Tired of those store bought dressings that taste like a generic, one-size-fits-all afterthought? Add a burst of flavor to your next salad with my favorite sweet vinaigrette salad dressing recipe.
I love homemade vinaigrettes because I can control the ingredients and the flavor. If I’m craving a bit more tang or sweetness, I can adjust as needed.
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Basic Vinaigrette Ingredients
Vinaigrettes use simple ingredients and are a breeze to make. They turn ordinary greens and vegetables into something you want to eat again and again.
Most vinaigrettes use a ratio of 3:1 for oil and vinegar. I use red wine vinegar in this recipe because it plays off the sweetness, but you can experiment with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar as well.
Maple Shallot Vinaigrette is one of my favorite sweet vinaigrettes. Here’s what you’ll need:
- maple syrup
- red wine vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- minced shallot
- garlic clove
- salt and pepper
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Steps to Make Homemade Vinaigrette
I could show you a bunch of process photos here, but truly all you are going to do is add in the ingredients and mix them up. I keep it very simple by adding them to a Mason jar and then shaking them up.
Combining the ingredients in a blender or using a whisk also works just fine.
How to Store Vinaigrette Dressing
I love to mix my homemade dressing in Mason jars because I only need one dish. Vinaigrettes can be stored for up to two weeks in the fridge. Simply shake it back up when you want to use it again.
Note: If you change vinaigrette recipes by adding fresh herbs or fruits, the safe storage time decreases to just a few days.
Green Salad Recipes
Vinaigrettes can be used on all kinds of salads. I like to use sweeter vinaigrettes on sweeter salads that include fruits such as strawberries or blueberries. Heartier greens such as salads with kale call for a bit more zing.
Try these other salads and dressings a try as well:
- Blueberry, Cashew, and Feta Salad
- Brussels Sprout Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing
- This Garlic & Herb Keto Salad Dressing is Better than Ranch
- Southwest Chicken Salad with Roasted Poblano Dressing
This maple and shallot vinaigrette is a hit with my family. We’ve loved it on everything from this salad above with mixed greens with pomegranate seeds, almonds, and coconut strips to a kitchen sink chopped salad with all kinds of veggies.
Maple Shallot Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- 2. Add to your favorite salad and enjoy!
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Nicky, this dressing looks so good. The store dressings are loaded with so many ingredients that don’t fit our real food diet so I started to make my own. This dressing is sure to be a hit. I never thought to use maple syrup. Maybe, just maybe………my kids will eat more salad because of this dressing. Thanks so much for sharing it with our Let’s Get Real readers. I am proud to call you my friend.
Happy to share as always dear. I agree with you on the store bought dressings. Homemade is healthier and less expensive than anything store bought. If this dressing can get my youngest to eat his salad, you know it’s really good. He’s my picky eater. Let me know how the kids like it.
The maple is a nice twist from the ordinary. I like that is eliminates the need for refined sugars.