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Let’s be honest: Life rarely seems to slow down. Grabbing a bottle of your favorite salad dressing at the grocery store is among life’s many conveniences.
But as with all things in life, there’s got to be some give and take. I started paying more attention to the preservatives and additives in our family’s food and decided the 10-15 minute it takes for me to whip up a salad dressing from scratch was worth it in order to put healthier ingredients in our salad bowls. Let me tell you about it.
Healthier ingredients, cost-effectiveness and the freshness factor are all important reasons to make homemade vinaigrettes, yet the idea of making salad dressings from scratch used to intimate me. I eventually how incredibly quick and easy it is to create fresh, delicious homemade vinaigrettes that can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week! It’s been a real gamechanger and I’ve never looked back.
These days, making homemade dressings is a part of my weekly meal prep process. If you’re a newbie to fresh, healthy, homemade vinaigrettes let’s get you started with a creamy Dijon dressing I think you’re going to love.
Creamy Herb-Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients
The recipe ingredients for this homemade vinaigrette recipe are short and simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Raw, organic honey
- Garlic
- Fresh herbs of your choice, such as dill, Italian parsley, thyme, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, basil and tarragon.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Light oil of your choice, such as grapeseed, avocado or extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper
Recipe Modifications and Dietary Considerations
This homemade Dijon vinaigrette recipe is sugar-free, low-sodium, naturally gluten-free and is considered a plant-forward and vegetarian recipe.
I’ve included a few relevant notes below.
Low-Sodium: While the ingredients list for this Dijon salad dressing recipe does not include salt, there are trace amounts of sodium in some vegetables as well as in Dijon mustard. That said, this recipe was intentionally created without salt. For this reason, we consider it a low-sodium salad dressing.
Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. If you choose not to use raw, organic honey you will want to check the label. Some processed honey brands may contain gluten.
Vegan: This vegetarian salad dressing can easily be modified for a vegan lifestyle. Simply replace the honey with agave nectar or maple syrup.
Oil-Free: This vinaigrette recipe can be made without oil without compromising on taste. It’s on the intense side without the oil there to help balance the flavor, so try adding water by the tablespoon until the flavor is to your liking.
You can also use about 1/4 cup of smashed avocado for an ultra creamy and delicious oil-free salad dressing. Use an immersion blender to achieve that extra creamy texture.
This Creamy Herb-Dijon Vinaigrette recipe is as easy as it is versatile. It leans on pantry staples you probably already have in your fridge. Prepare your own combination of fresh herbs for a Dijon dressing that can also be drizzled on wraps, salads, roasted vegetables, salmon, grilled chicken or even pan-seared pork chops.
Have fun, get creative and then let me know your favorite homemade vinaigrette recipes in the comments!
Enjoy!
Creamy Herb-Dijon Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup mixed fresh herbs
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons light oil such as extra-virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil or avocado oil
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small electric food chopper, puree the first six ingredients (through lemon juice) until herbs and garlic are finely chopped and the liquid is emulsified. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until creamy, about 30-45 seconds.
Excellent salad dressing recipe. Exactly what I was looking for. I served with salad of spinach, arugula, tomato, red onion, scallion, grated romano. I only had natural maple syrup, which I used. I’ll try this same recipe when I’ve got honey as recipe was originally written.
Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Your salad sounds delicious, too. Maple syrup is a wonderful substitute for honey, and I’m glad you were able to use what you had on hand.