Homemade French Dressing

A Complete Guide On How To Make French Salad Sauce

Many cooks find salad dressings a little intimidating at the beginning, I know I did, which is a bit bizarre considering there is no heat involved and very few ingredients. In reality, the problem lies in the fact that making a dressing is an art! Thankfully, it's one we can easily master, and this guide will help you. When finished here, explore the various salads and the types of dressings for salad in The Complete Handbook for Salad Making.

Jump to:

• A Complete Guide On How To Make French Salad Sauce
• ❤️Why You Will Love Making Homemade Dressings
• 💡Tips For Making Delicious Salad Dressings
• 🫒What You Need
• 🥗13 Easy, Everyday Salad Dressings To Make
• 3️⃣Variations Of The Basic Vinaigrette
• 7️⃣More Delicious Salad Dressing Recipes
• 🫙Homemade Mayonnaise

❤️Why You Will Love Making Homemade Dressings

• A good French dressing or sauce, or vinaigrette, is easy to make at home using fresh ingredients like herbs, the allium family of vegetables that make the base for many delicious dishes, onions, garlic, chives, leeks, and shallots, and good quality oils such as olive, avocado, or grapeseed oil.
• Dressings can be served with hors d'oeuvres, all green salads, and vegetable crudités, adding a variety of tastes and being very healthy too.
• By mixing in other ingredients such as mustard or fresh French herbs, you then turn your dressing into a completely different, beautiful topping!
• Try them not just on salads but on meat and poultry dishes, fish like Poached Salmon With Fresh Herb Sauce, and vegetable recipes, as well as egg dishes.
• Try them on warm and cold foods!
• Once you know how to make your French dressings, you will never need to buy another bottle of dressing from the supermarket, resulting in big savings!

We all have different tastes, and so each individual can add his or her own preference for a perfect French recipe.

🫒What You Need

You just need to keep practicing, trying new combinations and measurements, and, just as importantly, keeping a note of what you've used and in what quantities. In time, you will come to know instinctively how to dress each salad. This post will help you get started on the right path to excellent salad dressings!

🥗13 Easy, Everyday Salad Dressings To Make

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

This is a classic and a good base from which to develop newer dressings.

• 1-2 tbsps of vinegar - cider or wine, but not balsamic
• 2 pinches of salt,
• black pepper
• 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil

1. Put the salt into a bowl together with a little black pepper.
2. Stir in the vinegar and continue until the salt has dissolved – this is because salt will not dissolve in oil.
3. Now add the oil, a little at a time, beating continuously until the dressing is cloudy.
4. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes, then shake again just before use.

3️⃣Variations Of The Basic Vinaigrette

Creamy Vinaigrette

To the basic vinaigrette dressing above, add 2-3 tablespoon of plain yogurt, kefir, or mayonnaise and whisk together until well blended.

Vinaigrette à la Moutarde

For this dressing, simply add 1 teaspoon of French mustard before beating in the oil.

Vinaigrette aux Fines Herbes

To make a vinaigrette aux fines herbes, simply add 3 tablespoons of finely chopped herbs to the above dressing.

The herbs must be fresh and consist of fennel, chervil or parsley, tarragon, chives, and 4 leaves of marjoram. Do not use more marjoram as it is rather pungent and will overpower the flavor profile.

This delicious salad sauce is in my French Grated Carrot Salad.

7️⃣More Delicious Salad Dressing Recipes

Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

This is a very easy dressing that is useful for strong-flavored leaf salads, such as rocket. If necessary, you can add a teaspoon of water to this dressing to thin it slightly and give it more delicacy.

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Whisk together, taste, and adjust seasoning.

A French Classic Dressing

• 45gr/3 tablespoon mustard (preferably Dijon mustard)
• 80ml/⅓ cup white wine vinegar
• 350ml/1½ cup rapeseed oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

Blitz the mustard and vinegar in a blender. While still running, slowly add the rapeseed oil until you have a fully emulsified dressing. Season carefully, a little at a time, tasting each addition.

Red Onion & Shallot Vinaigrette

Use this with roasted beetroot and lentils, topped with goat’s cheese or feta.

• 1 red onion or shallot
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon soft brown sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil

Combine the onion, vinegar, and sugar, then season. Leave for about an hour. Then add the olive oil and stir well.

Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe

For those who prefer something sweeter. Also a great dressing to go with avocado halves, or on salmon, and chicken.

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup sunflower oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon or other mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Simply whisk all the ingredients together and season.

Walnut Dressing

This is a lovely dressing for French beans. Blanch French beans and add them to the dressing while they are still warm. Finish with finely diced apple, shaved fennel, and chopped chives.

• 115gr/1 cup walnuts
• Salt
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• A drizzle of olive oil

Mix the walnuts with the other ingredients and bake at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for 5 minutes, until lightly toasted. Crush gently and add to the honey and mustard dressing above, along with 1 tablespoon of walnut oil.

Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Best for drizzling over fresh tomatoes, grilled courgettes, or a tomato salad.

• ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (more if needed)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make the dressing first by mixing the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and maple syrup or honey in a bowl with a whisk until well blended and lemony colored. Then stir in the basil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and let sit on the counter while you prepare the salad base and the rest of the meal.

OR

• A bunch of basil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 100ml/3 tablespoon olive oil
• A pinch of salt and black pepper

Remove the leaves from the basil and blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Creamy Honey Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette

It pays, in the taste department at least, to use the best quality balsamic vinegar.

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1-2 teaspoon of light-colored honey (no buckwheat honey here)
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• Salt and pepper
• 100ml/3 tablespoon olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic paste. Add salt and pepper a little at a time, tasting after each addition. Pour in olive oil very slowly, whisking constantly until well combined and creamy.

Mint Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon clear honey
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 20 grams/1cup of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 small ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1. Place the vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper into a small bowl and mix together thoroughly - a small whisk is useful for this, or a fork if you don't have one.
2. Mix in the olive oil very slowly, then gently stir in the mint and finally the tomatoes. Set aside and leave for about an hour.

This is a delicious topping for lamb chops!

🫙Homemade Mayonnaise

Here is an easy and convenient method to make your amazing mayo!

Easy Immersion Blender Mayonnaise Recipe with 4 variations to create other classic dressings, Mayonnaise Chantilly, Tartar Sauce (Sauce Tartare), Sauce Niçoise, and Sauce Remoulade.