A classic French Salad Dressing is a dressing that everyone should know. It’s simple to make and lasts for 2 weeks so it’s a great standby – make a big batch! All you need are some crisp leafy greens, toss it in a French Salad Dressing and you have yourself an instant side salad!
I think a French Vinaigrette is the very first salad dressing recipe I learned to make properly. When I say “properly”, I mean more than just drizzling a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil over greens. Which there’s nothing wrong with doing, and I still certainly do that! I mean actually making a real proper salad dressing. I think this was my first. 🙂
The thing many people may not know about French Salad Dressings is that it keeps really well for up to 2 weeks. Yes it has eschalots (the small onions, also known as French shallots in Australia, or shallots in America). But it continues to flavour the dressing for around 2 weeks, and it doesn’t go bad. Unlike garlic which does. Very important cooking trivia – fresh garlic, once chopped or minced, goes bad after a few days and can cause a nasty form of food poisoning called botulism. I’m referring here to raw garlic. Cooked and dried garlic is ok. Query store bought garlic – I’m not entirely sure but would personally not risk it.
So because a classic French Vinaigrette does not have garlic in it, it’s fine to keep! And unlike garlic, eschalots and onion keep for weeks in oil. 🙂 So this French Vinaigrette will be just as tasty as the day you made it for up to 2 weeks. Beyond this I find the eschalots lose flavour power, but it’s still a tasty dressing.
This French Vinaigrette goes in my bucket of “recipes that everyone should know”. Definitely a classic to keep! – Nagi x
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French Salad Dressing (French Vinaigrette)
Ingredients
Big Batch to keep (1 cup)
- 1/4 cup eschalots / French shallots , finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar (or sherry or champagne vinegar)
- 4 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want richer)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Small batch (Side salad for 4 ppl)
- 1 tbsp eschalots / French shallots , finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp red or white wine vinegar (or sherry or champagne vinegar)
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil (I use 5 tbsp)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a jar and shake well until combined. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 5 minutes before using, or keep up to 2 weeks.
- Small Batch: Use to dress 4 handfuls of leafy greens.
Recipe Notes:
Don’t miss all the other Ready To Use Dressings I shared! These all last for 2+ weeks, most for 3 weeks.Find them all here.
I don’t typically cook with red or white wine vinegar. Can you explain the different tastes each might add to the dressing? I’ve been looking for a salad dressing recipe like this!
So much better than store bought. No chemicals or excessive fat and sodium. Just pure, lovely flavor. Made the recipe using tarragon along with shallots and mustard. Drizzled on a Niçoise salad with tuna. Tellement bon!
This is so simple and so amazing. Very easy to tweak using different mustard or adding some herbs. Never buying store bought again.
This is a really good basic dressing. I usually have a jar of it in the fridge. It gets pretty thick though so you need to remember to take it out of the fridge about 15 mins before you neef it.
How would I make this into a “lite version” for my diet? I am thinking maybe add water?
Thanks!
So good. I’ll never buy store bought dressing again.you are wonderful, Nagi.
This is a great quick dressing recipe to have on hand!
I have made 4 of these dressings and they are all fabulous!!!! We are eliminating chemicals and preservatives from our food and these are perfect! I do a lot of home canning, so am able to use my own home canned goodness since it is also preservative and chemical free!
So easy and simple. Love using the shallots and mason jar! No need for garlic
I hate heavy salad dressings; this one is perfect, light and so delicious. Now I can really enjoy my salad!
I’m so glad you loved it Martha!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for sharing your French salad dressing recipe. I didn’t realise it would be so easy to make and it tastes delicious. No more store bought salad dressing for me.
I have tried a few of your different recipes of yours and I like how you go through everything step by step so that even someone like me that is average at cooking can’t get it wrong.
Thanks so much for this recipe (and many others). I always put garlic into my dressings but gave yours a go with shallots. I blitzed it all in my Thermomix and it is wonderful!!
Perfect Mary! N x
My wife finds the dressing a wee bit acidy..just add brown sugar or sweet soy sauce. I am going to experiment and add some of my home grown Apache chillies chopped..I will give a heads up later..Great work Nagi !!!!
This dressing has become my go-to when I want a sharp contrast to a heavy dish. Love it on Greek salad, love it on a salad accompanying breakfast food, love it love it love it! When I don’t use this, I use your honey mustard dressing, also amazing–and so easy!
Always make my own French dressing & love trying different versions….i have yet to make one that tastes exactly like the one served in France as mine is always a bit too acidic – any tips??
Hi Linda! In France, they use more oil 🙂 And good oil, at that! N x
This is the second time i made this French dressings.
I ‘ll make it again and again.
Thanks Nagi and Dozer
That’s great to hear Ana!!
Thanks for the recipe I am going to make it this evening 🙂 i LOVE the little dressing bottles you have- can you share where those are from? Would love to have a couple on hand. Thanks much.
Dana, I see some on The Container Store website. They’ve got a few different ones. https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/food-storage/Glass/12l
I’ve had these a while, I’m sure you could purchase online ❤️
i looked online but I couldn’t fine them, do you know what company makes them? thank you!
This Italian product (shallot + white balsamic vinegar) is available in the US. It’s lovely.
http://www.lartedellolivo.com/White-Shallot-Balsamic-250ml-Aged-4-years_p_71.html
Thanks for the tip! 🙂 N x
Could I use DRIED shallots in the French Vinaigrette? I don’t have easy access to fresh but have a bunch of dried shallots in my cupboard. I expect they’d soften in liquid and still offer flavour…? If using dried, would I change the amount?
I often use an eschalot infused red wine vinegar from France when making a French dressing and find it an excellent compromise. I just substitute half of my wine vinegar with this one and it does a great job. I am in Canada so I have no idea if this vinegar would be easy to find in Australia but it is a very large company and I would be surprised if it was not available to you.
I also run out of Dijon mustard on occasion so I sometimes use dry powdered mustard in place of that. It makes a great binder and is milder tasting than Dijon. It is also easy to keep on hand and can be very useful in the kitchen.
I must admit I’ve never seen an escalot infused vinegar here in Australia but I love the idea and will keep an eye out for it. Thank you for the tip Robert! N xx
The company who makes it is a Canadian firm, Chef LeLarge, but the products are imported from France. They have a number of different flavoured vinegars. You could always send them a message and ask if their products are available in your part of the world.
You can find more info on their web site here: http://www.lelarge.ca/produits/vinaigres/vinaigre-de-vin-rouge-au-jus-echalote.en.html
Hmmm…. I think you could! I would use the same amount because the flavour is not quite as intense as fresh but I have a feeling that the longer it stays, the more it flavours the dressing. Just reduce the salt you add because dried shallots (at least in Australia) is salty. 🙂