Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
Updated November 21, 2022
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 heaping teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving
1 gram carbs; 197 calories; 16 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 70 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a container with a tight lid, preferably a glass jar, combine shallot, vinegar and mustard. Close tightly and shake well to mix. Add salt and pepper, and shake again.
- Step 2
Add olive oil ⅓ cup at a time, shaking very well after each addition, until smooth and emulsified (you may want to wrap a kitchen towel around the container, just in case). Taste and add more olive oil, ¼ cup at a time, if dressing is too tart.
- Step 3
Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 weeks. The chilled olive oil will form a lump, so remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before using to allow it to liquefy. Shake well before serving to re-emulsify.
Private Notes
Comments
That's a pretty generous proportion of oil to the other ingredients.
I use 4 tbsp. of olive oil to 2 tbsp. of vinegar (sherry, apple cider, flavoured -- whatever good variety I have on hand), 1 tbsp. of mustard and 1 tbsp. of something sweet (maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.).
Sometimes I swap out the olive oil with hemp oil, for added omega 3s.
Add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice and watch how easy it emulsifies!
I make my own salad dressings all the time -- easy, peasy. For variations on this basic vinaigrette, try tarragon vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, and instead of salt, put in a dollop of anchovy paste (or 1-2 anchovies) when you add the mustard. You can also do halved garlic cloves instead of shallots. I make dressing by the jar and without measuring -- try 1/3 vinegar, then the mustard etc., shake it, and finally 2/3 oil, and shake it well again. Taste, adjust and you're good to go.
Most vinaigrettes are 1:3 vinegar-to-oil. This one is 1:8, a TON of oil! To cut calories, I do a 1:1 ratio. found that adding a third tablespoon of the white wine vinegar, 1.5 teaspoons of lemon juice, and two cloves of garlic (pressed) upped the flavor / taste considerably.
I’m joining the camp that says the ratio is out of whack. I added the juice of one lemon plus two more tablespoons of white wine vinegar. As others wrote, I think the two tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of oil makes the dressing too oily.
“Good, Fruity Olive Oil” — I have found Spanish olive oil to be good, fruity, and milder than the Italian variety, and without any bitterness.