Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette (Healthy Homemade Dressing)

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This Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette is bold, savory, and packed with rich flavor from simple, wholesome ingredients. Made in just minutes, this healthy homemade dressing is the perfect way to elevate salads, grain bowls, pasta salads, and more. Once you taste homemade, you may never go back to store-bought.

Sun-dried tomato and shallot vinaigrette is in a bowl and ready to enjoy.

I’ll be honest, once I started making my own homemade dressings, it became really hard to go back to the bottled stuff. A fresh dressing made with real ingredients can instantly transform even the simplest salad recipes.

This sun-dried tomato vinaigrette has quickly become one of my favorites because it brings so much bold flavor with very little effort. It’s the perfect way to elevate meal prep meals, pasta salads, wraps, and even roasted veggies. It would be absolutely delicious tossed into a hearty grain bowl or drizzled over a simple arugula salad with fresh veggies.

If you love easy recipes that make healthy eating feel exciting, this dressing is such a fun one to keep in the fridge. It pairs beautifully with so many of my fresh vegan salad recipes and is one of those little kitchen staples that make pulling together a quick, wholesome meal so much easier.

Table of Contents

Spotlight on This Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Bold, savory flavor: The combination of sun-dried tomatoes and shallots creates a rich, tangy vinaigrette packed with bold flavor that instantly elevates salads, grain bowls, wraps, and Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Incredibly versatile: This healthy homemade dressing is delicious tossed with fresh salad recipes, drizzled over roasted vegetables, spooned onto grain bowls, or even used as a simple marinade.
Made with wholesome ingredients: This easy vinaigrette is made with simple, real ingredients you can feel good about, making it a fresher alternative to many store-bought dressings.
Ready in minutes: This easy homemade dressing comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weekdays, meal prep, or those last-minute “what can I throw together?” moments.
Beautiful and vibrant: The rich red color from the sun-dried tomatoes makes this vinaigrette just as visually appealing as it is flavorful.
Budget-friendly: With a handful of affordable pantry staples, this simple dressing is an easy way to add big flavor to your meals without spending much.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does sun-dried tomato vinaigrette last?

Stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator, this homemade vinaigrette will stay fresh for about 5–7 days. Give it a good shake or stir before serving, as the ingredients may naturally separate.

Can I use a different type of vinegar?

Yes! Red wine vinegar works beautifully, but balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar can create delicious variations.

Is this sun-dried tomato vinaigrette vegan?

Yes! As written, this healthy homemade dressing is completely vegan and made with simple plant-based ingredients.

Can I make this vinaigrette without shallots?

Absolutely. If you don’t have shallots, red onion or a small garlic clove can work as substitutes, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Is homemade vinaigrette healthier than store-bought dressing?

Homemade vinaigrettes are often made with simpler, less processed ingredients than many bottled dressings, giving you more control over the flavor and ingredients.

What can I use sun-dried tomato vinaigrette for?

This versatile homemade dressing is delicious on green salads, grain bowls, pasta salads, wraps, roasted vegetables, and even as a simple marinade.

What does sun-dried tomato vinaigrette taste like?

This vinaigrette is rich, savory, tangy, and slightly sweet with bold Mediterranean-inspired flavor. The sun-dried tomatoes add deep umami flavor, while the shallots bring a subtle bite.

Can I use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of dry-packed?

Yes! However, this recipe is designed for dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If using oil-packed tomatoes instead, you may want to slightly reduce the olive oil since the tomatoes already contain added oil.

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. This includes olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper.

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

Whisking this sun-dried tomato and shallot vinaigrette.

Storage

Store this homemade sun-dried tomato vinaigrette in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days. Since the ingredients may naturally separate over time, give the dressing a good shake or stir before serving.

Tips and Modifications

Use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes as written. This recipe was designed with dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, which create the perfect bold, concentrated flavor. If using oil-packed tomatoes instead, slightly reduce the olive oil.

Swap the vinegar. Red wine vinegar works beautifully here, but balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar can all create delicious variations.

Make it slightly sweeter. If you prefer a less tangy dressing, add an extra small drizzle of maple syrup to balance the acidity.

Try fresh herbs. Fresh basil, oregano, or parsley would pair beautifully with the sun-dried tomato flavor and add even more Mediterranean-inspired flair.

Use it beyond salads. This versatile homemade dressing is delicious tossed with salad greens, drizzled over grain bowls, spooned onto roasted vegetables, mixed into pasta salad, or used as a quick marinade.

Make it meal prep-friendly. Keep a jar in the fridge for easy lunches throughout the week. It’s a simple way to make healthy meals feel much more exciting.

Shake before serving. Since homemade vinaigrettes naturally separate over time, give the jar a good shake or stir before using.