This red wine vinaigrette recipe is better than any store-bought salad dressing! Zippy, bright, and balanced, it's easy to make in 5 minutes.
Meet my go-to red wine vinaigrette recipe! Made with basic ingredients like olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey, this 5-minute salad dressing has a delicious balanced flavor. It’s tangy, savory, and a tiny bit sweet—so much better than any bottled dressing you can get at the store.
I’ve been slowly perfecting this red wine vinaigrette recipe over the last few years. When I first started making it, I used too much vinegar, giving the dressing an overly-acidic punch. I gradually tempered it with more oil, honey, and mustard to create a smooth, emulsified texture and complex flavor that I absolutely love.
These days, this red wine vinaigrette recipe is on repeat in my kitchen. I drizzle it over any and every salad, use it as a marinade, and more. I hope you love having it in your back pocket too!
Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this classic red wine vinaigrette recipe:
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It gives the dressing body, richness, and fruity depth of flavor.
- Red wine vinegar – It adds bold, tangy flavor. I also love a variation made with half lemon juice and half vinegar.
- Honey – Its sweetness balances the sharpness of the vinegar. If you’re vegan, feel free to substitute maple syrup or sugar.
- Dijon mustard – It emulsifies the dressing, giving it a very lightly creamy texture. It also adds peppery flavor and brings out the vinegar’s acidity.
- Garlic – For sharp, savory flavor.
- Dried oregano – It adds a lovely herbal note. Other dried herbs would be great here too. Feel free to substitute dried thyme or Italian seasoning. You could even use finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary!
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make a Red Wine Vinaigrette
This red wine vinaigrette dressing comes together in less than 5 minutes!
Just combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Another option is to place the ingredients in a Mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well combined. So easy!
Before you use the dressing, taste it and adjust the ratios to your liking. Add more vinegar to make it tangier or more oil or honey if you find it too sharp.
- Tip: Try tasting it on a lettuce leaf or another salad ingredient. This will give you a better idea of what the dressing will taste like on your salad than you’d get from trying it straight off a spoon.
How to Use This Red Wine Vinaigrette
With its bold, sweet, tangy flavor, this homemade red wine vinaigrette is delicious on so many different types of salad! Try it on…
- green salads like my Simple Green Salad or Italian Chopped Salad
- pasta salads like my Easy Pasta Salad or Orzo Salad
- bean salads like my Lentil Salad or Chickpea Salad
You can also use it on fillings for sandwiches and wraps. Try it instead of the Caesar dressing on these Caesar salad wraps!
I love it drizzled over grilled and roasted veggies too. For a delicious summer side dish, spoon it over these grilled tomatoes and top with shaved Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese and a little fresh parsley or basil.
How do you like to use this dressing? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store
Store this red wine vinegar dressing in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
The olive oil will solidify in the fridge. Don’t worry if you see this—it’s totally normal and doesn’t mean the dressing has gone bad! Just let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so, and it will become liquid again. Give the dressing a quick shake or whisk to fully combine the ingredients before using.
More Homemade Salad Dressings to Try
If you love this easy red wine vinaigrette, try one of these homemade salad dressing recipes next:
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Homemade Italian Dressing
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- â…“ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to combine.
This is so simple and delicious! It will be a regular dressing for our salad loving family!
What kind of red wine vinegar do you use? The watery kind or the really thick kind? Balsamic, or just basic?
Hi Jules, we just use a basic red wine vinegar for this recipe. Watery, not thick. I hope this helps!