Sizzling Julia Child French Vinaigrette Recipe – Fast & Zesty!

Julia Child’s French vinaigrette electrifies mundane salads with its zesty charm.

Whisking a handful of pristine ingredients sparks culinary alchemy in seconds.

This sauce embodies elegance through remarkable simplicity.

Professional kitchens and home cooks worship its luminous flavor profile.

Every carefully selected component dances together, creating a symphony of taste.

Mastering this classic dressing demands precision and passion.

You’ll transform ordinary greens into a gourmet experience that sings with pure, vibrant essence.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time:

Total Time: 5 minutes

Calories: 665 kcal

Servings: 4

Ingredients in Julia Child’s French Vinaigrette

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Choose a high-quality, fruity olive oil with vibrant green undertones for rich flavor complexity.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Select a robust, tangy vinegar that provides bright acidity and deep wine-like notes.
• Dijon Mustard: Pick a smooth, zesty mustard that helps emulsify and adds a subtle spicy kick.

• Salt: Use fine sea salt for clean, precise seasoning that enhances overall taste.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Grind whole peppercorns for maximum aromatic intensity and bold spiciness.

• Shallot: Opt for a firm, glossy shallot that brings delicate sweetness and gentle onion-like undertones to the vinaigrette.

Whisking Tools and Bottles for Vinaigrette

• Glass jar with tight-fitting lid: Perfect for mixing and storing your vinaigrette, ensuring no spills and easy blending.
• Measuring spoons: Helps you accurately measure ingredients for consistent flavor every time.
• Whisk or fork: Great for mixing ingredients if you prefer stirring over shaking.
• Sharp knife: Useful for mincing the shallot finely and precisely.
• Cutting board: Provides a clean surface for chopping ingredients.

How to Emulsify Julia’s Vinaigrette

Craft Your Culinary Symphony

Blend a vibrant vinaigrette that dances with bold flavors and transforms any salad into a gourmet experience. This simple recipe turns ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dressing that will elevate your meals.

• Assemble Your Flavor Warriors

Grab a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Collect olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and a finely chopped shallot for an extra flavor punch. These ingredients will become your magical taste creators.

• Unleash Flavor Fusion

Pour all ingredients directly into the jar. No need for fancy techniques – just let them tumble together like dancers preparing for a delicious performance. Secure the lid tightly and shake with enthusiasm for 15-20 seconds until the mixture becomes smooth and perfectly blended.

• Taste and Customize

Open the lid and sample your creation. Trust your taste buds and adjust seasonings as needed. Each shake brings out deeper, more complex flavors that will make your taste buds sing with joy. The beauty of homemade dressing is making it uniquely yours.

• Preserve Your Liquid Gold

Store your vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Before each use, give the jar a quick shake to reunite the ingredients and restore their zesty magic. Watch how this simple dressing transforms ordinary salads into culinary masterpieces.

Tangy and Balanced Tips for Salad Dressing

• Boost Dressing Flexibility: Experiment with different vinegars like apple cider or balsamic to create unique flavor profiles that match your salad or dish.
• Customize Herb Infusion: Chop fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or parsley and sprinkle into the vinaigrette for an aromatic and vibrant twist that elevates the entire dressing.
• Quick Sweetness Hack: Add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to balance the tangy vinegar and create a more rounded, smooth taste that complements various ingredients.
• Dietary Adaptation Strategy: Swap olive oil with avocado or grapeseed oil for alternative dietary needs, ensuring the vinaigrette remains flexible for different nutritional preferences.

Ways to Serve French Vinaigrette with Greens

• Dress Up Salads: Drizzle this tangy vinaigrette over crisp mixed greens, roasted vegetables, or fresh garden salads for an instant flavor boost.
• Marinate Meats: Use the vinaigrette as a zesty marinade for chicken, fish, or grilled vegetables to infuse them with bright, bold flavors.
• Dip and Spread: Serve as a dipping sauce for crusty bread, roasted potatoes, or as a flavorful spread for sandwiches and wraps.
• Grain Bowl Enhancer: Elevate grain bowls like quinoa or rice with a generous splash of this versatile vinaigrette for added zing and excitement.

Keeping Vinaigrette Fresh in the Fridge

• Preserve Freshness: Store this homemade vinaigrette in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for maximum flavor retention and quality.
• Shake and Revive: Before each use, give the dressing a vigorous 10-second shake to remix the separated oil and vinegar, ensuring a perfect blend every time.
• Temperature Wisdom: Allow the vinaigrette to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving to soften and enhance its vibrant flavor profile.
• Smart Meal Prep: Batch prepare this versatile dressing up to two weeks in advance, saving time and always having a delicious dressing ready for salads, marinades, and quick meal upgrades.

Classic French Vinaigrette Recipe

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4.9 from 24 reviews

• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Classic French vinaigrette celebrates simplicity with mustard, olive oil, and vinegar blended into a perfect emulsion. Culinary excellence from France shines through this timeless dressing that you’ll want to drizzle on salads and vegetables.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red or white wine vinegar
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped shallots (French shallots)
• 1 tbsp (15 g) finely chopped shallots (French shallots)
• ½ tsp salt
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Select a robust glass container with a tight-sealing lid, ensuring sufficient space for thorough ingredient integration and dynamic mixing.
2. Emulsification: Vigorously shake the sealed container for 30-45 seconds, transforming individual ingredients into a cohesive, silky vinaigrette with a uniform consistency.
3. Flavor Calibration: Taste the vinaigrette and delicately adjust seasoning, introducing incremental pinches of salt or freshly ground black pepper to harmonize the flavor profile.
4. Flavor Infusion: Allow the vinaigrette to rest at ambient temperature for 5-7 minutes, enabling ingredients to meld and develop nuanced taste dimensions.
5. Storage and Preservation: Transfer the vinaigrette to the refrigerator, where it maintains optimal quality for up to two weeks. Before each use, gently rotate the container to reintegrate any naturally separated components.
6. Serving Suggestion: This versatile vinaigrette elegantly complements approximately four portions of crisp, mixed salad greens, making it perfect for intimate dining experiences or family meals.

Notes

• Shake Vigorously: Seal the container tightly and shake for 30-45 seconds to create a perfect emulsion, ensuring ingredients blend smoothly and consistently.
• Taste and Adjust: Sample the vinaigrette and fine-tune flavors by adding small amounts of salt or pepper to match your personal taste preferences.
• Flavor Developing Time: Let the vinaigrette rest at room temperature for 5-7 minutes, allowing ingredients to marry and intensify their combined taste.
• Proper Storage: Refrigerate for up to 14 days, gently mixing before each use to reincorporate any separated ingredients and maintain optimal texture.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 665
• Sugar: 1 g
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Fat: 74 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 60 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg