Red Wine Vinaigrette

You spend all of this time choosing, rinsing, and chopping vibrantly colorful fresh vegetables for a glorious salad. Do you really want to smother it with a clumpy store-bought dressing? Goodness no! This Red Wine Vinaigrette using fresh herbs, good quality olive oil, and zesty red wine vinegar is the real ticket.

 

There is nothing better than making your own salad dressing at home. This Red Wine Vinaigrette is fresher than any dressing you can buy from the store, only takes 10 minutes to make, and only requires a handful of ingredients.

Why Our Red Wine Vinaigrette is Different

There are thousands of homemade salad dressings out there, but here are a few reasons ours is the best.

• Uses fresh herbs – Of course you can always use dried herbs, but fresh herbs make for an over the top flavorful dressing.
• Great on more than just salads – Think beyond the traditional salad! Use this dressing as a marinade or bread dip too.
• Simple ingredients – A lot of times, ingredient lists for dressing are quite long. That’s not the case with this recipe, and you might even have some on hand already.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this red wine vinaigrette dressing is short and simple, allowing for a quick trip to the grocery store.

• Extra virgin olive oil – I like using olive oil, but you can certainly use an alternative like avocado oil. The oil gives it body and allows the dressing to fully coat the greens.
• Red wine vinegar – Every good dressing needs an acidic element. The flavor is great for rounding out the rest of the ingredients and bringing a little acidity to the mix.
• Fresh herbs – I prefer to use fresh herbs when making dressings like this. Minced dill and minced basil bring an element of herbaceousness to this dressing that is out of this world.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a pungent and slightly sweet flavor to the dressing, which enhances the other flavors and adds depth overall.
• Fine sea salt – Sprinkle salt into this dressing to add a crunchy texture — it also brings out the natural flavors of the other ingredients.

Fresh Herbs vs Dried Herbs

I know some people don’t like buying fresh herbs and prefer to use dried ones from the spice aisle. I think there is a time and a place for both, but in a homemade salad dressing, fresh herbs are the way to go!

Here’s why. Fresh herbs have a brighter, fresher flavor. Herbs get a lot of the flavor they carry from the oils in their leaves. By using a fresh herb, those oils are bright and concentrated. Result: over the top flavorful dressing.

I don’t necessarily buy herbs just for the dressing though. Often purchased for other recipes, the remainder of my herbs often find their way into a salad dressing.

I use whatever I have on hand or leftover. Sometimes, if the stems are tender (think thyme or oregano) I even use the stems that were discarded from other recipes.

If not in the dressing, these little odd and end pieces can be tossed right into the salad.

If you don’t have or want to buy both the dry and fresh version of herbs, use one or the other or mix things up using what you have. If you don’t have everything listed, substitute with things like parsley, thyme, or oregano.

How to Serve Red Wine Vinaigrette

The obvious answer would be to put it on a salad loaded with veggies. And while that’s what we we most of the time, there are also lots of other ways you can use this red wine vinegar dressing.

If using on a salad, I like to use salad greens like spinach or arugula. Top that with any number of veggies from cucumbers to tomatoes. I also like to top my salads with a little cheese; feta cheese or even mozzarella are perfect.

You can also use this dressing as a marinade for grilled chicken or steak. And last but not least, I like to drizzle this dressing on my pasta salad.

Variations

There are plenty of ways for you to make this red wine vinaigrette your own. Here are a few options.

• Vinegar – You can always swap out the red wine vinegar for a different type. Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar work great. Just keep the ratio of oil the same.
• Herbs – While I think fresh herbs pack the most punch for this homemade dressing, it’s not always practical to have them on hand. You can use italian seasoning or dried oregano in place of the fresh herbs.
• Sweetness – Some people like a sweet element to their dressings. Whisk in some maple syrup, honey or agave to amp of the sweetness.
• Spicy – You can spice things up a bit by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of black pepper.
• Acidity – If you’d like to add another depth of flavor with a little more acidity, try adding some dijon mustard or fresh lemon juice to your dressing.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store Red Wine Vinaigrette

You can store this dressing in an airtight container. Make sure to use something with a tight-fitting lid like a mason jar. This makes it easier to shake up when ready to use.

Can I Freeze Red Wine Vinaigrette?

It is not recommended to freeze salad dressings like this. Due to the oil content, it won’t freeze completely solid.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Homemade Salad Dressings

Homemade dressings are the way to go when making fresh salads.