Some recipes come from cookbooks. Some come from restaurants. And some come from friends who casually hand you something life-changing and then go on with their day like it's no big deal. This is one of those recipes. Janet's Blender Vinaigrette is a simple, slightly sweet, tangy dressing I use on everything from leavy spring mix to shaved Brussels sprouts salads.
Wait. Is this a Shallot Vinaigrette?
Yes. It absolutely is. Right now, shallot vinaigrette is having a moment-restaurant menus, meal kits, food blogs, all of it. And meanwhile, Janet has apparently been ahead of the trend this whole time. You can use either shallots or onions, but shallots are the real upgrade. They're milder, a little sweeter, and blend seamlessly into the dressing so you don't get that harsh raw onion bite.
Blender? Food Processor? Immersion Blender?
Originally, this was a blender vinaigrette, which works great. But over time, I've become very loyal to the tiny chopper cup that came with my immersion blender. It's perfect for half or quarter batches and makes a beautifully emulsified dressing without dragging out a full-size appliance. You can also use a mini food processor (my usual choice), a standard blender, or even an immersion blender in a narrow cup. Basically, use whatever lets you stream in the oil while blending. That's the key to getting a creamy vinaigrette.
Recipe
Janet's Blender Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 3 Tbs chopped onion or shallot (50 grams)
- 2 ½ Tbs sugar (30 grams)
- 1-3 large cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon each salt and dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup vegetable oil or olive oil (can use less if desired)
Instructions
- Combine everything except the oil in a mini food processor, blender, or immersion blender cup.
- Process until smooth.
- With the machine running, slowly stream in the oil until emulsified. Start with ½ cup and add more to taste. Note: I've successfully used as little as ¼ cup.
- Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate.
Sue says
I use an immersion blender and it comes out thick and creamy.
Anna says
Sue, I make it too! I sometimes make it without the mini processor, but when I use the mini processor it gets thick and almost creamy. Hopefully Janet's doing well.
Sue says
Hi Anna! I can’t believe I haven’t ever commented on this. I’ve been making it for years and it might be the recipe I use the most from Cookie Madness. I make it all summer long and instead of green onions I use chives from our garden. We love it! Thank you!!!
Anna says
Sean, I hear you! We're olive oil maniacs around here thanks to our friend Guido in Chianti (see my Travel sidebar). My Tuscan olive oil is so flavorful and delicious and amazing that I almost hate mixing it into things and since this recipe has so many other spices, I haven't made it with my good olive oil yet. But of course, you can use any oil you want.
Sean M says
maybe use a good olive oil instead of vegetable oil? or do you already do that? good olive oils can be fairly neutral. cheap stuff tastes pretty bad though.
Shelly says
Hi Anna,
This look divine! I am going to give it it's "test run" and make it today. I have another dressing that is so darn easy and absolutly delicious. I will send it to you off line. Thanks!
Rachel says
YUM! This looks great! I've been on a blender kick lately, because I've been making smoothies for breakfast every day. I had no idea I could use it to make a dressing, too! Rad!
vanillasugar says
oh anna i meant to say i love using the blender for crepes and now learned i can use it for dressings! there!
vanillasugar says
anna i did a double take on this post. to make sure i was in the right place. LOL anywho, i love using the blender for dressings, smart girl.
Anna says
Cindy, I don't know how long it keeps -- 5 days maybe? I keep making it in small batches.
Sorry to hear you can't get the dressing you like. Maybe you could try some homemade ranch recipes.
CindyD says
Just decided the other day that I really don't like my current brand of lite Ranch - I really miss Marzetti's, can't get it here in AZ. How does the dressing keep - I don't have an immersion blender and it's just me eating salads.
Anna says
Christine, I'm glad you asked that question. Lite Ranch aside, I'm starting to really like oil-based dressings with MORE oil. The reason is that if there's more oil and the dressing is spiced right, you can use less of it. The oil carries the flavor and you can actually taste the lettuce plus the dressing -- not either or and not just a bunch of acid. You can cut the oil all you want and some vinaigrettes are okay with less oil (especially Asian ones), but I tend to like ones with a lot of oil and a good balance of acid, salt and even sugar. The sugar balances things out in this one, though I'm sure a lot of people will want to leave it out.
I haven't bought a Good Seasons packet in years, but I used to buy it and when I did, I played around with the ratios too. When I think of it, I think of it being really salty, but that was probably because I used either too much liquid or tried to cut the oil too much. Do you have an immersion blender? If you do, you can have a ton of fun trying new ones. If you don't, shoot me an email and I'll tell you the brand I have.
Christine Weithman says
Have you tried this with less oil and more vinegar to cut the calories? I do that with most good seasons bottles I mix up and they taste fine. I am looking forward to trying this but I will likely play with the ratio of oil to vinegars - thanks
Louise says
Love vinaigrette. My husband would have a fit if I bought iceberg lettuce. Very soon I'll be picking my own spring mix lettuce and arugula.
Chris Mower says
Mmmmm... Vinaigrette dressings. Love them.