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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
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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.
Great and simple dressing. I was just wondering why it has to be consumed within four days. Since it doesn’t have any perishable ingredients, couldn’t it last for about two weeks in the refrigerator? Thank you in advance.
Hi Jeannette, since the dressing doesn’t have stabilizers or preservatives, we recommend following the USDA guidelines in which any leftovers would need to be consumed in 3-4 days. – Meggan
Delicious vinegrette😋
What part of this recipe contains the vitamin K! I’m on a blood thinner & vitamin K turns the effectiveness of the blood thinner off. So, looking for a way to still be able to use this recipe. Thanks.
Hi RA, because each brand of the ingredients could be different, I recommend looking at the labels of each of the ingredients before including them in the vinaigrette. Sorry about that, I believe all the ingredients could have even a trace of Vitamin K and I wouldn’t want it to affect you. – Meggan
Have been making my own dressings for decades the way its made in Germany but never used red wine vinegar. Why do you like it?
Hi Ulrike, I absolutely love the taste of red wine vinegar. Sometimes I pour a little bit over cooked lentils that have been stewed in tomatoes and onions. I think overall I love acidic foods. Balsamic vinegar is my other favorite for dressings. How do you make dressings in Germany? I will have to read about that! Thanks. -Meggan
I haven’t been able to find the Wishbone Red Wine Vinegar dressing that I like in the stores and so I made only a half recipe of this to try it. I did add a teaspoon of minced garlic but even with that both hubby and I thought it was sorely lacking in any flavor. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him leave a salad uneaten with only a few bites taken.
After the great reviews I’m wondering if I have a weak brand of red wine vinegar. I used a Heinz brand. We live in a rather remote part of Michigan that offers little choice in products when shopping. Most of the time I have to take the one they have, if they have any.
Hi Christine, did you use Dijon mustard? If you used a good Dijon, it seems impossible that the dressing could be flavorless even if you had a lackluster red wine vinegar. Also, maybe it needed more salt. Salt is one of those things, I keep adding it until the thing tastes good. It really helps so much. I’m sorry you had trouble -Meggan
Sugar. Lots of sugars
Hey Christine, what part of Michigan do you live in? I live in the upper peninsula and I use thrive market to get all of my pantry staples. They have a decent selection of items and its all organic (if that matters to you).
Ten stars. My husband tasted the dressing and said, you know, I would be fine if we didn’t buy salad dressing anymore; this is way better.
It was good ! I did half apple cider and also didn’t have Dijon just used spicy mustard lol . Good
Love this dressing
My favorite recipe!!! If I have time I add a minced clove of garlic or shallot or a teaspoon of honey. You can also change the herbs. It’s just amazing!
Thank you I will be returning