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  6. 31 Vinaigrettes That Make Great Marinades

31 Vinaigrettes That Make Great Marinades

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins February 03, 2022
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Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Credit: Jason Donnelly

We pack every drop of these salad dressings with flavor. Whether they're herbaceous, fruity or savory, they'll add something special to your next meal. Use these vinaigrettes to level up your tofu, chicken, seafood, steak or veggies. You could even double the recipe for a side salad dressing that perfectly complements your main dish. Pair up our Homemade Vinaigrette with Sesame & Ginger and chicken thighs for the beginning of a delicious stir-fry, or try our Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette on your favorite roasted veggies for an easy side dish.

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Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Credit: Eva Kolenko
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While a 1-to-2 acid-to-oil ratio is common for vinaigrette, shifting it to 1-to-1½ yields a dressing with a brighter flavor and fewer calories. That means for every ½ cup of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, use 3/4 cup of oil. Here's a good all-purpose take on the formula.

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Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Pick your favorite herb (or two!) to feature in this easy lemon-herb vinaigrette that's perfect tossed with grilled veggies.

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Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Credit: Photography / Brie Passano, Styling / Sammy Mila / Holly Raibikis
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Once you try this easy vinaigrette recipe, you'll want to use it in every meal. Meyer lemon adds acidity, while the sweetness from the honey and the sharpness from the shallot counterbalance to create a bright, flavorful vinaigrette.

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Basil Vinaigrette

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Drizzle this basil salad dressing over sliced tomatoes or cooked green beans. Or toss it into a grain salad for a pop of fresh summertime flavor.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

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This versatile citrus salad dressing gets a touch of natural sweetness from orange juice, which balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Use it in coleslaw for a mayo-free dressing, or drizzle it over winter greens with dried fruit and nuts.

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Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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This lemony dressing gets a refreshing herbal lift with chopped fresh basil. Serve it with ripe summer tomatoes for an easy side salad.

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Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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This easy lemon-herb vinaigrette pairs nicely with grilled meat and veggies alike. Mix and match your favorite herbs to adjust the flavor to fit your meal. Grilling the lemon before juicing it brings out the fruit's sweetness and concentrates its flavors. But if you're not already planning to fire up the grill, this dressing is just as good with plain lemon juice.

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Overripe Citrus Vinaigrette

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Orange and lime combine with Dijon mustard and garlic to make a quick, easy vinaigrette that's as tasty on freshly cooked vegetables as it is on salad.

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Homemade Vinaigrette with Sesame & Ginger

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A little honey adds a touch of sweetness to this easy homemade salad dressing. This healthy dressing would be wonderful on a chopped chicken and cabbage salad.

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Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

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Here is a great, all-purpose salad dressing. The pleasing pungency of Dijon mustard makes it a good match for slightly bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, radicchio or Belgian endive. It also makes an irresistible dipping sauce for crunchy vegetables (especially fennel) and crusty whole-wheat bread.

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Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

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Use this healthy salad dressing to dress mixed greens or as a marinade for grilled chicken, shrimp or tofu.

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Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette

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This garlicky mustard vinaigrette is great to have in your repertoire as it goes with almost anything. The recipe makes plenty so you can fix it once and then have it on hand for several days. The garlic is delicious but bold here; use fewer cloves if you want to tone it down.

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Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

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This roasted red pepper vinaigrette recipe has a Spanish zing with the addition of sherry vinegar and smoked paprika. Purchased jarred roasted red peppers make this salad dressing recipe quick, or you can make it extra-special by roasting your own red peppers.

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Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots

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This healthy homemade salad dressing has just the right amount of sweetness without being cloying. Try it on a salad with fresh strawberries and spinach or arugula.

 

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Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette

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Tangy and spicy, this citrus-lime vinaigrette with orange juice, jalapeno pepper, and fresh cilantro is perfect tossed with baby arugula.

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Herb Vinaigrette

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This fresh herb vinaigrette dressing recipe is great tossed with mixed greens or as a dressing for cold pasta salads. To make a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

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Parsley-Lemon Vinaigrette

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Parsley has a lovely grassy flavor--but feel free to use any herb, such as cilantro, rosemary, basil or dill, in this healthy salad dressing.

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Spicy Mediterranean Vinaigrette

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Sweet raisins, honey and carrot juice balance the heat of crushed red pepper in this brightly colored vinaigrette.

 

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Garlic-Oregano Vinaigrette

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To get the most flavor out of this easy vinaigrette dressing recipe, dried oregano is rubbed between your fingers and toasted before being whisked with the remaining ingredients.

 

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Coriander Vinaigrette

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Floral coriander and mild chives flavor this healthy salad dressing recipe. Be sure to use coriander seeds, not ground coriander. Serve with baby kale or arugula.

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Peanut & Fresh Mint Vinaigrette

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Be sure to use unrefined peanut oil in this healthy salad dressing--it has a cleaner, smoother taste. Drizzle this vinaigrette on Vietnamese spring rolls or toss it with rice noodles, veggies and shrimp for a tasty noodle salad.

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Classic Dijon Vinaigrette

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This is the ultimate classic red-wine vinaigrette. Be sure to use the best olive oil you have!

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Cumin Lime Vinaigrette

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Try this zippy healthy homemade salad dressing on a steak salad with corn and tomatoes.

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Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette

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Do you always make red-wine vinaigrette? Shake up your routine and try sherry vinegar instead. It's made from Spanish sherry and, therefore, has notes of almonds and caramel without a hint of sweetness.

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Fennel Dill Vinaigrette

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You can use fresh dill or fennel fronds to make this healthy salad dressing. Serve it over a salad with shaved or sliced fennel for a super-fennel experience. It would also be wonderful with a simple tomato and cucumber salad.

 

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Sesame-Cider Vinaigrette

side view of a small mason jar filled with dressing against yellow background
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Chinese mustard has a bit of kick, so if spice isn't your thing, use Dijon instead. Try this healthy salad dressing over your favorite greens or as a marinade for shrimp.

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Mint Vinaigrette

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This brightly flavored lemon-mint vinaigrette recipe is an ideal dressing for mixed green salads or grain salads, such a quinoa or freekah, topped with fresh fruit.

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Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

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Walnut oil is worth seeking out for this tasty dressing; store leftover oil in the refrigerator.

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Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Ramps, wild onions that pop up in the spring, give this dressing both onion and garlic flavor. Use this healthy salad dressing to marinate flank steak or on a green salad with shrimp.

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Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette with Lemon

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A healthy, tasty homemade salad dressing is as simple as shaking a few ingredients in a jar.

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Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette

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This versatile vinaigrette combines sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, and green onions for a quick and easy salad dressing. Serve over torn romaine lettuce.

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    1 of 31 Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
    2 of 31 Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
    3 of 31 Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
    4 of 31 Basil Vinaigrette
    5 of 31 Citrus Vinaigrette
    6 of 31 Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
    7 of 31 Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
    8 of 31 Overripe Citrus Vinaigrette
    9 of 31 Homemade Vinaigrette with Sesame & Ginger
    10 of 31 Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
    11 of 31 Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
    12 of 31 Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
    13 of 31 Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
    14 of 31 Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots
    15 of 31 Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
    16 of 31 Herb Vinaigrette
    17 of 31 Parsley-Lemon Vinaigrette
    18 of 31 Spicy Mediterranean Vinaigrette
    19 of 31 Garlic-Oregano Vinaigrette
    20 of 31 Coriander Vinaigrette
    21 of 31 Peanut & Fresh Mint Vinaigrette
    22 of 31 Classic Dijon Vinaigrette
    23 of 31 Cumin Lime Vinaigrette
    24 of 31 Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette
    25 of 31 Fennel Dill Vinaigrette
    26 of 31 Sesame-Cider Vinaigrette
    27 of 31 Mint Vinaigrette
    28 of 31 Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
    29 of 31 Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette
    30 of 31 Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette with Lemon
    31 of 31 Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette

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