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Classic French Vinaigrettes 4 Ways

A few variations of Julia Child's Classic French Vinaigrette. Perfect to dress any salad.

All vinaigrette recipes shown yield about 1/2 cup.

Course Sauces
Cuisine French
Keyword Classic French Vinaigrette, Oil and Vinegar Sauces, Simple Salad Dressing
Author The Tiny Fairy

Ingredients

Julia Child's Classic French Vinaigrette

  • ½-2 Tablespoons good wine vinegar or mixture of vinegar and lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
  • 6 Tablespoons salad oil or olive oil
  • Big pinch of black pepper
  • Optional: 1-2 Tablespoons minced herbs such as parsley, chives, tarragon, basil or pinch of dry herbs

Classic Vinaigrette with Garlic (southern France)

  • 1 teaspoon garlic, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

  • ½-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 Tablespoons olive oil
  • pinch of black pepper

Classic Vinaigrette with Shallots (Food & Wine)

  • 2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ½ Tablespoon shallots, finely minced
  • ½ Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ⅓ cup good olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Same Instructions For All Four Recipes

  1. Add ingredients to a screw-top jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

Recipe Notes

Dry herbs are more intense in flavor than fresh herbs.  If you are using dry herbs, add a pinch at a time until the vinaigrette is to your liking.    If using fresh herbs, follow Julia's recommendation of 1-2 Tablespoons.