Simple Sun-Dried Tomato and Shallot Vinaigrette

Impress your guests with this 5-minute Simple Sun-Dried Tomato and Shallot Vinaigrette. This dressing takes an award for the most flavor of all of the salad dressings out there. Ditch store-bought salad dressing and check out how simple this recipe is to make.

Spotlight on This Simple Sun-Dried Tomato and Shallot Vinaigrette

Flavor: The combination of sun-dried tomatoes and shallots creates a rich, savory flavor that can enhance the taste of any dish.  I especially love it on Mediterranean salads. 

Versatility: This vinaigrette can be used in a variety of ways, from dressing salads to marinating vegetables.

Health benefits: Sun-dried tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and shallots contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Easy to make: The recipe for this vinaigrette is simple and easy, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.

Impressive presentation: The vibrant color of the sun-dried tomatoes and the finely chopped shallots make this vinaigrette visually appealing and can add an elegant touch to any dish.

Affordable: Sun-dried tomatoes and shallots are easy to find at local grocery stores and are inexpensive, making this vinaigrette an affordable option for anyone looking to add some flavor to their meals.

How to Serve This Vinaigrette

Salad: Of course, this dressing makes the perfect vinaigrette to toss into any bed of greens and herbs such as mint leaves or fresh thyme.

Bread dip: Take your olive oil and balsamic vinegar bread dip to the next level and use this sun-dried tomato vinaigrette instead. Add some fresh mozzarella to a piece of bread and drizzle this vinaigrette over top and now we are talking! 

Pasta salad: This dressing works perfectly for a delicious pasta salad dish. It complements all vegetables very well and brings a burst of flavor to any dish.

Vegetable dip: Feeling lazy and don’t have time to throw together a salad? Grab some veggie sticks like carrots and cucumbers and dip them into this dressing.

Over grilled veggies: If you are looking to pack in the flavor, add this dressing like a marinade to your roasted vegetables! Yum! 

The Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil: Find yourself a high-quality olive oil for this dressing recipe. It really does make a huge difference. 

Balsamic vinegar: I do not recommend replacing it with other varieties such as red wine vinegar. Balsamic just does the trick for this recipe.

Maple syrup: While I do enjoy the flavor of maple syrup in this vinaigrette, you can certainly use honey as an alternative sweetener. 

Shallot: This light onion is the perfect ingredient to add to salad dressing. Allowing the minced shallot to marinate in the extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar allows it to become even more subtle. It’s just perfect!

Sun-dried tomatoes: Make sure to use varieties that are dried and not soaked in oil. I am telling you, the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes is what makes this salad dressing so tasty.

Mustard: You will want to use Dijon mustard for this dressing recipe. I love the little kick it brings. Do not replace this with yellow mustard. It won’t work.

Finish it off with salt and black pepper to taste.

The Instructions

Step one: Prepare the shallot and sun-dried tomatoes by mincing them.  

Step two: Place all of the ingredients into either a mason jar and give it a good shake or a small bowl and whisk it all up.  

Step three: Enjoy it right away or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. 

Tips and Modifications

In my opinion, this dressing is even better the next day. After removing the covered container from the fridge, allow it to sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before consuming it. This allows the olive oil to thaw.

If you need to feed more than 4 people, I suggest doubling the recipe.