How to Make the Best Vinaigrette Variations

Vinaigrettes are a good base salad dressing, but they really shine when you get creative and make your own vinaigrette variations. Our Salad Dressing topic is brought to you by Stonyfield Organic.

There’s absolutely, positively no reason to buy a vinaigrette from the store. Ever. They’re so easy to make and customize into amazing vinaigrette variations.

All you need is an easy basic vinaigrette recipe and some creativity. From there, you can create endless combinations and make your own salad dressing.

How To Customize Basic Vinaigrettes

A basic vinaigrette dressing follows the ratio 1 part acid to 3 parts oil. But you can absolutely add more flavors than that.

So how much of an ingredient do you add? Start with 1/2 teaspoon of your stir-in ingredient per 1/3 cup of oil. Add until it meets your flavor preferences. If you add too much of an ingredient, add more oil to balance the flavor.

Here are some flavor combinations to get you started. Who’s a rock star chef now?

Vinaigrette Variations

Herbs: Any fresh herbs (garden season is almost here). I always add fresh basil and oregano for an Italian vinaigrette. I’ve also tried lemon juice and fresh dill. Yum! Dried herbs work too. A pinch of dried thyme leaves is fantastic on a dressing for a hearty salad and a pinch of dried oregano is just the thing for a Greek feta vinaigrette.

Garlic and minced sweet onions. OK, I have an unhealthy obsession with garlic. I love to make a garlic and onion vinaigrette. Just mince the garlic and onions really fine and add to any vinaigrette. Start with less and do let it sit for awhile after making so that the flavors infuse.

Horseradish. I first tried this vinaigrette at a horseradish party. Yes, it’s a real thing in west central Minnesota. People have horseradish canning parties. Some grandma added a touch of horseradish to her vinaigrette and served it with basic greens. It was incredible.

Honey. This is another go-to. Use the honey with a bit of grapefruit juice for a sweet vinaigrette.

Lime and cilantro. This is perfect for any southwest-inspired salad. I’ve also used it on taco salads with chicken.

Balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Pair this with a strawberry salad for a bright and slightly sweet lunch.

Champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard: When in doubt make a French vinaigrette. It’s effortless. You can also add chives or tarragon for even more flavor.

Lemon: Try this lemon vinaigrette recipe if you’re not ready to create your own flavor combination yet. In addition to plenty of lemon juice, it has a little honey and Dijon. So delicious.

Let me know in the comments below your favorite kind of vinaigrette dressing!

Disclosure: Stonyfield has provided giveaway items and social media promotion in exchange for mentions in the Salad Dressing Series. Also, the senior editor of this site is a paid brand ambassador for Stonyfield. All opinions are ours and honest, always.

This post originally appeared in April 2016 and was revised and republished in February 2023.