There are certain things I took completely for granted growing up in the south of France. The smell of thyme during long moutain walks, the sound of the markets in the morning, and the fact that a French dressing recipe was never, ever something that came out of a bottle.
At home and in every single French household I know, the basic french dressing is made from scratch. A home made French dressing takes about two minutes to make, taste better than anything you could buy, and honestly, there wasn’t really any discussion about it, it was as normal as brushing your teeth. That’s just what you did. The concept of buying pre-made vinaigrette was treated roughly the same way you’d treat buying pre-grated cheese: theoretically possible, but a bit sad.
Reading food content from all over the world, I’ve realised that a lot of people either find salad dressing genuinely confusing, or they make it without really understanding the logic behind it. So this is my attempt to lay it all out clearly. The history, the rules, the ratios, and a solid collection of French vinaigrette recipes you can actually use this summer, from a very classic basic French dressing to a few that take things in a more interesting direction.
A quick history of French vinaigrette
The word vinaigrette comes from vinaigre, the French word for vinegar, which itself comes from vin aigre, meaning sour wine. The French have been making some version of this dressing for a very long time. Medieval French cooking already used acid and oil together on vegetables, and by the 17th century, the idea of dressing salad leaves with oil, vinegar, and salt was well established in French culinary writing.
The classic 3:1 ratio of oil to vinegar that anchors every French vinaigrette recipe appears to be codified in the 19th century, when French cuisine was being systematised and written down more seriously. Auguste Escoffier, the great organiser of French cooking, included vinaigrette in his Le Guide Culinaire (1903) as a foundational sauce, alongside beurre blanc and béchamel.
What makes a French vinaigrette distinct is the philosophy: dressing is made fresh, the ratio is respected, and every leaf gets properly coated. A well-dressed French salad is glossy and flavourful. Personally, I love to put extra vinaigrette on my salad so there’s always some left at the end. In France we call it faire la vaisselle, literally “doing the dishes”, which is that very specific move of tearing off a piece of baguette and wiping your plate clean at the end of the meal. It’s considered perfectly normal at a French table, and I think it’s the perfect ending to a salad, soaking bread full of delicious french vinaigrette!
The rules (short version)
Before you get to the french vinaigrette recipe, these are the things are helpful to know:
The ratio
Three parts oil to one part vinegar is the baseline. You can adjust for taste, but this is the foundation. Go lower than 3:1 and the dressing becomes aggressive. Go higher and it starts to taste flat.
Mustard
Even when a dressing isn’t specifically a mustard vinaigrette, a small amount of Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier, keeping the oil and vinegar from separating immediately. About half a teaspoon per dressing is often enough.
Dress at the last minute
This might seem like common sense, but I’ll share it anyway as I still see some people put the home made french vinaigrette on too soon. The acid in the vinegar begins to wilt salad leaves almost immediately, so what you want to do is toss and serve, not toss and wait.
Taste as you go
Every vinegar is different and every oil is different. The recipe is obviously the starting point, but it is important to adjust a bit at the end if necessary: more acid, more salt, a pinch of sugar if something feels too sharp.
Season the dressing, not just the salad
Salt dissolves in vinegar but not in oil. Always add your salt directly to the vinegar before you whisk in the oil. This is one of those tiny things that makes a noticeable difference.
Picking the right oil
The oil you use completely changes the character of a French dressing recipe. This summer I’ve been using La Tourangelle oils for a lot of my cooking, and they’ve become a firm favourite. They’ve been making artisan oils since 1867, using traditional French pressing methods, and you can taste it. There’s a depth and freshness that’s genuinely different from supermarket alternatives.
For salad dressings specifically, their roasted walnut oil is extraordinary: rich, nutty, and deeply flavoured without being heavy. The basil oil is something else entirely, intensely fragrant and perfect for summer salads where you want the oil itself to do the talking. For a more everyday base, their extra virgin olive oil is bright and peppery. And if you want to take things somewhere more luxurious, their infused white truffle oil is a genuinely special thing to have in the kitchen, this turns a very simple salad into something you’d serve at a dinner party.
They’re available worldwide on Amazon, which is one of the reasons I feel comfortable recommending them: wherever you are reading this, you can get hold of them.
The French dressing recipes
I’m sharing with you nine recipes, covering the full range from a easy basic French dressing to the more characterful variations. Each one is a proper French vinaigrette recipe in its own right.
1. Basic French Dressing
Every French vinaigrette recipe starts here. This is the one ingrained in every French cook from childhood, the basic French dressing that goes on green salad, on tomatoes, on green beans, on almost everything. Once you’ve made it a dozen times you won’t need to look it up anymore.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Put the salt in a small bowl with the vinegar and stir until dissolved. Add the mustard and whisk briefly. Pour in the oil slowly, whisking as you go, until the dressing emulsifies and looks slightly creamy.
2. Shallot Vinaigrette
This is the one you see most often in French bistros, and for good reason. The shallot adds a mellow sweetness and real depth. It works beautifully with green salads, warm potato salads, or dressed lentils.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot, very finely minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Mince the shallot as finely as you can, almost to a paste. Combine with the vinegar and salt and let it sit for five minutes. This softens the raw edge slightly. Add the mustard, then whisk in the oil. The shallot gives enough texture that this dressing almost clings to the leaves.
3. Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
This is more assertive than the classic, with mustard playing a starring role rather than just a supporting one. It’s the French dressing recipe I reach for with curly lettuce and chicory salads, anything bitter that needs something bold to stand up to it.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic with a pinch of salt until it becomes a smooth paste. The salt does the work, drawing out the moisture and breaking the garlic down in a way a knife just can’t replicate. Add the vinegar and mustard directly to the mortar, stir, then whisk in the oil.
4. Tarragon Vinaigrette
One of my favourites for summer is tarragon and good white wine vinegar pair together. This French vinaigrette is wonderful over poached asparagus, green bean salads, or anything with eggs.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Make the base vinaigrette as usual: salt into vinegar, mustard, then oil. Stir in the fresh tarragon right at the end. Don’t let this one sit for too long before using, the tarragon loses its brightness quickly once it hits the acid.
5. Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
This is where the La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil earns its place. It’s rich and distinctive and it transforms a simple salad of endive and walnuts, or pear and blue cheese salad, or a Salade Lyonnaise into something genuinely special. It’s not an everyday oil (the flavour is too pronounced for that) but for the right salad, nothing else comes close.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
I blend the two oils here because pure walnut oil can be overwhelming on its own. The sherry vinegar has enough character to complement it without fighting it. Whisk everything together as usual. This is particularly good with a handful of toasted walnuts scattered over the top of the salad, it echoes the oil and makes the whole thing feel harmonious.
6. Basil Oil Vinaigrette
This one is pure summer. La Tourangelle’s Basil Oil is intensely aromatic, and a little goes a long way in a dressing. It’s wonderful over a tomato salad, a plate of burrata, or anything where you’d normally tear fresh basil over the top. The oil does all the work.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 2 tablespoons basil oil
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Because the basil oil is so fragrant, I blend it with a lighter olive oil to keep the dressing balanced rather than overwhelming. Whisk together in the usual order. This one is best used immediately, the basil aroma is at its peak when the dressing is freshly made. Lovely with mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, or a simple cucumber salad.
7. Lemon and Honey Vinaigrette
This one comes out in summer when I want something lighter and brighter. It’s lovely with anything involving cucumber, courgette ribbons, fennel, or fresh herbs. Also very good over grilled fish.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper
Method
The lemon is more aggressive than vinegar, so taste carefully as you go. Some lemons are much sharper than others. Dissolve the honey into the lemon juice before adding anything else. Whisk in the mustard, then the oil. Add the parsley at the end. This dressing doesn’t keep well (the parsley wilts) so make it fresh each time.
8. White Truffle Oil Vinaigrette
This one is not an everyday dressing. This is the one you make when the salad is the moment, not just a side dish. La Tourangelle’s White Truffle Oil has a deep, earthy, complex flavour that transforms even the simplest leaves into something that feels considered and special. A few drops over warm asparagus, sliced mushrooms, or a shaved fennel salad is honestly extraordinary.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 1 tablespoons white truffle oil
- 2 tablespoon light olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Truffle oil is powerful and you want it to be present without taking over completely, so I use it alongside a neutral oil. Whisk together as usual. Taste carefully before adding salt, the truffle flavour can make things seem more seasoned than they are. This dressing is particularly good over warm ingredients, the heat lifts the truffle aroma and the whole thing becomes something else entirely.
9. Roquefort Cream Dressing
Not a vinaigrette at all, but absolutely a French salad dressing and one that deserves a place here. This is what I put on the hearts of Little Gem lettuce or a salad with walnuts and pears. It’s rich, sharp, and super savoury.
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)
- 50g Roquefort, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Black pepper (no salt, the Roquefort handles it)
Method
Mash the Roquefort with a fork until it forms a rough paste. Stir in the crème fraîche, then the oil and vinegar. You want some texture remaining, not a completely smooth sauce. Taste for sharpness and adjust with a little more vinegar if it needs it. This one you can make ahead and keep in the fridge for up to two days.
How to store your homemade French dressing (and the oil dispenser trick)
Most vinaigrettes keep well in the fridge for up to a week. The mustard-based ones hold their emulsion better than the others. You can keep your homemade French dressing in a small jar with a tight lid, but I’ve noticed myself that everytime I use the jar, the vinaigrette leaks on the sides, the lid and bottom of the jar gets oily when I put it back in the fridge, and I don’t actually find it very useful.
So the one thing I’d really recommend is investing in a glass oil dispenser, something with a pouring spout rather than a wide-mouth jar. The reason is practical: once you’ve made a batch of dressing, you can pour it over your salad in a thin, controlled stream rather than dumping it from a jar. This gives you much more control over how much goes on. And, it’s doesn’t get all oily everywhere like a jar after shaking!
The second use for the dispenser is that you can make ahead and you don’t have to use all your french vinaigrette at once. Leave what you don’t use in the dispenser at the table if you have guests that might like more. Leftovers stay undressed, which means they keep in the fridge overnight without turning into a soggy mess. In French households this is just common sense.
A glass dispenser also means the dressing doesn’t pick up any smell or taste from plastic, and you can see exactly how much is left. Mine lives in the fridge from June to September and gets refilled every two weeks or so.
Over to you
I never measured anything anymore. I make my vinaigrette always in the same order, always with the same small fork, and it’s perfect every single time. That’s the thing about a good French dressing recipe: once it’s in your hands, it becomes automatic. You stop thinking about it and you just make it.
The walnut oil dressing over a salad with a handful of walnuts and a bit of Comté is the one I’d make for you if you came for lunch!
What about you? Do you have a homemade French dressing you make on autopilot, or is salad dressing still one of those things that feels a bit hit and miss? And do you dress at the table or in the kitchen? I’m genuinely curious where people land on that one.
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