White Wine Vinaigrette Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of oil to vinegar when making a vinaigrette? ›

Here is a perfect example of a culinary ratio, one that's fairly standard: The 3-to-1 vinaigrette, or 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar.

Mix the wine and starter together.

If you're using a live vinegar, add 3 tablespoons of vinegar for every cup of wine. If you're using a mother, follow the instructions on the package. Otherwise, add the mother to the wine and gently mix it in.

The most common emulsifiers in your kitchen are likely egg yolks, mayonnaise, prepared mustard (preferably Dijon), honey, and tomato paste (though I'm not a fan of raw tomato paste, the flavor works quite well in a vinaigrette). For a more neutral flavor, use mayonnaise.

The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For my personal taste, that's a little too oily — but it's totally up to you.

Vinegar/Water Ratios

As a general rule, most natural cleaning experts suggest mixing one part vinegar to one part water.

Depending on how much you use red wine vinegar, you may want to make a smaller batch. Reduce the wine and raw vinegar as desired, retaining the ratio of one part vinegar to three to four parts wine (for instance, 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 1/2 cups wine for a 2-cup batch).

Add the bottle of wine, cover pot or barrel with their lids and keep in a warm place for 2-4 weeks. 3. Now check to see if a mother has formed and taste to see if the wine has turned into vinegar. If it has, siphon some it off and use for a salad dressing or in your cooking and then replace with some more wine.

Vinegar mother is just bacteria that feeds on alcoholic liquids, and the fact that one developed in your vinegar just means that there were some sugars or alcohol that weren't completely fermented in the vinegar process.

How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last? Traditional vinaigrettes, like the balsamic version listed below, will last longer—sometimes up to a few weeks. However, anything with fresh garlic should be consumed within a few days, as the combination of garlic and oil can form harmful bacteria over time.

Why does my homemade vinaigrette taste bitter? ›

CD Kitchen explains that subpar vinegars can create bitter, harsh vinaigrettes. Adding too much vinegar (or lemon juice) can also muck up the acid-to-oil ratio, creating a dressing that's simply too strong for the greens. If this happens, add a pinch of baking soda to quell the bitterness (via Wonder How-To).

An emulsifier is used in a vinaigrette to stabilize the oil and vinegar. Common emulsifiers include egg yolks, soy lecithin, and mustard. These ingredients all include lecithin--the stabilizing compound. In many vinaigrettes, mustard is the go-to stabilizer.

The constant whisking during this process breaks the oil into tiny droplets that become suspended, creating emulsified vinaigrette. When the vinaigrette is refrigerated, the extra virgin olive oil in it will cause the dressing to thicken, but because it's emulsified, it will still be fluid enough to pour and use.

*Did your vinaigrette solidify in the fridge? If you use a high quality olive oil (has a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats), it will solidify in the fridge. This is completely normal. Let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using or place in a warm water bath to speed up the process.

Traditional vinegar to oil ratio for vinaigrette

For a traditional vinaigrette, you'll need to mix about 3 tablespoons of oil to 1 tablespoon of vinegar. You'll also want to add some salt and pepper to taste. Of course, for all four ingredients, the better the quality you use, the better your vinaigrette will taste.

Ratio of Oil to Vinegar

The standard ratio for vinaigrettes is three parts oil to one part vinegar. But it's a flexible ratio, so use more vinegar if you like a tart dressing or more oil if you like it richer.

According to Hazan, "the acid of vinegar, like that of lemon, 'cooks' a salad, which explains why the oil is poured first, to protect the greens."

All good vinaigrettes are made from a combination of fat and acid. The most common ratios are 1:2 or 1:3 parts vinegar:oil. Only you—and your dining companions—know how acidic you prefer dressing.