I started watching “Barefoot Contessa” before I knew how to cook. My sister was always watching Ina, so I started there, not knowing who she was. Gasp! Ina taught me to be confident in the kitchen, how to carve a roast chicken, and the importance of salt. She also helped me develop a love for cooking by using the best and freshest ingredients, which shaped my style as a chef.
After going to culinary school and changing my career midlife to one in food, I still make plenty of Ina’s recipes. I love her Perfect Roast Chicken (of course), Weeknight Bolognese, and Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. But the recipe I make the most often is one of her quickest and most versatile: Champagne Vinaigrette.
Why I Love Ina Garten’s Champagne Vinaigrette
Ina’s Champagne Vinaigrette is a classic; there is nothing groundbreaking about it. For me, that’s what makes it so good because the best foods are simple and executed perfectly. It takes five minutes to make, is perfectly balanced, lasts at least a week in the fridge, and is endlessly versatile.
It’s perfect on a green salad, but it’s also so good drizzled over warm roasted vegetables, stirred into a grain salad, as a marinade for grilled chicken, or spooned over pan-seared chicken or fish—I could go on and on. With Ina’s vinaigrette, a delicious dinner upgrade you can use all week is only five minutes away.
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How I Make Ina Garten’s Champagne Vinaigrette
I make this vinaigrette in a mason jar so I can measure all the ingredients and just give it a good shake. It’s so handy because you can store it in the jar all week, using what you need as you go. This recipe is great halved, doubled, or even tripled. I use a microplane to grate in my garlic, so I don’t even have to get out a cutting board or knife. Win!
The other thing I love about Ina’s vinaigrette is that all of the ingredients are pantry staples. I have perfected the ingredient list over the years. I use Trader Joe’s Dijon Mustard because it’s affordable and imported from Dijon, France—a real value. Fresh garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper are always in my kitchen. The final ingredient—champagne vinegar—can be a little harder to find. I found a brand of champagne vinegar I love, O Vinegar, and Whole Foods carries it.
Tips for Making Ina Garten’s Vinaigrette
Maybe the best thing about this vinaigrette is all the different ways you can modify it. It’s a great basic formula, so you can substitute any other type of vinegar for the champagne vinegar. O Vinegar makes a Citrus Champagne Vinegar, which is also delicious. I sometimes make it with red wine vinegar and a pinch of oregano, which is great with Italian or Mediterranean food. I also love using sherry vinegar and fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley and chives.
Instead of vinegar, you can use citrus juice, like lemon, lime, or orange. It’s great with lime juice and a little Mexican oregano if you’re pairing it with Tex-Mex food. Sometimes, I add a little squeeze of honey for sweetness because the vinaigrette is quite tangy.
Adding Ina’s Champagne Vinaigrette to your repertoire is the easiest way to upgrade your weeknight cooking. Your future self will thank you for having it in the fridge because you’ll know a quick, flavorful meal is waiting for you after a long day.
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