French dressing recipes
Also known as vinaigrette (French for ‘little vinegar’) this is a fairly thick salad dressing made from a mixture of olive oil, wine vinegar (red, white or balsamic) and salt and pepper, to which various flavourings can be added such as herbs, mustard, honey or chilli.
These three easy salad dressings are super-simple to make from storecupboard ingredients. Take your pick from French, honey and mustard, or marie-rose.
French dressing (aka vinaigrette) will transform anything from mixed salad leaves to tomatoes, avocado or tinned beans into a tasty side dish or simple starter. Try honey and mustard dressing with warm cooked new potatoes as a delicious accompaniment to sausages, pork chops or grilled chicken. Mix marie-rose dressing (aka seafood cocktail sauce) with cooked prawns and serve with Little Gem lettuce leaves or shredded iceberg lettuce for a classic prawn cocktail starter, or a sandwich filling.
More French dressing recipes
Buyer's guide
There are plenty of ready-made bottled versions of vinaigrette to try, but it’s very quick and easy to make yourself. Just put all the ingredients into a jam jar, seal and shake well.
Preparation
The standard ratio for a vinaigrette is three parts oil to one part vinegar but it’s best to experiment until you find a combination you like. Drizzle it over raw or warm salads, or salad starters such as avocado halves or pan-fried asparagus.
