When you have vinaigrette recipes memorized, you will eat well all summer long. This simple oil and vinegar concoction dresses up farmers market green salads, roasted vegetables and grain bowls. An easy lemon mustard vinaigrette turns plain chicken breasts into a tasty, summer fresh meal.
Here are three of my favorite vinaigrette recipes. Get a jar and your measuring spoons for the first time you make them. After you learn the ratio of ingredients, you’ll be shaking up your own vinaigrettes for the rest of the summer.
Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
This simple dressing is delicious on green salads. For a main dish salad, chop grilled or poached chicken breasts and toss with a bit of vinaigrette before adding to the salad.
Yield: ¾ cup vinaigrette (about 6 servings)
1 shallot, finely chopped (or about 3 tablespoons chopped shallot)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, optional
1/3 to ½ cup good olive oil
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, place shallot, garlic, salt, mustard, lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Close jar and shake shake shake until ingredients are combined.
When you’re ready to dress your salad, add olive oil and freshly ground pepper and shake again. Store leftover vinaigrette in refrigerator for up to a week.
Tip: Add a tablespoon of honey or agave syrup for a honey-mustard vinaigrette.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Tangy balsamic vinaigrette shines in a green salad, either lettuce or kale, with fruit like red grapes, strawberries or dried cranberries. Add goat cheese or feta crumbles for a creamy counterpart.
Yield: 1 cup (about 8 servings)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup olive oil
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper. Close jar and shake shake shake.
When you’re ready to dress your salad, add olive oil, close jar and shake again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to a week.
Farmers Market Vinaigrette for Two
Mix this vinaigrette on Tuesday nights when you bring home fresh salad greens and herbs from the farmers market. Make it your own with fresh chopped herbs like basil or thyme. I use this vinaigrette on a salad made with kale, topped with croutons from Lucky Seventh sourdough and a jammy egg.
Yield: ¼ cup (2 servings)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, couple grinds
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and shake shake shake. When you’re ready to dress the salad, add olive oil to the jar and shake until emulsified. You can refrigerate leftovers for up to a week.
I recommend taking pieces of farmers market sourdough bread and sopping up any remaining vinaigrette.
Read More About Church Street Farmers Market
Church Street Farmers Market in Douglasville, Georgia, opens May 30. Learn more about my favorite farmers market in this guest post by Keep Douglasville Beautiful Director Chan Weeks.
Lucky Seventh Baker’s sourdough breads are featured at the Church Street Farmers Market. Check out the story behind the bread in this guest post by Anna Thornton.
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