This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you).
This easy Red Wine Vinaigrette is simple and fabulous. It only takes 5 pantry ingredients (including salt!) for the easiest, best, restaurant-quality vinaigrette, ever.
This is the best Red Wine Vinaigrette that I’ve ever had. It’s my go-to on a daily basis, and it’s destined to be a must-make in your kitchen, too. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients, and it has a zesty flavor that reminds me of the “house dressing” at a trusty Italian restaurant, the kind with red and white checkered tablecloths and red plastic baskets of the best garlic bread you’ve ever had.
It’s made with 5 simple ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, oregano, and salt. And even those can be tweaked if needed. As long as you follow the ratio, you can change up your vinegar or herbs and still have a delicious, easy homemade salad dressing. Store-bought dressings will never compare.
It’s the perfect Italian red wine vinegar dressing for salads, sandwiches, and chicken wraps, or use it as a marinade for chicken or fish. It’s easy to make a big batch and use it all week long. Or, do what I do and mix up a new batch of red wine vinegar salad dressing daily and craft an imaginary menu in your mind where it’s “small-batch, house-made dressing.” It’s so simple yet so delicious!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Dijon mustard: Sometimes I use up to 1 tbsp Dijon mustard in this easy homemade salad dressing recipe because I love the flavor. Spicy brown mustard works too.
- Oregano: Or substitute Italian seasoning or your favorite minced fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, and parsley). This easy recipe is a great way to try new things.
- Salt and pepper: I recommend tasting the dressing before you add any salt. Then, add ¼ tsp salt and taste it again for perfection. Once I figure out the salt, I generally add 50% of that amount of freshly ground black pepper (that’s a ratio I learned in culinary school and I like it).
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl (or in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid), pour in olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and oregano. Whisk vigorously and season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This healthy red wine vinaigrette dressing recipe makes ¾ cup dressing, enough for 6 servings (2 tablespoons each). 1 recipe of dressing will dress 8-10 cups salad.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
- Make the dressing your own: Try adding a teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup, a tbsp lemon juice, a minced clove garlic, some minced shallot, or a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can also change up the herbs and spices and try Italian seasoning, marjoram, basil, or chives. Stick with staple ingredients whenever possible so it’s easy.
- Cheese: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and you’ll think you’re at the Olive Garden. The dry kind in the green shaker works perfectly.
- Blended: Blast your dressing in a blender for maximum emulsion and a touch of frothiness.
- Jersey Mike’s: This reminds me of the red vinegar dressing they use at Jersey Mike’s to make it “Mike’s Way.” It’s great on sandwiches!
- Leafy Salads: Prepare an easy Green Salad with plenty of fresh leafy greens, ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, grated carrots, and your other favorite fresh veggies. Drizzle with this classic red wine vinaigrette recipe and top with crunchy, buttery croutons.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette: A super simple, absolutely delicious homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey. It’s ready in 2 minutes or less with just 4 pantry ingredients (plus kosher salt and pepper).
- Ranch Dressing: This made-from-scratch Ranch Dressing Recipe is thick, creamy, and packed with fresh herbs, just the way you and your vegetables want it. It’s perfect for dressing, dipping, and tossing!
- Thai Peanut Dressing: This easy, delicious Thai Peanut Dressing is made from mostly pantry ingredients and is delicious on salads, grilled chicken, or for dipping your favorite appetizers.
- Asian Salad Dressing: This simple, delicious Asian Salad Dressing is made with just 6 pantry ingredients and ready in minutes. This tangy dressing also makes a great marinade or dipping sauce for Asian appetizers like pot stickers, dumplings, and tempura vegetables.
- Thousand Island Dressing: This homemade Thousand Island Dressing Recipe comes together in 5 minutes with just 5 ingredients (mayo, ketchup, pickles, lemon juice, and garlic). It’s thick, delicious, and perfect on your next salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
This delicious red wine vinaigrette happens to be gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and 100% vegan.
Organic red wine vinegar is made from a variety of organic Italian grapes. Spectrum brand red wine vinegar is organic and is a product of Modena in Italy.
Vinaigrette is delicious on salads, sandwiches, roasted vegetables, and as a marinade for grilled meats, chicken, and fish. Or, mix it into sour cream and serve it with rice and beans on a bed of lettuce.
Favorite salads for red wine vinaigrette
Salad Recipes
Chickpea Salad
Salad Recipes
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Italian Recipes
Antipasto Salad
Salad Recipes
Italian Chopped Salad
Join Us
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
Recipe Video
Notes
- Dijon mustard: Sometimes I use up to 1 tablespoon Dijon in this recipe because I love the flavor. Spicy brown mustard works too.
- Oregano: Or substitute Italian seasoning or your favorite minced fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, and parsley).
- Salt and pepper: I recommend tasting the dressing before you add any salt. Then, add ¼ teaspoon salt and taste it again. Once I figure out the salt, I generally add 50% of that amount of freshly ground black pepper (that’s a ratio I learned in culinary school and I like it).
- Yield: This recipe makes ¾ cup dressing, enough for 6 servings (2 tablespoons each). 1 recipe of dressing will dress 8-10 cups salad.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
I added honey 😋
Oh yeah, that’s THE BEST. So good. I have done that too, in fact a lot of recipes call for it. Good call. 🙂 -Meggan
I don’t understand. Is this person speaking English? Or is this a rudimentary poem or a haiku?
HA HA HA! No it’s spam, that one slipped through. But your comment made me smile. 🙂 -Meggan
I’m very picky about my Italian and dressing and this was good. Be sure you have very fresh olive oil as if it’s stale it will alter the taste. I add a few dashes of extra red wine vinegar and let set on the counter for about an hour before using. Take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before using to let the olive oil come to room temperature. Yum.
Hi Meagan!
Is this really 163 calories for only 2 tablespoons?
It looks fantastic otherwise.
Hi Toni, thanks for the question! Yes, that is correct. Basically more than half of the recipe is olive oil, and there are 120 calories in one tablespoon of olive oil. If you want something lower calorie, I would increase the red wine vinegar to 1/2 cup (thus doing equal parts oil and vinegar). That would drop it to 123 calories per serving instead of 163 (and you’d have 8 servings total instead of 6). The other thing you could do is use less dressing overall. So maybe use just 1 tablespoon of this dressing and load up with extra vinegar so it’s not too dry. If you have any other questions or need anything else, just let me know! Thanks a lot! I hope you like the dressing. It’s my favorite. -Meggan
I’ve made this twice. Once for sandwich wraps and once for salad. Delicious on both! The olive oil solidified in the fridge when I kept the leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Any way to prevent that? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Laurie, olive oil does that when it gets cold. There isn’t a way to prevent that, that I know of. I would just say, pull it out 15 or 20 minutes before you need it. Because the recipe has garlic in it, I wouldn’t recommend keeping it at room temperature all the time. You definitely want to keep it in the refrigerator. Thank you for your comment, I’m glad you like the recipe!
Oil and vinegar are like Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in most of their romantic comedies. They start out hating each other, but if something brings them together, a surfactant or an emulsifier, something that can break the repulsion, they cling to each other and the salad greens beautifully.
An emulsifier/surfactant coats the oil molecules and makes it easier for them to mix with the watery stuff. Mustard is a common emulsifier for home made salad dressings. Mayonnaise is also an emulsifier, as are egg yolks, and honey. Commercial dressings often use xanthan gum, lecithin, or dairy extracts.
So Easy, So Good
Hi Blayne, just looking at the salt I have kosher salt listed (the coarse stuff). If by any chance you used table salt, it would have been twice as salty. Not saying that’s what happened, but I am going to change the recipe to just regular salt since that’s probably what most people have. And I’ll provide a range. Thanks again for letting me know!
That’s so sad! I’m going to adjust the recipe to change the amount of salt (list a range), obviously I make it the way I listed it but we all have different tastes. I appreciate the feedback.
What is the recipe for the salad shown, with the square white cheese and cucumbers? It looks awesome!
Hi Shanna! That’s a Greek Pasta salad (with feta cheese) that I published on a different blog, Oh Sweet Basil. Here’s the link! http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/easy-greek-pasta-salad-recipe.html I will definitely add this to the post, thank you for the idea! 🙂
I just made this and it’s delicious! So fresh tasting and simple. I love how quick this was to put together. Next time I’ll add fresh shallot. Thank you!
Yes Caitlin, a fresh shallot is great! I always add that if I have one. Great addition. Glad you like the dressing, it’s one of my faves. So easy! Thanks so much for reading, take care. 🙂