Follow the instructions below to learn how to make a Homemade Restaurant Quality Vinaigrette with both a whisk and a bowl (small batch) or an immersion blender (large batch)!

First, because someone always asks: THIS is the best immersion blender for salad dressing (and yes we will answer the age old question “Can I Blend Olive Oil?”)

I chose that particular immersion blender because I wanted it to be lightweight and have the right length blender stick for making salad dressing. I tried several others from more premium brands but they all felt too heavy or the blender stick was too long. It usually goes on sale around Black Friday, too, which is nice.

This is the only Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe you’ll ever need because it works for:

• Both small batch (under 1 cup) and large batch dressings
• Customizable for whichever vinegars or acids you have on hand
• Allows for flexibility depending on equipment

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Why Can’t I Just Shake Up My Vinaigrette?

When you shake a vinaigrette in a jar, it doesn’t break the olive oil into tiny enough droplets for the emulsifier to work properly. Without those small droplets, the dressing won’t achieve that thick, silky, cohesive texture you get at restaurants. It will separate quickly and feel less luxurious on your salad. But you can quickly make this easy restaurant quality vinaigrette salad dressing at home using a whisk for a small batch or a blender (an immersion blender is my preference, but a top loading blender also works) for a large batch.

Why Are Homemade Vinaigrettes Better than Store Bought?

While I totally understand that it is not always feasible to make everything from I scratch, I recommend it if you have the time. Store-bought vinaigrettes are often overly sweet, flat, or taste “old” for lack of a better word. They typically moisten vegetables and add a little salt, but don’t really make ingredients sing. Most vinaigrettes rely on stabilizers, gums, and preservatives to extend shelf life sacrificing flavor and texture in the process.

How Long Does It Take to Make a Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing?

Under 5 minutes. For a small batch vinaigrette, whisk together the acid, honey and mustard first. Then drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. For a large batch vinaigrette, blend together the acid, honey and mustard first then drizzle in oil while blending. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

What Ingredients Do I Need for a Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing?

An acid, an oil and the magic emulsifier combo of dijon and honey will make a salad dressing that clings to each vegetable and enhances the flavor of the salad without overpowering it. Most people don’t realize that 4 ingredients and proper technique will crush a 20 ingredient “instagram salad dressing” every time. Ans there are 2 ways to do it.  If I’m making a small batch, like 3/4 cup I’ll use a whisk and bowl. For a large batch I’ll use my immersion blender. 

Do I Need Any Special Tools to Make a Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing?

The SMALL BATCH version uses an 8-inch whisk and the LARGE BATCH version uses a blender (as stated, I prefer an immersion blender, but a top loading blender works too if you are using an oil blend).

Can I Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Yes, you can blend extra virgin olive oil but only if you use an immersion blender. I’ve blended extra virgin olive oil hundreds of times and only once had it turn bitter, when using a traditional top loading blender. The reason has to do with how phenols are released. The heat from the motor and the aggressive shearing of the blades in most blenders ruptures the oil molecules, changing the flavor and properties. This is why top-loading blenders, Magic Bullets, and those trendy hourglass-style blenders often have this effect, as the motor sits directly at the base of the blades. With an immersion blender, the motor is in your hand, separate from the oil itself, so the temperature remains low even though the blades still shear the oil. A few tips: Because you don’t want to overblend the dressing during the oil phase, make sure the vinegar and emulsifiers are blended until homogenous before drizzling in the oil. Also, when pouring the oil (in a slow steady stream of course), try to drizzle it onto the blade cap, which will integrate it quickly and easily into the dressing. For perfectly emulsified, flavorful dressings, the immersion blender is the safest and most reliable tool in your kitchen arsenal. If you are using a top loading blender like a Vitamix, I recommend you use a combination of neutral flavored oil such as grapeseed or avocado oil and olive oil in a 50/50 ratio.

Is There a Particular Type of Extra Virgin Olive Oil I Should Use?

Most of the extra virgin olive oils for sale on the grocery store shelves will work great for a vinaigrette. Avoid any that say “unfiltered” as they may contain more of the phenols mentioned above. And same goes for any you buy at a farmer’s market or off the side of the road, (not that it’s common here in the US, as it is abroad)!

What Ingredients Do I Need for a Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing?

An acid, an oil and the magic emulsifier combo of dijon and honey will make a salad dressing that clings to each vegetable and enhances the flavor of the salad without overpowering it. Most people don’t realize that 4 ingredients and proper technique will crush a 20 ingredient “instagram salad dressing” every time. Ans there are 2 ways to do it.  If I’m making a small batch, like 3/4 cup I’ll use a whisk and bowl. For a large batch I’ll use my immersion blender. 

Why Should I Add the Garlic at the End When Making a Whisked Vinaigrette and at the Beginning if Making a Blended Vinaigrette?

The garlic gets added to SMALL BATCH at the end, but added to the LARGE BATCH at the beginning. This is because garlic is a potent emulsifier, but only when puréed. As such, in the SMALL BATCH dressing, we are using it as a flavoring agent, not really as a way to bind the vinegar and acid. However, because a blender does a great job of puréeing the garlic, and we take advantage of that in the LARGE BATCH dressing.

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