Red Wine Vinaigrette

As the weather gets colder and I find myself gravitating toward rich, creamy (read: fatty) meals, I'm rediscovering salad. A nice side salad with lots of veggies and a light vinaigrette dressing not only adds a healthy component to a fattening meal, it helps cut through the richness.


I love making homemade salad dressing because it takes next to no time to throw together and I can control the ingredients. This is my standby for simple green salads. Lately I've been using spring mix, romaine hearts, shaved carrot, chopped mushrooms and tomatoes in my salads and thyme from my garden in the vinaigrette.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced
4-6 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped off the stems
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine mustard through pepper in a bowl, cup, salad dressing container, etc. Stir/whisk to combine. Slowly add oil in a steady stream, continuously whisking to emulsify. I like a tangy vinaigrette so I use less oil, an even amount to the vinegar. Adjust to your personal preference and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.