An oil and vinegar dressing is easy to make and is a great way to add lots of flavor to a fresh, leafy salad
Light, yet tangy, a Balsamic Vinaigrette is a timeless salad dressing perfect for a range of salads.
Making a Balsamic Vinaigrette can be as simple as combining oil and vinegar – but this recipe contains a few extra ingredients that give it a bolder, much more interesting flavor!
Whilst this recipe is prepared with a traditional balsamic vinegar base, you can try using red or white wine vinegars instead. These add different levels of flavor to your dressing.
Red wine vinegar is punchy and works perfectly with vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, and other Italian based salads.
White wine vinegar based vinaigrettes offer a more mellow flavor which are not as ‘zingy’. A white wine vinaigrette pairs perfectly with spring greens, corn, cucumber, and zucchini.
As long as you are not adding any fresh ingredients to your vinaigrette, you can store it on the counter in a jar for a few weeks. You may need to shake the jar to mix everything back up as it may separate slightly.
If you are adding any optional additions to your vinaigrette such as: minced fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil), dried herbs, minced garlic, minced shallots or mustard, you will need to store the finished product in the fridge. This will keep in the fridge for about a week.
When choosing a balsamic vinegar to use for your dressing, select a good quality vinegar which will list ‘grape must, tradizionale’. This means that the vinegar has been aged for at least twelve years, so that it will be beautifully thick and and sweet.
Extra virgin olive oil should be your go-to oil when making vinaigrettes; choose one that is greenish in colour. Good extra virgin oil also has a deep earthy and grassy scent, so it’s a good idea to smell it before buying to ensure it is of good quality.
Try this tasty oil and vinegar dressing with your favorite salad additions, including cherry tomatoes, carrots, walnuts, red onion, cucumber and celery, topped with crumbled blue cheese.
Oil and Vinegar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp packeds Dark Brown Sugar optional
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 3/4 cup Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the vinegar (and sugar if required) with garlic, salt and pepper until salt has dissolved. In small additions, add the olive oil while whisking constantly. Taste and add more seasoning if required.
- In a bowl, add the salad mix and assortment of salad additions. Pour vinaigrette over the salad and toss to mix. Top the salad with blue cheese.
- Store the remaining dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week.