How to Make a Restaurant Quality Vinaigrette

Share this post:

(P.S. here is a shortcut to 40+ of my Best Salad Dressing Recipes)

What are the 2 ways to make a restaurant quality vinaigrette salad dressing?

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.

WHAT IS THE BEST IMMERSION BLENDER FOR SALAD DRESSING?

The best immersion blender for salad dressing is one you can easily control with one hand so you can drizzle in the oil with the other. It isn’t necessarily the most expensive or powerful one with 20 attachments. For emulsified dressings, it is ideal to have an immersion blender that:

is lightweight, because you are holding it with one hand.
has an appropriately sized blending shaft. One that is too long will be cumbersome.
has simple speed options. 2 is plenty.
has a bell shaped bottom. The oil integrates more seamlessly into the dressing when the blade housing is nicely curved.

The one I currently have (and ADORE) is the Braun MultiQuick 5, but it is an older model and is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Its replacement, the Braun MultiQuick 5 Vario would be my next pick because it has the same bell shaped bottom that is ideal for salad dressing, but has 21 speeds controlled by a single button. A classic 2-speed model like the Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender would work great too as it has the bell shaped bottom. The Cuisinart Smart Stick or KitchenAid Variable Speed Control Hand Blender, would also work, but the blender housing is not bell shaped, so they would not be my first picks.

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.

What is the Correct Ratio for Oil to Vinegar?

The classic 3:1 oil-to-acid ratio is the industry standard because it creates an incredibly stable, mellow vinaigrette. This is useful for restaurants because dressings made this way withstand fast separation, but I generally I prefer a 2:1 oil to vinegar ratio for most of my salad dressings. Not only is it less caloric, but the flavor is a little sharper, a little brighter, and lets the acidity do what it’s supposed to do, wake everything up. That said, the next day you may notice that a little vinegar has settled to the bottom. That is not a failure. You can whisk the vinegar back in and your dressing will still be thick, but perhaps not as cohesive as it was the day before. The reduction in mouthfeel will be minimal, still light years beyond a dressing that was shaken in a jar or haphazardly whisked together. Alternatively, just ladle the dressing right off the top of the jar and it will be as perfect as it was the day before.

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 Use a Milk Frother to Make Dressing?

I would not recommend using a milk frother to make a vinaigrette. Using a milk frother to make salad dressing is like using scissors to cut your lawn. Is it technically possible? Sure, but it’s inefficient. A milk frother will agitate the dressing in the same way shaking dressing in a jar will. But an immersion blender shears oil the into tiny droplets, which increases the surface area of the oil. The increased surface area makes for a stronger emulsion because the emulsifiers are more effectively distributed throughout the oil which keeps the oil and vinegar in suspension longer.

Can I Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Yes, you can blend extra virgin olive oil, but an immersion blender is the safest choice because it keeps the oil cool. High-speed, top-loading blender motors generate heat, which in turn heats the oil in the blender carafe. The heat combined with the aggressive shear of the blender blades may release phenolic compounds from the olive oil, creating a bitter flavor. The immersion blender’s motor is in the part held by your hand so the oil stays cool while being agitated by the blender blades. If you’re choosing to use a standard high-powered blender like a Vitamix, consider a 50/50 blend of extra virgin olive oil and a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado to prevent any bitterness from occurring.

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.

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 (whisk method) at the end, but added to the LARGE BATCH (immersion blender method) 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.

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.

Can I Freeze a Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing?

Yes! If you’re making a large batch with an immersion blender, you can absolutely freeze the extra. I recommend freezing it in a plastic pint or quart container. When the dressing thaws, you’ll likely notice the vinegar has settled to the bottom while the olive oil has risen to the top. To restore the emulsion, insert your immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the container and blend the vinegar back in first. Once it’s fully incorporated, slowly raise the blender toward the top to emulsify the olive oil back into the dressing. In less than a minute, your vinaigrette will be good as new.