Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Vinaigrette (/vɪnəˈɡrɛt/) is a mixture (emulsion) of olive oil and vinegar, often flavored with herbs, spices, and other ingredients. It is used most commonly as a salad dressing,^[1] but also as a cold sauce or marinade.


A flavorful salad dressing can be easily made by combining some simple ingredients together. I usually start with 2 parts oil and 1 part vinegar in my vinaigrette dressings. The oil and vinegar can be combined with a blender, food processor, whisk, or jar. In the end it really doesn't matter how you choose to combine the oil and vinegar so long as we get an emulsion (where the vinegar is finely separated and suspended in the oil).

Blender and food processor:
Start with the vinegar and any herbs & spices you want in the blender or processor. Blend briefly. Dribble in oil while blending until all of the oil is in the mixture. (I should mention that although several recipes call for using a food processor, I would prefer to do make the sauce in a bar blender. Often, it is harder to clean the food processor than a blender when dealing with extremely liquid foods.)

Whisk:
Start with the vinegar and any herbs & spices you want in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil one tablespoon at a time for about half of the oil. Then whisk in the rest two to three tablespoons at a time.

Jar (my favorite):
Start with the vinegar and any herbs & spices you want in a jar. Pour in one tablespoon of oil. Screw lid back on jar and shake vigorously. Continue pouring in oil and shaking until half the oil has been integrated. Continue by pouring two or three tablespoons at a time.

After the dressing is made, you can safely store it in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 

1 cup extra virgin olive oil		blend together slowly
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar	combine
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. rosemary, crushed