Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 10 g shallot, finely minced
- 45 ml red wine vinegar
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Oil
- 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 82 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 134 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 9 mg
- Calcium
- 3 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1 mg
- Zinc
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the finely minced shallot on the cutting board and ensure it is cut as small as possible to avoid harsh, raw chunks in the final dressing.
In a mixing bowl, combine the minced shallot, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk briefly to combine, then let the mixture rest for 5 minutes. This process macerates the shallots, removing their raw bite and allowing the salt to fully dissolve in the acid.
While whisking the vinegar mixture constantly, begin adding the extra virgin olive oil in a very slow, steady stream. Continue whisking vigorously until all the oil is incorporated and the dressing looks creamy, cohesive, and thickened.
Chef's Notes
- The golden rule of a classic vinaigrette is the 1 to 3 ratio: 1 part acid to 3 parts oil. Once you master this, you can adjust to a 1 to 2 ratio if you prefer a sharper, more punchy dressing.
- Dijon mustard is not just for flavor; it contains mucilage, which acts as a powerful natural emulsifier to help bind the water-based vinegar and the fat-based oil together smoothly.
- Always dissolve your salt in the vinegar before adding the oil. Salt dissolves readily in water and acid, but it will not dissolve in oil, leading to a gritty texture if added last.
- Macerating the shallots in the vinegar for 5 to 10 minutes gently pickles them, entirely mellowing out the sharp, sulfurous bite of raw alliums.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Olive oil will solidify when chilled. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and whisk or shake vigorously before serving.
Troubleshooting
Vinaigrette breaks or separates into layers of oil and vinegar
Cause: The oil was added too quickly, or the mixture was not whisked vigorously enough to suspend the fat droplets
Fix: Place half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or warm water in a clean bowl. Slowly whisk the broken vinaigrette into the new bowl drop by drop until re-emulsified
Prevention: Drizzle the oil in drop by drop initially, progressing to a slow, steady stream only once an emulsion begins to form
Dressing tastes overly harsh or acidic
Cause: Vinegar is too sharp, or not enough oil was used to balance the acid
Fix: Whisk in an additional 15ml of olive oil, or a small pinch of sugar to round out the flavor
Prevention: Use a standard 1 part acid to 3 parts oil ratio, and measure ingredients accurately
Cultural Context
Vinaigrette is the foundational dressing of French culinary tradition, acting as a testament to the elegant simplicity of French technique. While combinations of oil and vinegar date back to antiquity, it was in French kitchens that the emulsion was refined into an exact science, utilizing mustard as a binding agent to create a perfectly suspended, harmonious sauce.
