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Home » Recipes

Easy Mustard Vinaigrette

Mustard Vinaigrette dressing poured over salad
This dressing is so easy and delicious on a simple salad!

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Making your own homemade salad dressing is super easy to do and this Mustard Vinaigrette is no exception! Not only do you avoid unwanted additives (including refined sweetener), but the taste is far superior to the store-bought stuff.

Just shake all the ingredients together in a jar and drizzle over your salad, chicken, or fish dishes for a little added flavor. There are so many variations you can create for a delicious addition to your meal.

Featured Comment

Tried this last night for dinner and it was amazing! My extremely picky husband has been resistant to switching to real food, but I’m trying little by little. He loved this dressing on his salad.
- Cassie

Vinaigrette FAQ

What is vinaigrette?

A vinaigrette is a salad dressing consisting of oil and something acidic, such as vinegar, or a citrus juice like lemon, orange, or lime. A vinaigrette may also include herbs, spices, or other flavorings such as shallots, garlic, or mustard. All of these options make for a wide range of delicious flavor combinations.

Is there a difference between just Oil & Vinegar and a vinaigrette?

Yes and no—vinaigrette is a type of dressing. Oil and Vinegar is a simple example of a vinaigrette, but there are many other types of vinaigrettes you can make as well.

What does vinaigrette dressing taste like?

Depending on the recipe, most vinaigrettes will have a tangy, bright flavor, and some may even be a little tart.

What is the oil to vinegar ratio for making a vinaigrette?

You can adjust to taste, but one part vinegar to three parts olive oil whisked together is a great start for a simple vinaigrette.

How to store vinaigrette?

You can store it in a small leak-proof container with a lid, such as a jar or the salad dressing bottle mentioned below. This will make it easy to shake up before using again. If your dressing contains any ingredients you'd normally store in the fridge (such as citrus juice), then the dressing will also need to be stored in the fridge, but keep in mind the oil will harden when cold so be sure to let it sit out or warm it up a bit each time before using.

How long will homemade dressing last?

This depends on the ingredients. If you only use pantry-safe ingredients such as oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, you can keep it in a sealed container in your pantry or on the counter for weeks. Otherwise, a week in the fridge is a good rule of thumb.

Ingredients Needed to Make Mustard Vinaigrette

  • Olive oil - I recommend finding an organic extra-virgin olive oil.
  • White wine vinegar - You could also sub champagne vinegar.
  • Mustard - Just your regular yellow mustard will do, or you could use whole-grain or Dijon mustard.
  • Salt - Not too much, just a ¼ teaspoon. 
  • Garlic - One clove peeled and minced.
  • Paprika - Just a pinch is needed. 
  • Pepper - To taste.

How to Make Easy Mustard Vinaigrette

Simply combine all your ingredients in a jar (or the bottle mentioned below), screw a lid on the top, and shake to mix! The dressing will naturally separate over time, so you may need to shake it up more if you're having it leftover. While not necessary, if you emulsify it with an immersion blender or even a milk frother (like you'd use for a coffee), the dressing will take much longer to separate.

The Best Salad Dressing Invention Ever!

Salad dressing bottle that shows ingredients and measurements.
Salad dressing bottle with recipes and measurements.

This bottle may not look like much, but detailed on the side are 8 different salad dressing recipes in a "fill to here" type fashion. It does call for some refined oils and such, but nothing that can't easily be substituted for more wholesome ingredients.

What Recipes are Included on the Bottle?

The recipes include Asian, Caesar, French, Greek, Italian, Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Honey Mustard—all of which you can make and store in this bottle.

Perfect for Gifts

We've had ours for several years now, and we absolutely love it! Many of our family and friends also now have one of these salad dressing bottles because one holiday season I went a little crazy and bought one for just about everybody I know. I just love practical gifts and at less than $12 a pop this one is hard to beat. :)

What to do With Homemade Salad Dressing

Homemade dressings only last about a week so you’ll need to meal plan if you want to use it up.

  • Salads: You can use this mustard vinaigrette dressing on any type of salad but it’s especially great on mild-flavored mixed salad greens.
  • Marinade: Cover chicken or pork in mustard vinaigrette and let it sit overnight to marinade before cooking.
  • Pasta salad: Start with cooled or leftover whole grain pasta and add in some fresh veggies like cucumber, green pepper, and red onion. Toss with mustard vinaigrette.
  • Sandwich topping: Add a splash of homemade dressing to a meat sandwich for extra flavor.

Why Does Homemade Oil Vinaigrette Get Hard in the Fridge?

If you haven’t made an oil based homemade vinaigrette before it can be a little disappointing to find your dressing hardened or thickened after few hours in the fridge. This is normal! When exposed to cold temperatures, olive oil solidifies to a consistency that resembles butter.

The good news is that once an oil based dressing warms up it will be back to normal. Make sure you let your oil sit out a bit before using it, and don’t forget to shake the bottle before each use in case any ingredients have separated.

Does This Vinaigrette Dressing Use Yellow Mustard or Dijon?

I made my dressing with yellow mustard, but you could use organic Dijon mustard too. Compared to yellow mustard’s mild flavor, Dijon typically has more tang and spice.  If you decide to use Dijon mustard in your homemade vinaigrette dressing, choose a variety that doesn’t have large seeds.

How to Use Dry Mustard Powder Instead of Prepared Mustard

Using dry mustard powder in this recipe is also an option, but it may not turn out the same. Mustard powder is just ground up mustard seeds; it’s much spicier than prepared mustard. Prepared mustard also includes other spices to help give it a balanced flavor.

If you want to use mustard powder, only use ⅓ of a teaspoon. You can always add more to adjust for taste. If you find your vinaigrette lacking flavor with just mustard powder, add more garlic and paprika.

Can I Add Honey to Make a Honey Mustard Vinaigrette?

Yes! I was trying to avoid added sugar in this recipe, but if you want a sweeter homemade dressing honey is a great real food ingredient for vinaigrette. To make honey mustard vinaigrette, simply add a teaspoon of honey to your dressing. Adjust to taste as needed.

Is This Easy Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Healthy?

Healthy eating looks different for every family. In our house, anything made with real food ingredients and no added sugar is considered healthy; especially something like salad dressing that’s used to top leafy greens!

All the fat in this recipe comes from olive oil, which is considered a healthy fat. If you choose organic, whole grain mustard there’s also no added sugar or highly processed ingredients.

While we don’t have any complex dietary needs in our house, the low carb count in this easy mustard vinaigrette makes it a diabetic friendly salad dressing option.

Easy Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

This super simple mustard dressing is a great place to start when it comes to making the switch to real food. I've included some other tips and recipes to keep your salads fresh and fun, too!
12 Reviews / 4.5 Average
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Course: Salads
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 5 ounces
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Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 pinch paprika
  • pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Pour all ingredients into a small mason jar. Put on the lid and shake vigorously (i.e. emulsify) until well blended.
  • Store the dressing in the jar in the fridge—the oil will harden when cold so be sure to let it sit out or warm it up a bit each time before using.

Notes

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Easy Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 129mg6%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Other Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

After you make the Easy Mustard Vinaigrette dressing recipe below, here are some more dressing recipe ideas to try!

  • Blue Cheese Dressing
  • Ranch Dip (can also be thinned out with milk to be more of a dressing)
  • Green Goddess Dressing
  • Honey Mustard (equal parts honey and mustard)
  • Also, don't forget—just plain Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar!

Salad Recipes

If you love salads, here are some of my favorites to try.

  • Apple and Cheddar Salad
  • Simple Grapefruit and Avocado Salad
  • Cobb Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
  • Creamy Kale Caesar Salad

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9.7K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Ann Rodgers says

    June 27, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    I'm not rating your recipe because I didn't actually follow it - but it made a great "jumping off" point for me to create the dressing I needed today! I had made some spicy chickpeas (not roasted) for my husband, and they needed some sort of dressing. I normally avoid vinaigrettes because they're too oily for my taste, but by making it myself I could adjust the proportions. I used 4 parts EVOO, 3 parts just plain distilled vinegar, and 1 part yellow mustard. I added no other herbs or spices because the chickpeas were so spicy. For myself I made up a bowl of spinach and bitter greens and added the chickpeas tossed with the dressing as a topper. Delicious! [side note - it also fit my Weight Watchers meal plan perfectly]

    Reply
  2. Sandra says

    May 21, 2018 at 8:26 am

    I tried this yesterday and it is so good. I just added a teaspoon of garlic powder, so that I can store this on the counter. This way I can use it when I need to and not have to worry about it getting so thick.

    Reply
  3. Debra Norman says

    April 18, 2018 at 9:33 pm

    What would you recommend to increase the viscosity of vinaigrette dressing so they cling a little better to the greens?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      May 02, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      Hello. I think the mustard helps a lot.

      Reply
  4. Lauren says

    August 11, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    4 stars
    Just had to compliment your dressing bottle choice. We have that same one, and we absolutely love it!!

    Reply
  5. Darlene says

    August 08, 2017 at 12:38 pm

    As an alternative to diet salad dressing, I mix 1 tsp. of prepared mustard and 1 tsp. honey for a side salad. (Yes, I measure.) 20 calories.

    Reply
  6. Claudia says

    January 30, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    Hi, how long can each of these be stored in the fridge, approximately. Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Lobaloba says

    January 18, 2017 at 5:24 pm

    5 stars
    I use either whole grain mustard or dijon (instead of the yellow mustard) and sometimes I use dried shallots (that I get at World Market) if I'm worried about being stinky after eating it with garlic, lol.

    Reply
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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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