Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (2024)

Published March 6, 2023.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This easy-to-make homemade French dressing recipe comes together in a matter of minutes and is the perfect complement to any salad. You will love the simple sweet flavors in this vinaigrette.

I love flavorful salad dressings that enhance the flavors of a salad that always has me wanting just one more bite. If you’re the same, then for sure, try out myButtermilk RanchorBalsamic Vinaigrette.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (1)

French Dressing

French dressing is a simple oil and vinegar-based dressing with herbs and seasonings. The American version of French dressing is also a vinaigrette but is tart, sweet, and red in color due to the ketchup. This is a trendy dressing in the United States and is commonly served on a basic house salad.

This is a sweet dressing, so be sure to add the sugar slowly while tasting it to be sure it is to your liking. You can also add more of the ingredients used in this recipe to enhance those flavors.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (2)
  • Onion – You can use a white, yellow, or sweet onion in this recipe. You’ll also need a clove of garlic. If you love garlic, feel free to add an additional clove.
  • Vinegar – I used apple cider vinegar. You could also use distilled vinegar.
  • Ketchup – Any good organic ketchup that is on sale will work. You can also use homemade ketchup.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar will help add a little sweetness to the French dressing.
  • Seasonings – I used a combination of salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and paprika.
  • Oil – Any good neutral flavored oil will work.

How to Make French Dressing from Scratch

Finely grate the onion into a bowl.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (3)

Also, finely grate the garlic into the same bowl.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (4)

Add the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, and paprika to the bowl.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (5)

Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until it is emulsified.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (6)

Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve or store.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (7)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead:You can make this French dressing recipe up to 3 days ahead.You can serve this immediately, but more flavors will come out with time. In addition, let it sit at room temperature before serving it.

How to Store:Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.This will not freeze.

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (8)

Chef Notes + Tips

  • Substitute thesugar with honey, maple syrup, or agave if desired.
  • Feel free to useany oil, but I recommend a neutral-flavored oil. You can also blend oils together.
  • Make thisrecipe in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
  • Emulsify isjust a fancy culinary term to combine two things that generally wouldn’t go together, like, oil and vinegar.

More Dressing Recipes

  • Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Russian Dressing
  • Greek Dressing
  • Italian Dressing
  • Blue Cheese Dressing

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (9)

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Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe

Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (10)

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5 from 8 votes

This easy-to-make homemade French dressing recipe comes together in minutes and perfectly complements any salad.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • ¼ peeled finely grated yellow onion
  • 1 finely grated garlic clove
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup neutral flavored oil
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Finely grate the onion into a bowl.

  • Also finely grate the garlic into the same bowl.

  • Add in the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, and paprika to the bowl.

  • Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until it is emulsified.

  • Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve or store.

Notes

Make-Ahead:You can make this lemon dressing recipe up to 3 days ahead.You can serve this immediately, but more flavors will come out with time. In addition, let it sit at room temperature before serving it.

How to Store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.This will not freeze.

Substitute thesugar with honey, maple syrup, or agave if desired.

Feel free to use any oil, but I recommend a neutral-flavored oil. You can also blend oils together.

Make thisrecipe in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

Emulsify isjust a fancy culinary term to combine two things that generally wouldn’t go together, like, oil and vinegar.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.3gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 218mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 239IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.2mg

Course: Salad, salad dressings

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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18 comments

    • Michelle Bruner
    • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (11)

    I live overseas and cannot get French dressing. I have tried different recipes and could never eat them. Finally, I found yours and it is delicious! It’s what I have longed for. Thank you for sharing this!

    Michelle

    • Reply
    • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (12)

        excellent!

        • Reply
      • Roanne
      • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (13)

      I love this recipe! I made it low carb by using sugar free ketchup and monkfruit sweetener. I also made it as written for my husband. He loved it also. I used Avocado oil in both.

      • Reply
      • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (14)

          Anything with neutral flavors

          • Reply
        • Puck Bateman-Roberts
        • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (15)

        Absolutely delicious! I will be saving this recipe for continued use. Considering I have salad every day, it will see a ton of use!! No more store bought for me.

        • Reply
          • Chef Billy Parisi

          thank you for trying this!

          • Reply
        • suzen
        • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (16)

        delicious

        • Reply
        • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (17)

            fantastic!

            • Reply
          • Margherita

          I’m hoping eliminating hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce would be okay with how this turns out.

          • Reply
          • Maggie
          • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (18)

          Tasty and zingy..loved it on my chilled veggies that I had grilled under broiler..

          • Reply
          • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (19)

              Awesome

              • Reply
            • Barbara
            • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (20)

            This was awesome. Loved it!

            • Reply
            • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (21)

                Excellent!

                • Reply
              • carrie
              • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (22)

              This recipe is amazing comes together quick with easy to follow directions, I love garlic so I added an extra clove. My husband loved it, we are done buying bottled French Dressing !

              • Reply
              • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (23)

                  Love this.

                  • Reply
                • Kris Trobaugh
                • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (24)

                Great!

                • Reply
                • Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (25)

                    thank you!

                    • Reply
                Easy Homemade French Dressing Recipe (2024)

                FAQs

                What is basic French dressing made of? ›

                Directions. Place oil, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, onion, lemon juice, paprika, and salt into a blender; cover and puree until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

                Which of the following ingredients is used in making French dressing? ›

                Traditionally, French dressing recipes are made of oil, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, onion and multiple seasonings and sauces. Some variations include other ingredients like lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. However, eggs are one of the most popular thickening agents for salad dressings and other sauces.

                What is the simplest form of dressing? ›

                Lets start with a vinaigrette. These are the lightest of all dressings. On the simplest level they're merely any kind of acid (think lemon, lime, vinegar etc.) whisked together with oil salt and pepper.

                What are the ingredients in Great Value French dressing? ›

                High Fructose Corn Syrup, Tomato Puree (water, Tomato Paste), Distilled Vinegar, Soybean Oil, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Water, Modified Food Starch, Phosphoric Acid, Dried Onion, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Red 40, Blue 1, Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Disodium Edta (as Preservatives).

                What are the rules for French dressing? ›

                The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is revoking the standard of identity for French dressing. We conclude that the standard no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers.

                What is the French dressing rule? ›

                The French dressing standard allowed for certain flexibility in manufacturers' choice of oil, acidifying ingredients, and seasoning ingredients. Tomatoes or tomato-derived ingredients were among the seasoning ingredients permitted, but not required.

                Does French dressing contain vinegar? ›

                French Salad Dressings: Vinaigrette: A classic French dressing, vinaigrette is made with a mixture of oil, vinegar, and seasonings. It can include ingredients like Dijon mustard, garlic, shallots, and herbs.

                What ingredient is not used in making French dressing? ›

                The ingredient that is not used in making french dressing is the egg yolk. What is a french dressing? This creamy dressing that varies in color from pale orange to bright red is American cuisine. In France they call it vinaigrette and it is usually made of oil, vinegar, sugar, and other flavorings.

                Why did they stop making French dressing? ›

                FDA revokes rules on manufacture of French dressing after 70 years. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday agreed to revoke the decades-old standard of identity for French salad dressing, saying in part that the outdated requirement “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing.”

                What is the healthiest dressing to put on your salad? ›

                Try one of these six simple ideas to get you started.
                • Classic lemon and olive oil. This is a very easy dressing that is good with strong-flavoured leaf salads, such as rocket or kale. ...
                • Lime and chilli dressing. ...
                • Simple balsamic vinaigrette. ...
                • Raspberry vinaigrette. ...
                • Creamy cucumber dressing. ...
                • Creamy mint dressing.

                What is the 1 3 rule of dressing? ›

                Many styling experts use the Golden Ratio, which is more often referred to as the Rule of Thirds, to help balance proportions between various clothing items. The Golden Ratio states that a ratio of ⅓ to ⅔ is the most visually pleasing division in everything from architecture to photography to fashion.

                What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

                Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

                What are the ingredients in Newman's own French dressing? ›

                Ingredients. Rapeseed Oil, Water, Sugar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (8%), Red Wine Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, Salt, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Garlic Puree, Chives, Parsley, Black Pepper, Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Mustard Extract.

                What is the difference in French dressing and Catalina dressing? ›

                Catalina is often considered a subset of French dressing, with most of the same ingredients — ketchup, oil, vinegar, sugar, and other seasonings — but in different proportions. French dressing tends to contain more oil and spices, while Catalina has a higher proportion of ketchup.

                What is basic French dressing made with quizlet? ›

                Basic French dressing made with. Oil vinegar and seasoning.

                What happened to regular French dressing? ›

                FDA revokes rules on manufacture of French dressing after 70 years. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday agreed to revoke the decades-old standard of identity for French salad dressing, saying in part that the outdated requirement “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing.”

                Is French and Catalina dressing the same? ›

                Catalina dressing is considered a type of French salad dressing, The main difference between the two is that Catalina dressing tends to be thinner and a brighter shade of red than French dressing.

                What's the difference between California French and regular French dressing? ›

                A. Yes, the California French is a classic Catalina dressing, with bright red colour and notes of sweet tomato, tangy vinegar, and spicy paprika, among other ingredients. However, it has a thinner consistency than a classic French dressing.

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