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    You are Here: Masala Herb » Recipes » Dressing

    French Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

    May 13, 2025 by Helene Dsouza

    13.0K shares
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    • Bluesky
    Helene Dsouza
    5 mins to make this classic french vinaigrette.
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    5 servings
    RECIPE
    salad sauce
    mustard with vinegar and oil

    Our homemade Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette dressing, prepared without any special kitchen tools (no immersion blender).

    I share our authentic easy french recipe so that you can make it from scratch at home within 5 minutes with just 5 ingredients!

    French Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing cover image
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    This is a healthier salad dressing. It doesn't include sugar, artificial ingredients, or dairy products.

    It's vegan, low-carb, and gluten-free, and it's great if you are on a low-calorie diet, and you want to lose weight.

    Jump to:
    • What is a Vinaigrette?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make it?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Storing
    • Types of Vinaigrette in France
    • Use and Serving
    • FAQs
    • More Vinaigrette Dressings
    • 💬 Comments

    What is a Vinaigrette?

    A vinaigrette is a salad dressing commonly prepared in France. Oil, vinegar, salt, and optionally mustard, make up a good vinaigrette emulsion.

    Vinaigrette was popularized in France. The word contains the French word vinegar, vinaigre.

    The perfect ratio is ⅓ of vinegar and ⅔ oil for this homemade salad dressing.

    Dijon's mustard doesn't only enhance the flavors of your mustard dressing but also helps to make it creamy because the mustard paste is an emulsifier.

    homemade mustard vinaigrette

    Ingredients

    • Vinegar — White vinegar, apple cider vinegar or also flavored vinegars.
    • Dijon Mustard — A yellow smooth ground yellow mustard paste, originally from Dijon, France.
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper — Ground
    • Oil — Oils such as extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil. Cold-pressed oils tend to make a better dressing.

    How to make it?

    Here is an overview of how this Dijon vinaigrette recipe comes together. The full recipe is located further below in the recipe card.

    Step 1

    Add salt, pepper, and mustard paste to the vinegar.

    season vinegar and add mustard

    Step 2

    Mix/Shake it all up to create a smooth blend.

    shake it up

    Step 3

    Now pour in the oil.

    Mix/Shake it all again until you have a smooth vinaigrette.

    pour in oil and mix again

    📖 Recipe

    salad sauce

    Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

    5 mins to make this classic french vinaigrette.
    4.68 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 196kcal
    Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup Vinegar *see Notes
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • Black Pepper Ground to taste
    • ½ cup Olive Oil *see Notes
    US - Metric

    Instructions

    • Pour vinegar into a salad dressing shaker or small bottle.
    • Add salt and black pepper. Also, add in the dijon mustard paste.
    • Close with the lid and shake so that the ingredients are well combined.
    • Open again and pour in all the oil.
    • Close the bottle with the lid and shake one last time. Shake until well combined. The dressing should look smooth.
    • Store in the fridge until further use or use dressing straightaway as is over your salad.

    Notes

    1. I like to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You can use synthetic vinegar too or other flavors vinegars.
    2. I use olive oil but you are free to use safflower oil or sunflower oil instead.
    3. Please use only french style dijon mustard.
    Tip: We mix the vinegar, salt, blakc pepper and mustard first without the oil so that the ingredients get mixed up better. The oil is always added at the end, that way the dressing won't seperate when it sits around.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 196 Calories from Fat 198
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 22g34%
    Saturated Fat 3g15%
    Sodium 267mg11%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Storing

    I think the best way to make and store the dressing is in a small glass bottle or in a salad shaker bottle.

    That way you just need to fill the bottle, shake it and it's ready.

    Keep your bottle with the dressing in the fridge until further use.

    The dressing will last 2–3 weeks refrigerated, but use it up by that time.

    Freezing

    You don't need to freeze your dressing because it remains good in the fridge and because making it from scratch will take you only 5 minutes.

    Defrosting and thawing your vinaigrette would take longer and is not recommended.

    shaking vinaigrette

    Types of Vinaigrette in France

    Saffola Oil, Sunflower oil or even olive oil are a good choice for a basic vinegar dressing.

    I usually use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar to make this salad dressing.

    In northern France, they like to combine walnut oil with apple cider vinegar.

    In southern France, Lemon juice is used instead of vinegar, in combination with olive oil. Making it a Mediterranean vinaigrette dressing.

    A mustard vinaigrette in France is traditionally prepared with classic Dijon mustard, but you can use other French mustard too, such as whole grain mustard or flavored mustards (like the ones from Edmont Fallot)

    Here are some more types and ideas. Use the following ingredients:

    • with infused vinegar — Raspberry vinegar or herb-infused DIY vinegar.
    • with boiled cut egg — to serve with cooked leeks and boiled potatoes
    • with honey — for a sweeter salad dressing.
    french vinaigrette in a bottle
    vinaigrette poured over lettuce

    Use and Serving

    Use your vinaigrette as a classic salad dressing with a simple green lettuce salad or with tomatoes, cabbage, cooked cauliflower or broccoli.

    I like in with a green bean salad too, and in northern France we make a fresh endive salad tossed with this dressing.

    You can also use various green lettuce varieties such as field salad.

    Or how about quinoa, ebly instant wheat berry or couscous salad with your homemade vinaigrette?

    Besides salads, a good mustard vinaigrette can be served as a sauce too with cooked asparagus, artichokes, smoked salmon, steamed or boiled fish and even with fresh oysters.

    FAQs

    How to make your vinaigrette less acidic?

    The ratio, as described in this recipe, is perfect as is. However, if you still taste it as acidic, I recommend adding small quantities of water. Keep in mind that certain vinegar varieties tend to be more acidic than others too.

    Why does my vinaigrette separate?

    Vinaigrette is made of oil and vinegar and when it sits around it will separate. This is normal and you just need to shape it up. Yet, your dressing will not separate if you add dijon mustard to it because it's an emulsifier.

    Why is my vinaigrette so thick?

    Your vinegar and oil salad sauce will get thick when it has been cooled in your fridge. Just shake it up or leave it out and it will become more liquid again.

    More Vinaigrette Dressings

    • Mango Vinaigrette
    • Lemon Vinaigrette
    • 4 Ingredient Vinaigrette
    French Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing pin image
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    I am Helene, and I created Masala Herb in 2011. Here you will learn to cook with spices and herbs. I share from scratch, international food recipes and my mission is to teach you to cook flavorful food at home. Read More…

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    Comments

      4.68 from 25 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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    1. SJ says

      February 06, 2025 at 3:07 am

      5 stars
      Such a simple yet tasty dressing! I used half the salt but otherwise stuck to the recipe as written. I use about a tablespoon of dressing per individual salad, so for me this made around 15-16 servings. I will definitely make it again.

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        February 07, 2025 at 8:53 am

        Amazing, happy to hear that you love the dressing. Yes, the serving quantity depends on how much you pour over your salad. I like my salad soggy, so I use more.

        Reply
    2. B.Wilson says

      May 29, 2021 at 9:45 am

      Could you use avocado oil?

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        May 30, 2021 at 3:57 pm

        Never tried but I think yes. Give it a go and please share the result with us.

        Reply
    3. Laura says

      November 10, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I had to use a deli style brown mustard with horseradish which I dont care for but, with the oil and acv, which I REALLY like, it blended out beautifully.

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        November 12, 2020 at 2:59 pm

        Sounds like a German or Austrian mustard paste. Glad that it turned out great with that mustard. Thanks for sharing this with us Laura. 🙂

        Reply
      • Lisa T. says

        March 18, 2021 at 11:28 pm

        4 stars
        I see the calories & nutritional info per serving. But what is a serving? 1 or 2 tablespoons?

        Reply
        • Helene Dsouza says

          March 19, 2021 at 8:52 am

          A serving is about 2 1/2 - 3 Tablespoons. The small bottle (200 ml) makes about 5 servings. These are estimates.

          Reply
    4. Michanne says

      August 26, 2020 at 1:07 am

      5 stars
      Perfect ratio, made it with shrimp & roasted pea salad, roasted it potatoes, and several other dishes, very versatile, thank you!

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        August 27, 2020 at 1:34 pm

        You are welcome Michanne, glad that you found a good use for the vinaigrette. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Revie says

      August 25, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      How many days will this vinaigrette last refrigerated? Can I also just store it in the shelf?

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        August 25, 2020 at 4:07 pm

        Hi Revie, in the fridge, it will keep well for weeks. It's oil, vinegar, and mustard. These are all ingredients that keep well on the shelf too. So, theoretically, you could keep it out for at least a week if the room environment is cool and dry (non tropical climate).

        Reply
    6. Kathryn says

      August 24, 2020 at 12:58 am

      5 stars
      I used strawberry balsamic vinegar and ths was delicious on an orzo\veggie salad! Thank you for the recipe😁😁

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        August 24, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        Great flavor idea! Will try that next. 🙂 thanks for the inspiration, Kathryn.

        Reply
    7. Laura says

      February 22, 2020 at 1:13 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe and so wonderful!!

      Reply
      • Helene Dsouza says

        February 22, 2020 at 6:46 am

        Thanks for your feedback Laura.

        Reply

    Welcome

    Hi there! I'm Helene and here you will learn how to cook with spices and herbs. Discover global food and learn to season your food like a pro. Read more about my work and mission or head over to my food ingredient space, Unknownbite.com, and our travel space, Paulmarina.com!

    More About Me ->








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