Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe

This easy-to-make homemade French dressing recipe comes together in a matter of minutes and is the perfect complement to any salad. You will love the simple sweet flavors in this vinaigrette.

I love flavorful salad dressings that enhance the flavors of a salad that always has me wanting just one more bite. If you’re the same, then for sure, try out my Buttermilk Ranch or Balsamic Vinaigrette.

French Dressing

French dressing is a simple oil and vinegar-based dressing with herbs and seasonings. The American version of French dressing is also a vinaigrette but is tart, sweet, and red in color due to the ketchup. This is a trendy dressing in the United States and is commonly served on a basic house salad.

This is a sweet dressing, so be sure to add the sugar slowly while tasting it to be sure it is to your liking. You can also add more of the ingredients used in this recipe to enhance those flavors.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Onion – You can use a white, yellow, or sweet onion in this recipe. You’ll also need a clove of garlic. If you love garlic, feel free to add an additional clove.
• Vinegar – I used apple cider vinegar. You could also use distilled vinegar.
• Ketchup – Any good organic ketchup that is on sale will work. You can also use homemade ketchup.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar will help add a little sweetness to the French dressing.
• Seasonings – I used a combination of salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and paprika.
• Oil – Any good neutral flavored oil will work.

How to Make French Dressing from Scratch

Finely grate the onion into a bowl.

Also, finely grate the garlic into the same bowl.

Add the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, and paprika to the bowl.

Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until it is emulsified.

Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve or store.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this French dressing recipe up to 3 days ahead. You can serve this immediately, but more flavors will come out with time. In addition, let it sit at room temperature before serving it.

How to Store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. This will not freeze.

Chef Notes + Tips

• Substitute the sugar with honey, maple syrup, or agave if desired.
• Feel free to use any oil, but I recommend a neutral-flavored oil. You can also blend oils together.
• Make this recipe in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
• Emulsify is just a fancy culinary term to combine two things that generally wouldn’t go together, like, oil and vinegar.

More Dressing Recipes

• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Russian Dressing
• Greek Dressing
• Italian Dressing
• Blue Cheese Dressing

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Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe

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5 from 8 votes

This easy-to-make homemade French dressing recipe comes together in minutes and perfectly complements any salad.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ¼ peeled finely grated yellow onion
• 1 finely grated garlic clove
• ¾ cup ketchup
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup neutral flavored oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Finely grate the onion into a bowl.
• Also finely grate the garlic into the same bowl.
• Add in the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, and paprika to the bowl.
• Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until it is emulsified.
• Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve or store.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can make this lemon dressing recipe up to 3 days ahead. You can serve this immediately, but more flavors will come out with time. In addition, let it sit at room temperature before serving it.

How to Store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. This will not freeze.

Substitute the sugar with honey, maple syrup, or agave if desired.

Feel free to use any oil, but I recommend a neutral-flavored oil. You can also blend oils together.

Make this recipe in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

Emulsify is just a fancy culinary term to combine two things that generally wouldn’t go together, like, oil and vinegar.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.3gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 218mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 239IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.2mg

Course: Salad, salad dressings

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi