Last updated on June 28th, 2026

Quick and Easy Vinaigrette. - harvestandnourish.com

It’s hard to beat garden-fresh greens tossed with fruity olive oil, fresh lemon and a mild vinegar. This Classic Quick and Easy Vinaigrette is light and flavourful, and once you try making your own dressing at home, you’ll never want to buy it at the store again.

This is my house dressing. It’s a recipe you can adapt easily using different kinds of oils, vinegars and mustards or other emulsifiers to make it your own.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make Classic Quick and Easy Vinaigrette

½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons (20 grams) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 grams) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) Dijon or whole grain mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

That’s it! Delicious as is, this is your starting point. Simply whisk or shake everything together and serve.

🍋 The perfect emulsion secret

To ensure your homemade dressing stays beautifully thick, rich, and creamy instead of separating into oil and vinegar layers, don’t skip the mustard!

A small spoonful of Dijon or whole-grain mustard acts as a natural emulsifier that binds the oil and acid together.

For the easiest cleanup, toss all your ingredients into a small glass mason jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

This creates a perfectly smooth, velvety vinaigrette that clings beautifully to your salad greens without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Small Batch Vinaigrette. - harvestandnourish.com

Variations & substitutions

Olive Oil: The best substitute depends on your preference. Consider a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil. For a creamy version, try blending with tahini, avocado, crème fraiche or Greek yogurt (start by reducing the quantity by half then adjust for consistency).
Vinegar: Substitute apple cider, rice wine or sherry vinegar in place of the white balsamic.
Mustard: The mustard acts as an emulsifier to blend the oil and vinegar. You can use Dijon or whole-grain mustard or a combination of both, or substitute either honey or mayonnaise depending on your desired flavour profile.
Herbs & Seasonings: Half a teaspoon finely chopped basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, tarragon or oregano would all be delicious here. If adding garlic, grate or mince 1 whole clove. Try juicing an orange into it to make a citrus vinaigrette!

Drizzle this Classic Quick and Easy Vinaigrette over roasted veggies, bulgar or farro salad, fish, steak or roast chicken. Double it to make a large batch for easy meals through the week!

Try this Ginger Miso Dressing or this Farm Boy-Inspired Apple Cider Vinaigrette next.

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Classic Quick and Easy Vinaigrette

This Classic Quick and Easy Vinaigrette is light and flavourful and so much better than store-bought. This recipe can be adapted easily using different kinds of oils, vinegars and mustards to make it your own. Double it for easy meals through the week!

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Prep Time:5

Total Time:5

Course: Condiment

Keyword: salad dressing, small batch, vinaigrette

Servings: or about 3/4 cup

Author: Kerry

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and Dijon together in a bowl or shake in a jar. Once fully emulsified, season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Notes

Olive Oil: The best substitute depends on your preference. Consider a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil. For a creamy version, try blending with tahini, avocado, crème fraiche or Greek yogurt (start by reducing the quantity by half then adjust for consistency).

Vinegar: Substitute apple cider, rice wine or sherry vinegar in place of the white balsamic.

Mustard: The mustard acts as an emulsifier to blend the oil and vinegar. You can use Dijon or whole-grain mustard or a combination of both, or substitute either honey or mayonnaise depending on your desired flavour profile.

Herbs & Seasonings: Half a teaspoon finely chopped basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, tarragon or oregano would all be delicious here. If adding garlic, grate or mince 1 whole clove. Try juicing an orange into it to make a citrus vinaigrette!

Storage: Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 2 weeks.