Kitchn Love Letters

I Make a Batch of This “Perfect” Light & Creamy Salad Dressing Every Single Week (It’s 1000x Better Than Store-Bought)

published Nov 1, 2024
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lad with feta vinaigrette on it
Credit: Photo: Erik Bernstein; Food Styling: Spencer Richards

In my fridge, there’s never not a bottle of ranch dressing (which I’ll eventually zhuzh up with a splash of pickled jalapeno brine!). What you’ll never find in there, though, is store-bought vinaigrette. Not only does homemade vinaigrette taste noticeably better than the jarred stuff, but it also takes mere seconds to make with ingredients that are always in my pantry.

My go-to formula used to always be one part vinegar (my fave is sherry!) to two-ish parts olive oil, and I’d often add a bit of honey and some Dijon mustard plus salt and pepper. But Kelli’s feta vinaigrette raised the bar in a major way. Whenever I make a basic vinaigrette now, I always regret not making the feta dressing. 

Kelli’s vinaigrette is inspired by Greek salad, and it adds a boost of zippy freshness to everything it touches. And because you blend it, it gets ultra creamy. It tastes summery, like sunshine really, but I’ll definitely be eating it year-round. 

Get the recipe: Feta Vinaigrette

What’s So Great About Feta Vinaigrette

Beyond the cheese, everything in the ingredient list is pretty standard: lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, dried oregano, a little bit of garlic, and just a touch of Dijon. But the hefty amount of feta (there’s 1/2 cup to the 1/4 cup EVOO!) is what really makes this dressing special. Like so good, you’ll want to eat it straight from the jar by the spoonful. 

I never skip the lemon juice or dried oregano because they complement the feta so well, but sometimes I’ll swap in white wine vinegar or skip the garlic. If I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to whip out my immersion blender or food processor, it also works to just use a big bowl and whisk it together super well. Chunkier, yes, but still incredible. 

Get the recipe: Feta Vinaigrette 

What are your favorite ingredients to level up your homemade vinaigrette? Let me know in the comments below!