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Add a dash of French cuisine to your daily salad when you mix up a batch of this simple Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s quick to make and adds a flavor that can’t be beat.
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I grew up eating plenty of salads. I was a salad girl, always choosing a salad when dining out or even when making my own meals. Those salads, however, were always doused in bottled dressing. I didn’t know any different.
Then about the time I approached college, I realized you could actually make your own dressing. It wasn’t until I spent a year in France and watched Michele and Delphine, my French mom and sister, whip up vinaigrette on the fly, or au pif, as Michele would say.
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Over the years I’ve developed some standard dressings that serve as my go-to dressings: Buttermilk Ranch dressing, Basic Vinaigrette, Cilantro Lime Dressing, and Blue Cheese. And now that I think of it, thisTarragon Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipeis pretty awesome as well. So many salad dressings, so little time.
This classic Dijon Vinaigrette is one that we enjoyed on salads most days, when salad was simply a bowl of greens and vinaigrette served after the main dish and before the cheese course. Thankfully, it goes with any number of toppings on a salade composeeas well, making it a must-know in your repertoire of homemade salad dressings.
Michele and Delphine never measure out the ingredients for this Dijon Vinaigrette, just spooning in mustard and pouring in vinegar and oil until it looks right. That’s how I generally make it as well. Why dirty more dishes?
For those of you who want more specific amounts, I’ve provided those here, but don’t be afraid to bust out of the measuring spoons and eyeball it. In fact, some folks just mix enough for one salad in the bottom of the salad bowl. Even fewer dishes to wash with plenty of flavor.
This Dijon Vinaigrette dressing goes great on almost any salad or bowl, with or without fancy toppings. I particularly like it with these:
Ham and Cheese Salad
Quinoa Vegetable Salad
Easy Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Egg and Sausage Breakfast Bowls
Nicoise Salad Wraps
Salade Nicoise Recipe
While it’s easy enough to mix up just enough Dijon Vinaigrette for one night’s meal, I often mix up a jar of it to use on my daily salads or to pack with my husband’s lunches. It should be good in the fridge for about a week. This dressing also works well as a nice chicken marinade.
If you’re making this for a Whole 30, be sure to use a compliant Dijon mustard. I prefer Koops.
What I’m presenting here is the straight up version without the embellishment of herbs and spices, but you can definitely go off road and add your favorites to change things up.
Dijon Vinaigrette
Add a dash of French cuisine to your daily salad when you mix up a batch of this simple Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s quick to make and adds a flavor that can’t be beat.
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It may be obvious to store creamy ranch dressing on your refrigerator's shelf, but oily dressings such as Italian or a vinaigrette should be kept cold after opening too. That's because their key ingredients—think things such as shallots and citrus juice—will go rancid without refrigeration.
The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For my personal taste, that's a little too oily — but it's totally up to you. My simple system is: In a small screw-top jar, place vinegar and a pinch of salt; cover and shake (this helps to dissolve the salt).
Dijon mustard boasts a low-calorie, low-fat nutritional profile, making it a healthier alternative to mayonnaise and other high-fat condiments. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, Dijon mustard can provide numerous health benefits when incorporated into a balanced diet.
Dijon marks the starting point of the famed Burgundy wine route. Stretching from North to South, it's the ideal place to elevate your understanding and appreciation of Burgundy wines! Venture into the heart of Le Clos Vivants' wine cellar and experience an introductory tasting.
In addition to white wine vinegar, red wine, sherry, balsamic and cider vinegars can all be used in the same quantities as above. It's really down to personal taste and it's great to have a selection of vinegars in your cupboard to give variety to even the simplest salads.
Put the mustard, vinegar and olive oil in a jar and season. Shake vigorously to mix. Store in a cool place (not the fridge) until ready to use. Use for all your salads or try one of our recipes, right.
According to French's, “The product will generally maintain good flavor quality for two to three months after that date, if refrigerated. While refrigeration will help maintain flavor, it's not necessary to refrigerate if you prefer to consume your mustard at room temperature.
The constant whisking during this process breaks the oil into tiny droplets that become suspended, creating emulsified vinaigrette. When the vinaigrette is refrigerated, the extra virgin olive oil in it will cause the dressing to thicken, but because it's emulsified, it will still be fluid enough to pour and use.
But, like many shelf-stable foods, that jar of mustard “should still be kept in the fridge after opening to prolong the complexity, heat, and flavor.” Collins also notes that “as mustard sits and is opened and closed and taken in and out of the fridge, the flavor will change…so while it doesn't go bad like a fish or ...
Almost any oil will work. Popular choices include extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, safflower oil, or flavor infused oils.
An emulsifier is used in a vinaigrette to stabilize the oil and vinegar. Common emulsifiers include egg yolks, soy lecithin, and mustard. These ingredients all include lecithin--the stabilizing compound. In many vinaigrettes, mustard is the go-to stabilizer.
It's often made with white wine and brown and/or black mustard seeds. Dijon has a more pungent, spicy flavor than yellow mustard. The sharp taste pairs particularly well with vinaigrettes, sandwich spreads, mayonnaise, or homemade sauces.
It's so simple it's almost silly: whisk together ½ cup of high-quality mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard (I like Tin Mustard and Sir Kensington), season with a little salt and pepper (not too much—mustard has plenty of salt and bite already), then taste.
The main ingredients of the modern condiment are brown mustard seeds (Brassica juncea) and a mixture of white wine, vinegar, water, and salt designed to imitate the original verjuice. It can be used as an accompaniment to all meats in its usual form as a paste, or it can be mixed with other ingredients to make a sauce.
Dijon definitely has a distinctive mustard flavor, and is more intense, sharp, and complex than yellow mustard. It is made with brown and/or black mustard seeds and white wine.
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Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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