Champagne Vinaigrette

Elegant and versatile Champagne Vinaigrette adds the perfect finishing touch to any green salad. It’s silky smooth and made in 10 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.

We eat salads all year long and always have a few homemade versions to choose from, and this one is almost always one of them. No matter what kind of salad I’m making, this vinaigrette has a way of tying it 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 when served with deeply savory dishes like Coq au Vin Blanc or French Onion Soup, or with rich sides like Brabant Potatoes or Gratin Dauphinois.

“My favorite recipe for Champagne Vinaigrette! Delicious.”

Deidre Oliver

Recipe at a Glance

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup
• Skill level: Easy

Ingredients for Champagne Vinaigrette

• 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 wine vinegar. As the name implies, it’s made from champagne that is aged and fermented.
• 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

How to Make Champagne Vinaigrette

Combine vinegar, mustard, honey and shallot in a blender pitcher; blend until smooth.

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!

How to Store

Store this vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If it solidifies, just let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes and give it a good shake (or whisk) to emulsify before using.