Vinaigrette is a simple salad dressing made by mixing oil and vinegar together, often with added seasonings like salt, pepper, herbs, or mustard. The word comes from the French word for vinegar, vinaigre, which makes sense since vinegar gives vinaigrette its distinctive tangy flavor.

To make a basic vinaigrette, you whisk together about three parts oil (like olive oil) with one part vinegar (such as balsamic or red wine vinegar), then add whatever seasonings you like. The oil and vinegar don't naturally stay mixed. They separate into layers, so you have to shake or whisk the dressing right before pouring it over your salad. This temporary mixing is called an emulsion.

Vinaigrettes are popular because they're lighter than creamy dressings like ranch or Caesar, and you can customize them endlessly by changing the type of vinegar, adding lemon juice, garlic, honey, or fresh herbs. A balsamic vinaigrette uses sweet, dark balsamic vinegar. A citrus vinaigrette might replace some of the vinegar with orange or lemon juice.

Unlike heavy cream-based dressings, vinaigrettes let you taste the actual vegetables in your salad while adding flavor rather than covering everything up. Once you know the basic formula, you can create your own variations and adjust them to your taste.