Recipe for French Dressing with Healthy Ideas for Salads and More

French dressing can liven up so many salads and other dishes, and this vinaigrette is delicious. It gets tang and a bit of a kick from dijon mustard. For a sweeter dressing without added sugars, try adding 2 tablespoons of apple juice or 1-2 packets of a natural sweetener like stevia. Extra-virgin olive oil provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. 

Salads with French Dressing

Try any of these salads with French dressing.

• Classic green salad with lettuce or other greens and sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes
• Salade nicoise with greens, green beans, cooked potato or sweet potato cubes, hard-boiled egg, tuna, and olives
• Potato or whole-grain pasta salad with roasted cauliflower or eggplant, thinly sliced celery, chopped parsley, finely diced onion, and chopped cornichon, olives, or capers
• Three-bean salad with kidney, garbanzo, and chickpeas, diced onion, and chopped parsley
• Coleslaw with shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw mix

More Uses for French Dressing

You can do more with French dressing!

• Roast chicken, fish, or vegetables with it
• Add a small amount to a sandwich
• Use it in mashed potatoes or pureed cauliflower instead of butter

Recipe for French Salad Dressing

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• (optional) 2 tablespoons of apple juice
• 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. 
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Nutrition information per serving of dressing: calories: 150 kcal; total fat: 14 g; total carbohydrates: 2 g; sugar: 1 g; fiber: 0 g; protein: 0 g; sodium: 50 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg

Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH, CDCES