Tempt your taste buds with a plant-based twist on classic French salad dressing. Rock your salads with this delicious Vegan French Dressing.
This traditional French salad dressing is quick to make with a few good quality ingredients.
It's delicious stuff and makes salads and wraps taste divine.
Make a small batch (or double it up for a bigger batch) and enjoy it on your salads this week.
Jump to:
- 🥛 Classic French Dressing
- 🍶 American-style French dressing
- 🥣 Vegan French dressing
- 📋 What you need to make vegan French dressing
- 📖 Variations to classic French dressing
- 🌽 How to serve French dressing
- 💭 French salad dressing tips
- 🍶 Storing salad vinaigrette or dressing
- 🥄 Related recipes - more salad dressings
- 🥗 Pairing
- ⭐ Sign up for a free recipe sent to your inbox every morning
- 👩🏻🍳 How to make vegan French Dressing (small batch)
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
At a glance - vegan french dressing
⏲️ Ready in: 3 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: 95
🧾 Main ingredients: olive oil, white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), dijon mustard, garlic, dried parsley (or fresh)
👩🏻🍳 Suitable for: vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian & gluten-free
Summarise & save this recipe:
🥛 Classic French Dressing
A classic French dressing or French Vinaigrette as it is also called, is made with olive oil. vinegar and mustard.
Seasoned with salt and pepper.
The French keep flavours simple with good quality ingredients.
🍶 American-style French dressing
There is a dressing in America that is called French dressing but it has little in common with authentic French dressing which never ever has ketchup in it.
Can you imagine a French person adding Ketchup to a salad dressing?
Hell no!
I wouldn't want to be in a room with a French cook or chef if you suggested it.
You'll see many red salad dressing recipes called French dressing on the internet, but avoid them like the plague.
At some point, the dressing was made by a commercial food brand, with tweaks to suit the American palate, but for some unknown reason they added tomato paste or ketchup (and several other ingredients) then they ran with it.
I'm sure people like it, but I shudder at the thought.
It's just not an authentic French dressing.
🥣 Vegan French dressing
French dressing is generally suitable for vegans and those on a dairy-free diet but do check the label, if you are buying it.
The only ingredient you need to think about is the Dijon mustard, which is usually ok for vegans, but do check the label.
It's better to make your own dressing really, as it's super quick to make and there are no added colours, flavours, thickening agents or preservatives.
Pure and simple as it should be.
Also, try this balsamic mustard dressing or creamy vegan feta cheese dressing
📋 What you need to make vegan French dressing
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this dairy-free French salad dressing.
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic
- Dried parsley
- Salt & pepper
See the printable recipe card below for quantities, method and tips.
This salad dressing is gluten-free and suitable for the Keto diet.
📖 Variations to classic French dressing
A French dressing is a thing of joy, but you can make small tweaks, which aren't always in the original recipe.
- Garlic - just a little
- Sugar - just a pinch
- Herbs - fresh or dried
Dressings with fresh herbs don't last as long in the fridge.
If you love homemade salad dressings try this creamy tahini salad dressing, easy Greek salad dressing, ranch dressing or creamy Italian dressing.
They are all quick to make in small batches, and rather lush.
🌽 How to serve French dressing
Here are a few ideas for serving French dressing.
Drizzle this dairy-free, gluten-free and keto dressing over:
- Green salad
- Roast vegetable salad
- Couscous salad - try this lentil couscous salad
- Salad wrap
- Corn on the cob
- Roast veg
💭 French salad dressing tips
Here are a few tips for making a homemade French dressing.
- Food processor - Using a food processor or blender will give you a creamier dressing as it really emulsifies the dressing (you can also use a jam jar and shake like crazy).
- Jam jar - A clean jam jar is a good option for storing salad dressing, as you can it a good shake to mix the dressing before you use it.
- Shake it - Always shake it well before serving.
- Temperature- Take it out of the fridge a few minutes before you use it, as the fridge chill can deaden flavours.
- Milder - For a milder flavour, use roasted garlic or skip the garlic.
- Thin it - You can add more olive oil to thin the dressing, although water thins dressings well too.
- Take it with you - Add it to a mini dressing tub in your lunch box and add to your salad just before you eat it.
🍶 Storing salad vinaigrette or dressing
Store homemade salad dressing in a clean jam jar or a bottle with a tight lid.
It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
🥄 Related recipes - more salad dressings
Looking for other dressing recipes like this? Try these:
🥗 Pairing
These are my favorite salads and wraps to serve with this vegan French dressing:
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👩🏻🍳 How to make vegan French Dressing (small batch)
These step-by-step photos will show you how to make this delicious dairy-free French dressing. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe (with full ingredient list, calories and nutritional info)
Step 1
- Add olive oil to a blender or food processor (full recipe, method, and tips in recipe card below).
- Alternatively, you can shake it like crazy in a clean jam jar with a tight lid.
- Then add the herbs, garlic, and vinegar.
Step 2
- Now add the mustard.
- Then season with salt and pepper.
- Blend or shake like mad, if you are using a jam jar (with a tight lid)
Step 3
- Taste to check the seasoning.
- Serve drizzled over a salad or wrap.
- Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Vegan French Dressing - small batch
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender, food processor and blend.
- If you are using a clean jar jar, make sure the lid is on and shake like mad to emulsify the dressing.
- Taste to check the seasoning.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Thin it - You can thin the dressing by adding some olive oil or water and blending again. Water actually works well to thin a dressing.
- Temperature - Take out the fridge a few minutes before you serve it to take the chill off it.
- Store homemade salad dressing in a clean jam jar or a bottle with a tight lid. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Shake - shake it well before serving as it will settle in the fridge.
Kristen says
I really love this recipe. Question about servings (I am someone who tracks their food), by 8 servings is this 8 TBSP servings?
Thanks!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Approximately 1 tablespoon yes, just a smidge over.
Georgia says
I have never heard of it with ketchup in it. How bizarre. Thanks for the recipe.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I know, it's very odd, but apparently a thing in America.
Jill says
I've been buying dressing but I have everything I need to make this Jaq. Going to make a jar of it now. We're having salad with vegan fishy things tonight. Jill x
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh perfect, it was meant to be. Enjoy it Jill.
Sam Burton says
This is just just what I needed. Salads all the way. It's so hot!!!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
It really is hot. We're not used to this heat up in Scotland.