Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing

Red wine vinegar is one of my favourite vinegars to use – it has a really unique taste! I always have a jar in my fridge – not just for salad dressing, but I also love it for sautéing veggies.

Because it’s made from red wine (grapes), it has a punchy, tangy, fruity flavour compared to other vinegars. Other words to describe its taste are “acidic,” “loud,” and “fuller bodied.”

Compared to white wine vinegar, it’s not as light and delicate. Compared to balsamic vinegar, it is much less sweet.

Want more dietitian-designed salad dressing recipes? Check out my roundup of healthy homemade sauces + dressings for more ideas!

Curious what type of salad to serve this red wine vinaigrette with? Here are some perfect pairings:

1. Salad greens, like chard, dandelion, spinach, romaine, and kale
2. Veggies like green beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, beets, and bell peppers
3. Greek salads with cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, olives, and feta
4. Italian salads or cold pasta salads
5. Salads with croutons (like these homemade sourdough croutons)
6. Salads with stronger herbs, like oregano, parsley, or thyme
7. Salads topped with red meat, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs
8. Heartier salads with ingredients like roasted/grilled veggies and proteins, whole grains (like quinoa or farro), or steamed potatoes
9. Salads with cheese in them, like feta, goat cheese, mozarella or parmesan

All you need to make this basic red wine vinaigrette recipe are 5 simple ingredients, plus optional dried herbs if desired:

1. Olive oil: A high-quality extra virgin olive oil provides a source of heart-healthy fats that helps to make a salad more filling and satisfying, while also helping your body to absorb any fat-soluble nutrients in the salad itself.
2. Red wine vinegar: You’ll find red wine vinegar in the oil + vinegar aisle at your local grocery store. There are SO many different brands out there, and what’s available to you will likely vary depending on where you live. Once opened, I recommend storing the bottle in the fridge to extend its shelf life and prevent oxidation.
3. Honey: Choose a more liquid honey that will easily mix into this dressing, versus one that is too hard! If you’d like to make this recipe vegan, simply swap honey with maple syrup.
4. Dijon mustard: Mustard helps to emulsify and thicken a salad dressing. I personally used a smooth/creamy (versus grainy) dijon that is milder in taste (not too spicy), as we don’t want the mustard flavour to be too overpowering here.
5. Garlic powder: I like the way garlic powder integrates smoothly into salad dressing, but you could use freshly minced garlic cloves as well (they will give a punchier, more garlicky flavour).
6. Optional: While not completely necessary, I LOVE adding some dried oregano, thyme, or other Italian seasonings whenever I make this red wine vinaigrette. These seasonings pair so well and add an extra layer of flavour.

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Below are 4 recipes from the blog that use this red wine vinaigrette dressing! It’s clearly one of my favourite dressings to make and use.

Kale pasta salad with sundried tomatoes, red peppers, and parmesan.

Stuffed delicata squash with quinoa, kale, pomegranate, and goat cheese.

• Miso Salad Dressing With Sesame & Ginger
• Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
• Go-To Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Creamy Balsamic Dressing With Tahini
• Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing

Did you give this Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

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