Parmesan Vinaigrette

This flavorful dressing will taste like you fussed, but it only takes 5 minutes.

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Homemade dressings like Parmesan Vinaigrette just make sense. They’re fresh, healthy—if you choose that route—and arguably less expensive. They’re definitely on top in the deliciousness department. Dressings can be customized according to what you have on hand, and it’s easy to create a variety of dressings for large gatherings.

Today, let’s focus on Parmesan Vinaigrette. It’s fairly light and tastes great on more than just green salads. Try it in potato salad and pasta salads or as a dip for charcuterie boards! Other possibilities are as a drizzle on roasted vegetables (yes, please!) or seafood.

In fact, there are plenty of other stress-free dressings you may like to try, including 15+ Easy Salad Dressing Recipes, Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing, and Homemade Peppercorn Ranch Salad Dressing.

Is Parmesan Vinaigrette Healthy?

Overall, this is a reasonably healthy dressing. Olive oil, the core ingredient, is a healthy fat. Fats help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. As usual, individual dietary requirements should be considered. Moderation, along with balance, is the key.

Some possible additions to this mix include a tiny bit of honey, agave syrup, or other sweetener. I also can’t help but think capers would be a wonderful addition or complement sprinkled on top of this dressing. Different vinegars would be a great experiment, too.

What is a vinaigrette?

Vinaigrette is not simply vinegar mixed with an oil. Vinaigrette is emulsified, so the oil, vinegar, seasonings, and extras all infuse wonderfully into each other. They wouldn’t ordinarily mix easily, but blending or whisking, especially with the addition of mustard and garlic, helps this process. Our taste buds can differentiate very well, so they’ll tell you immediately it was worth the 5 minutes to create this.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Whisk

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Store

Keep refrigerated, shake before use.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

This dressing should be used within 5 days. Keep it sealed and in the fridge—a small flip-top bottle would work best. You need a glass container with a good seal so that you can give it a good shake each time you use it.

How to make Vegan Parmesan Vinaigrette

Vegan Parmesan in blocks is becoming more readily available. Someone has the science down pat because I, for one, can’t tell the difference in texture or flavor. Actually, I think the flavor is better than traditional Parmesan. That’s all you’ll need to make this vegan.

Additions and substitutions

Serving Suggestions

Here are some fun ideas for a charcuterie board where this would be a great accompaniment: Pickled Cherry Tomatoes, Air Fryer Cheese Curds, Easy Breaded Cauliflower, and a selection of veggies and breads, such as cucumbers, bok choy, sweet peppers, naan bread, and Keto Tortilla Chips.