Elegant and versatile Champagne Vinaigrette adds the perfect finishing touch to any green salad. It's made in minutes with just a few simple ingredients that you may even keep on hand.
I can't remember when I stopped buying grocery store salad dressings. If you buy them now, I'll warn you that once you start making your own, you'll never go back to store bought. They're expensive, often have sub-optimal ingredients, and can taste a little off when you're used to homemade dressings.
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Ingredients You Need to Make Champagne Vinaigrette
- Champagne Vinegar: You can also use white wine vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard: Smooth and creamy, adds excellent flavor and helps the dressing emulsify.
- Honey: For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead.
- Shallot: Shallot adds just the right amount of gentle heat.
- Olive Oil: As with all homemade salad dressings, it's best to use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
- Fine Sea Salt: Or kosher salt, to taste.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
What is Champagne Vinegar?
The key ingredient here is champagne vinegar. It lends a bright and tangy flavor to salad dressing with a milder flavor and less acidity than standard white vinegar. As the name implies, it's made from champagne that is aged and fermented.
Here's why this vinaigrette is so versatile.
No matter what kind of green salad you’re making, champagne vinaigrette is a beautiful way to tie your salad ingredients together. It equally complements sturdy greens like kale and tender greens like spinach or arugula. It mellows sharply flavored salad ingredients like red onion and shallot and accentuates rich flavors like avocado, nuts, and cheese. And, tossed with greens (as in my Little Gem Salad), it adds bright contrast served with deeply savory dishes like Coq au Vin Blanc or Chicken Ballotine, or with rich sides like Gratin Dauphinois.
Champagne vinaigrette is a perfect fit for your lunch or dinner salads if you’re following a dairy free or gluten-free diet. Because of the honey it’s not vegan, but that's easily remedied by swapping it out for maple syrup or fruity, floral pomegranate molasses.
If you haven't made your own dressing before, try this Champagne Vinaigrette recipe out for your next salad. I bet you'll never go back to store bought dressing!
More Homemade Salad Dressings to Try
- French Vinaigrette (A simple and versatile salad dressing!)
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette (Bright dressing with zing that goes with everything.)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (Honey sweetened and just 5 simple ingredients.)
- Strawberry Vinaigrette (Made with fresh strawberries and strawberry preserves.)
- Caesar Dressing (The ultimate homemade dressing for the classic salad that everyone loves!)
- Homemade Ranch Dressing (Made with sour cream and fresh herbs - no mayo!)
How to Make Champagne Vinaigrette
Step 1: Combine vinegar, mustard, honey and shallot in a blender pitcher; blend until smooth.
Step 2: With the blender running, add olive oil in a steady stream and blend until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use, then drizzle over your favorite salads!
Champagne Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small shallot coarsely chopped
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt or fine sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- To a blender pitcher add vinegar, mustard, honey, and shallot; blend until smooth, scraping down sides with rubber spatula as necessary.
- With blender running, add olive oil in a steady stream; blend until just emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper, blending to combine. Transfer to serving pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- If olive oil solidifies in refrigerator; remove 15-30 minutes before serving to warm and liquify. Whisk vinaigrette to combine before serving.
- Makes about 1 cup or 8, 2-tablespoon servings. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Hey Marissa,
No shallot on hand. Can I sub out for minced red onion and/or garlic?
Hi Christina! Red onion will stand in nicely...just more 'oniony' than a shallot, so you may want to reduce the amount slightly.
Really tasty and much healthier than my favorite shelf brand, Girard's. I so appreciate this. It's fast and easy, too!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Meri!
I like to add this to a baked salmon over butter crunch lettuce. Add feta or blue cheese if desired!
Sounds wonderful, Cat!
I just made this for the first time and it may very well be the tastiest vinaigrette recipe I have ever made. Thanks for a terrific recipe.
aww, my pleasure, Heather! So glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely the BEST!!! Everyone raved about the flavors
Hi Paige! I'm so glad that this was a hit. Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Loved this vinaigrette. It is the best. How long does it last in the fridge? Thanks. Lou
Hi Lou! So glad you enjoyed this - it will last up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (I've added this info. to the recipe card too - thank you for asking about it!)
Bought Champagne Vinegar by mistake so I found this recipe online and tried it and it is now one of my favorites …I think I added a bit more honey.
So glad you're enjoying this, Sue!
If champagne vinegar is key ingredient, why do you say ok to sub white wine vinegar?
Hi Jane. I like to offer recipe options that allow readers to use ingredients they have on hand. In this recipe, white wine vinegar still makes a delicious vinaigrette.
Girl, this recipe is phenomenal! so versatile but super crisp, bright and delicious. I am a professional chef and have to tell you that this is a winner! Thanks for sharing!
aww...you made my day, Claudia!
Can a recovering alcoholic use champagne vinegar?
Hi there, Arlene! From what I've read there is very little alcohol if any left in Champagne vinegar (<2%). That said, if you're concerned, apple cider vinegar would also be delicious.
Would avocado oil work?
Hi Christina! Sure, just note that avocado oil is a neutrally flavored oil. You'll lose the grassy, peppery flavor of extra virgin olive oil, but the vinaigrette will still be tasty!
If I added1 clove of garlic would it ruin the flavor?
Hi there, Jeanette! It will change the flavor for sure, but if you're a garlic lover, I say go for it. I'd start by adding half a clove of garlic and add more if the flavor isn't quite what you're looking for. I hope that helps!
This is such an amazing recipe! Quick question: how long does this keep in the fridge? I made a batch a while ago and we haven't been as good as we should have been about eating salads lately! I wasn't sure if I should just toss it and make another batch 🙂
I'm so glad you're enjoying the vinaigrette! It will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Champagne vinegar is so lovely and light. This is a wonderful vinaigrette. I’m with you - I don’t buy dressings of any kind. I grew up with oil and vinegar, and was used to the “purity” of those ingredients. If you ever have champagne leftover, you can reduce it, add a milk vinegar like a rice wine vinegar, and make your own champagne vinaigrette!
Such a great tip, Mimi. Thank you! I still love a simple oil and vinegar on greens too.
I love homemade dressings too Marissa and will most definitely be giving this one a try! Looks delicious!
That's so nice to hear, Mary Ann. Thank you!
Marissa,
I loved your presentation. I'm sure this vinaigrette finishes off any meal with a zing and how simple the home dressings are if we know the right ingredients. Love the very look of it. Thanks
Thanks so much, Hasin!
Nothing compares to homemade dressings - they just taste so much better... scratch that, they actually HAVE taste and flavor, right!? I love champagne vinaigrette, it really is the perfect versatile dressing. Your's looks heavenly delicious! Honestly, I may just drink this up with a straw! 🙂 Yummy!
aww...thank you, Cheyanne!
I don't remember when we bought a salad dressing last time, either! In fact, we rarely put a dressing on our salads; a little drizzle of oil or/and balsamic (lemon) does the job! But this champagne vinaigrette sounds so delicious (yet light and refreshing) that I might give it a try!
We do that a lot too, Ben! That said, I do hope you'll give this a try. 😉
Homemade vinaigrette and dressings are seriously the best! Love how you can control what's in there! I've been eating so many salads lately and will have to give this vinaigrette a try next time. Looks and sounds yummy 🙂
Yay! Thank you, Dawn.
I totally agree with you, Marissa! Once you go to homemade dressings, you can't go back to the bottled ones! (I mean the bottled ones are convenient still, but homemade taste SO much better.) I don't think I've ever made champagne vinaigrette at home...but there's a first time for everything!
I hope you'll love it, David!
Dressing makes the salad! I would eat any salad if this Champagne vinaigrette is served 🙂
That's so sweet, Angie. Thank you!