Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing

This is a recipe for Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette. The best little jar of vinaigrette that you can shake up. Don’t be intimidated by making your own vinaigrettes. This Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing is beautiful in flavor with the perfect sweet and tangy balance, and so easy to put together. 

How to Make Vinaigrette Dressing

The Ranch Hand said these fresh greens using this red wine vinegar dressing was the best salad he’s ever had.

He’s had plenty of salads, so I’m giving all the credit to this sweet red wine vinaigrette.

I recently heard someone say they were intimidated to make their own salad dressing. Too many ingredients, it feels complicated, there’s that emulsification thing ….

Yes, I’ve slow drizzled oil into a whirling food processor until my arm ached, to make sure my dressing was blended in that oh-so professional way.

But more times than not, a whisk or a mason jar will do. Simplest is always best, because you’ll make it more often. And homemade is always better than a jar from the store.

Does it get any more simple than vinegar, oil and salt and pepper?  That’s how easy it can be. 

• Just pour the ingredients together in a Mason Jar and secure lid.
• Shake the dickens out of it for about 30 seconds before pouring over salad.
• Or combine ingredients in an oversized bowl and use a whisk and a vigorous before pouring it onto your salad.

This recipe has a couple more ingredients than just oil and vinegar, but hardly enough to be considered complicated.

And what’s ever more beautiful about this recipe is the honey from a friend’s back yard. Many Hands Colorado Back Yard Honey.

Growing Lettuce In Containers

We’re finally starting to get some fresh produce here in Colorado, and some of that is even coming from the pots on my back patio. Usually these pots are filled with cascading petunias or bright impatiens, but this year I dedicated half of them to herbs, some of which I’ve never grown before.

I planted one pot to heirloom red leaf lettuce. To my surprise, it’s “growing like a  weed.”  Even in the hot, dry, windy conditions we’ve had this season.

Lasagna Gardening

I received the heirloom seeds from Azure Standard who believes in healthy, organic, naturally grown foods and they believe in supporting local organic farmers, and giving us the opportunity to provide healthier foods on our tables.  

I started the seeds indoors early Spring and that’s where my beautiful lettuce came from, along with my pots of herbs. A book about Lasagna Gardening was included. Its theory just makes sense. Instead of digging in the dirt, build your own layers of “soil” using compost.

I’ve never heard of Lasagna Gardening until now and I find the whole theory incredibly interesting. And I’d love to try it. Doing a little “digging” on the internet, I also found this article from Back Yard Boss about the easy process of Lasagna Gardening. 

My first harvest of the lettuce was used in this Italian Salad. Whole Foods had some beautiful yellow heirloom tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients were things I had on hand…green olives, shaved Parmesan, toasted pine nuts. and some home made Mozzarella cheese that my friend Heather gave me.

I tossed it with this Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette sweetened with honey. We thought it was a great salad.

Served with seared scallops that had been seasoned with Old Bay, with my favorite Pappas Brother’s Remoulade Sauce for dipping. which I’ve blogged about before. A simple fresh meal.

Recipe For Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing

With all that said, here’s the recipe for the Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette. A perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Fresh and healthy and waiting for that next perfect salad.

More Vinaigrette Recipes

• Ina Garten’s Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
• Baby Kale with Honey Cider Vinaigrette
• Blacked Shrimp with Champagne Vinaigrette
• Sauteed Salmon with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

And if you’re in the salad mood, don’t miss my Salad Category, you’ll find a ton of great salad recipes, dressings and vinaigrettes. Including the most popular salad recipe on my site for Old Fashioned Catalina Taco Salad Recipe with Fritos.

Italian Salad with Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing …It’s What’s for A Great Salad.

From the Kitchen of Lea Ann Brown, Cooking On the Ranch