Olivia Wilde’s Easy Salad Dressing Recipe Is Now as Famous in My Home as She Is (I Use It Every Week!)

One of the first lessons I learned in my culinary classes during high school was how to make homemade dressings. It was part of the emulsification unit, where we learned to expertly combine oils and vinegars to create a smooth, flavorful sauce. I always turn to a simple vinaigrette whenever I need a quick way to add flavor to a salad, roasted veggies, or grilled chicken or steak. So when I came across Olivia Wilde’s recipe (seemingly inspired by a similar Nora Ephron recipe) for an easy, balanced vinaigrette bursting with zesty and sweet flavors, I knew I had to try it. 

Get the recipe: Olivia Wilde Salad Dressing

In a bowl, mix grainy or Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and honey. Add salt, ground black pepper, grated garlic, and chili flakes. Whisk all of the ingredients together until they are combined. Then you can pour this dressing straight onto a salad. 

This red wine vinaigrette only took me about three minutes to whisk together. It’s a quick and easy recipe for days when I run out of my favorite store-bought dressing or just prefer something homemade. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples I already had on hand, too.

I drizzled Wilde’s vinaigrette over a hearty, winter-inspired arugula salad with dried cranberries, crunchy sunflower seeds, and shaved Parmesan. The dressing added a zesty yet sweet flavor that was bold but not overwhelming — just the right balance to complement the greens.

I’m definitely planning to memorize this simple recipe and use it for more than just salads. It would shine drizzled over a tender piece of salmon, roasted chicken, or fluffy quinoa.

• Use the right honey. Certain types of honey are thick and solid in texture. To avoid the dressing becoming chunky and challenging to emulsify, use liquid honey or melt it before adding it to the vinaigrette.
• Brighten it up. To enhance the flavor of this red wine vinaigrette, finely chop some fresh herbs like mint, basil, or rosemary and stir them into the dressing for an aromatic taste.
• Swap the vinegar. The flavor will vary depending on the vinegar you use. However, if you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can substitute champagne, white wine, or sherry vinegar.

Get the recipe: Olivia Wilde Salad Dressing