Vodka Vinaigrette

Homemade Vodka Vinaigrette – made with a handful of ingredients, including real vodka! This dressing is light, refreshing, and delicious on our Steak Salad or any of your favorites!

There are certain salad dressings that will always be classics. Like French Dressing or Caesar Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch. And while I do enjoy slight variations of them, like a Pesto Caesar or a creamy French, when it comes to the classics I tend to leave well enough alone.

But then there are dressings that fall into a different category, altogether. And that category is vinaigrettes. And what I’ve found with vinaigrettes is that there are as many different variations as you can dream up.

I was at a restaurant just the other day and the salad I ordered came with Red Wine Vinaigrette. But they also had green onion vinaigrette, tomato basil vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, soy wasabi vinaigrette… the list goes on.

Because once you know the basic formula for vinaigrettes, the possibilities are endless! Pesto Vinaigrette, Lemon Vinaigrette, Apple Cider Vinaigrette… you name it. And this Vodka Vinaigrette is one of my new favorites.

Made with a simple combination of olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and… of course… vodka, it’s the perfect savory dressing for so many salads. Why vodka, you ask? Adding vodka enhances the flavor, adds brightness, and acts as an emulsifier, binding the oil and lemon juice together. And no… it doesn’t taste like vodka. But it does taste DELICIOUS.

what you’ll need for this recipe

Olive oil – Olive oil is the main ingredient in this recipe and creates the base of the vinaigrette. I used 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil for rich, intense flavor.

Lemon juice – Lemon juice is the acidic element in this vinaigrette and pairs well with the olive oil. I used 1/4 cup lemon juice. For the best flavor, use fresh squeezed lemon juice. (Bottled will work in a pinch!)

Vodka – Vodka adds flavor, brings out the aromas, and acts as an emulsifier in this recipe. I used 3 Tablespoons vodka.

Minced onion – Minced onion adds delicious flavor and texture to the vinaigrette. I used 2 Tablespoons finely minced red onion.

Garlic – Minced garlic adds another layer of flavor and aroma. I added 2 large cloves minced garlic. Just like lemon juice, fresh is always best!

Dijon – Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier and flavor enhancer. I added 1 teaspoon dijon.

Salt & pepper – Salt & pepper help bring out all the other flavors in the dressing. I added 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper.

how to make vodka vinaigrette

Combine the ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or glass jar.

Mix well to emulsify. Mix well using a fork, whisk, or by shaking vigorously.

Store in the refrigerator. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The olive oil may solidify in colder temperatures, so leave time to bring it back to room temperature before using.