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Essential Sauces for Everyday
Recipe
10 min

Foolproof Vinaigrette

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Foolproof Vinaigrette
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 10, 2024

Basic vinaigrette has a fundamental problem: It doesn’t stay together. We sought a way to make oil and vinegar form a long-term bond.

Time

10 min

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 1/4 cup, enough to for 8 to 10 cups of greens)

Why This Recipe Works

To come up with a well-balanced vinaigrette recipe that wouldn’t separate, we chose high-end oil and vinegar and whisked them together with a little mayonnaise, which acts as an emulsifier. All we had to do to finish our perfect vinaigrette recipe was choose the flavoring ingredients.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons very finely minced shallot
½ teaspoon regular or light mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅛ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.
    Recipe Tip
    Red wine, white wine, or champagne vinegar will work in this recipe; however, it is important to use high-quality ingredients.
  2. Place oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.
    Recipe Tip
    This vinaigrette works with nearly any type of green. For a hint of garlic flavor, rub the inside of the salad bowl with a clove of garlic before adding the lettuce.

My Rating

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Foolproof Vinaigrette

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 10, 2024

Time

10 min

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 1/4 cup, enough to for 8 to 10 cups of greens)

Foolproof Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wine vinegar1 ½ teaspoons very finely minced shallot½ teaspoon regular or light mayonnaise½ teaspoon Dijon mustard⅛ teaspoon table salt3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.
    Recipe Tip
    Red wine, white wine, or champagne vinegar will work in this recipe; however, it is important to use high-quality ingredients.
  2. Place oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.
    Recipe Tip
    This vinaigrette works with nearly any type of green. For a hint of garlic flavor, rub the inside of the salad bowl with a clove of garlic before adding the lettuce.
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