There are countless recipes out there for basic French salad dressing. This Classic French Dijon Vinaigrette takes it to the best level. Turns a bowl of fresh greens into an explosion of flavor.
The common French vinaigrette is a simple emulsified salad dressing typically made by whisking together Dijon mustard, wine vinegar and olive oil. The ratio of vinegar to oil is usually one-to-three. Along with salt & pepper, it sometimes features finely minced shallots and fresh herbs for a boost of flavor.
Full credit for this one goes to James Delmage at Sip & Feast. His awesome site usually concentrates on Italian specialties but he totally nailed this one.
The ingredients for your Classic French Dijon Vinaigrette…
- Shallot – Finely minced or grated. Shallots are often used to brighten vinaigrettes because of their mild, sweet flavor that’s sometimes described as a mix of onion and garlic.
- Champagne vinegar – Champagne vinegar is a delicate, pale gold vinegar made from fermented champagne. Known for its mild, slightly floral, and less acidic flavor compared to other vinegars. An excellent substitute would be prosecco wine vinegar. For this recipe, you could also try using red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon mustard – Smooth or coarse. Dijon is recommended over regular mustard for its more intense complex flavor profile. Dijon mustard works as an emulsifier and adds acidity and brightness to the vinaigrette.
- Honey – Using honey, instead of sugar, rounds out the flavor and adds a silky smooth texture to the dressing.
- Piment d’ Espelette pepper powder – Piment d’Espelette is a mild, fruity, and slightly smoky red chili pepper grown in the Basque Country of France. The powder may not be found on the shelves of your local market but is available online. Possible substitutions would be Aleppo pepper or a combination of Spanish paprika and Cayenne pepper – proceed with caution to avoid too much spicy heat.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – My first choice is always single source EVOO from Italy. Less processing = healthier more delicious olive oil.
- Avocado oil – Its clean, delicate flavor and smooth texture make it suitable for dressings, dips, and drizzles. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
- Fresh chives – Finely chopped. Welcome addition of color, flavor & texture. Always preferred over the dried version.
- Fresh tarragon – Finely chopped. Tarragon is a fragrant herb with a unique, slightly sweet, and subtly anise-like flavor. A key ingredient in this vinaigrette, it is highly recommended that you use the fresh herb here.
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley – Finely chopped. Fresh parsley is recommended over dried. It generally has a brighter, more vibrant flavor with a more tender texture.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper – To taste.
- I find it to be super convenient to prepare and store the vinaigrette in a glass mason jar.
- My new favorite is this 16-ounce fluted jar.
- It’s the perfect size for mixing and storing your delicious vinaigrette.
- Place the finely minced shallot in a clean mason jar.
- Add the champagne vinegar.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
- While that happens, finely chop the fresh herbs.
- Add the Dijon mustard, honey, Piment d’Espelette, olive oil & avocado oil.
- Whisk until emulsified.
- Add the finely minced chives, tarragon & parsley.
- Mix once more until well combined.
- Sample a bit.
- Add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
- Serve with your favorite salad greens.
- My family loves it when I top off the greens with some of my pickled veggie sandwich slaw.
- Also delicious when drizzled on your grilled or roasted meats & veggies.
Other ways to enjoy your Classic French Dijon Vinaigrette…
- Try dressing your next Niçoise salad with this goodness.
- Upgrade a dressed green salad – top it off with roasted beets and crumbled goat cheese.
- Toss roasted cauliflower, broccoli, fingerling potatoes, or butternut squash in your vinaigrette immediately after cooking.
- Use it to marinate chicken, then baste the chicken with that liquid gold while roasting.
- Impress the crowd with a batch of French-style potato salad finished off with this tasty dressing.
- Store in the fridge in a covered jar.
- Due to the fresh herbs, it’s best to use your vinaigrette within 5 days.
Classic French Dijon Vinaigrette
Adapted from Sip & Feast
Way better than the bottled stuff, use this as a dressing for salads and roasted veggies. Also, excellent for marinating chicken and seafood.
Ingredients
- medium shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 cup champagne vinegar (or prosecco wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (smooth or coarse)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 3/4 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette pepper powder (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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Place the finely minced shallot in a mason jar and add the champagne vinegar. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
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Add the Dijon mustard, honey, Piment d'Espelette, olive oil & avocado oil. Whisk until emulsified. Add the finely minced chives, tarragon & parsley. Mix once more until well combined.
-
Sample a bit. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
Serve with your favorite salad greens. Also delicious when drizzled on your grilled or roasted meats & veggies.
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Store in the fridge in a covered jar. Due to the fresh herbs, it's best to use your vinaigrette within 5 days.
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