Champagne Vinaigrette

This champagne vinaigrette recipe is easy to mix up in minutes! It’s the perfect salad dressing to have on hand all Spring and Summer long for refreshingly light salads.

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“More champagne!!” I shouted at the top of my lungs in the middle of a Las Vegas pool party, after probably one too many mimosas. These days, I just pour the stuff into my salad dressing!

Ingredient Notes

A lot of champagne vinaigrette recipes use champagne vinegar, but my version is a little different, we’re using actual bubbly!

• Champagne: unless you have an unlimited budget, I recommend picking a budget sparkling wine or champagne (shout out André!).
• Olive oil: I always have extra virgin olive oil on hand, but any mild tasting oil will work in this recipe.
• Dijon mustard: a smooth dijon mustard is the classic choice. In a pinch yellow mustard could be used, but it will affect the flavor.
• Apple cider vinegar: the sweetness in this vinegar is perfect without being too sweet. I do not recommend swapping this out with anything.
• White wine vinegar: another key vinegar needed to make this vinaigrette. Changing it for any other kinds will change the taste of the salad dressing.
• Shallot: if you absolutely can’t find a shallot anywhere, you can use a sweet onion instead.
• Sea salt: this helps to bring out the flavors of everything else, reduce or omit if you need to watch your sodium. If you use another kind of salt I suggest adding it to taste, starting small.

How To Make Champagne Vinaigrette

1. Place all ingredients except for the champagne in a small blender or food processor.
2. Blend until there are no more large pieces of shallot and the oil and vinegar are emulsified.
   • I use the blender cup and adapter for my Vitamix which works great on the shallots.
   • If you don’t have a blender or food processor you can finely mince the shallot super thin and whisk everything together.
3. Pour the dressing into a bowl and whisk in the champagne.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

• Due to the sparkling nature of the champagne, it is best to serve this vinaigrette within a couple days of making it.
• To prepare in advance, blend all ingredients except for the champagne and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • Just before serving mix in the champagne.
• Seal champagne vinaigrette in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• If the oil separates and hardens while chilled, remove from the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving for the oil to liquify again, and shake or whisk before serving. (Careful for the carbonation if you shake it up!)

Ways to use Vinaigrette

Champagne salad dressing is perfect for all kinds of salads, and other uses too!

• Simply toss arugula in it with a sprinkle of hemp hearts and pecorino.
• It’s also great for salads that feature fruit or lots of toppings due to its light taste. (Try this Brussels Sprout Salad!)
• Drizzle over grilled veggies right when they come off the grill.
• Use as a marinade or finishing sauce for chicken or pork.
• Spoon over grilled fish just before removing from the heat.
• Mix with sour cream, plain yogurt, or mayo to thicken it up into a creamy dip for veggies or crackers.

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