ›

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

What are the ingredients in Ken's vinaigrette? ›

Nutrition Facts

Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/or Canola), Olive Oil, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Garlic,* Xanthan Gum, Spice, Sodium Alginate, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor). *Dried.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Depending on the ingredients, some dressings tend to be less healthy than others.
  1. Caesar. And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. ...
  2. Thousand Island. Next in line is Thousand Island. ...
  3. Blue cheese. The delicious crumbles that make blue cheese dressing a fan favorite can also make it dangerous for a balanced diet.
Oct 27, 2023

What is the healthiest vinegar for salads? ›

Balsamic vinegar contains beneficial antioxidants, no fat, and very few calories. (You can read more about its health benefits here.) It packs a lot of flavor into a small amount, so it goes a long way on salads.

What is the main ingredients in salad dressing? ›

The major ingredients are vegetable oil, vinegar, salt, tomato ketchup, paprika paste, flavor, and sugar. The batch and semiautomatic machines can produce salad dressings of a few tons per day. Ma and Boye (2012) indicated that reducing fat and cholesterol contents in salad dressings is a challenge to researchers.

What can I use if I don't have salad dressing? ›

  • The Top 9 Healthy Salad Dressing Alternatives. Oil and Vinegar. Green Goddess Dressing. Caesar Salad Dressing. Sesame Ginger Dressing. Creamy Avocado Dressing. Tahini Dressing. Stilton Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette. Ranch Dressing.
  • The Bottom Line.
Dec 31, 2022

What is the primary ingredient in salad dressings? ›

Salad dressing typically consists of a combination of ingredients, but the primary ingredient that forms the base of most salad dressings is oil. Oil provides the richness, smoothness, and texture to the dressing, as well as helps to bind and distribute the flavors throughout the salad.

What are the two main ingredients of most standard salad dressings? ›

ACID: Traditionally, vinaigrettes are made with vinegar, often one derived from wine. But any kind of acidic ingredient can fill in, including citrus juice, tomato puree or soy sauce. OIL: The oil in a vinaigrette can be neutral, such as grapeseed, or nutty, such as walnut.

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