Giada De Laurentiis' 4-Ingredient Vinaigrette Couldn't Be Easier To Make

Vinaigrette is one of the easiest and most impactful elements of any meal. When brushing up on how to make the best vinaigrette, we look to none other than Giada de Laurentiis. The chef, TV personality, author, and restaurateur always delivers a mouthwatering recipe, and also happens to often keep things refreshingly simple. De Laurentiis makes a tasty white pesto with just six ingredients, for example. And her vinaigrette? It's even more of a cinch with four ingredients.

As De Laurentiis shared on Instagram, all you need is apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. You can also add a pinch of salt — De Laurentiis uses a lemon oregano salt. Get creative and utilize any of the many different types of salt for different flavor boosts, like smoked salt, celery salt, garlic salt, or anything you make by adding ground, dried herbs. Pour all of this into a mason jar so you can cap it and shake it to combine the elements — and voila! The apple cider vinegar contributes bright acidity (and aids with digestion, as a bonus); the Dijon mustard lends savoriness, sweetness, and spice; honey adds sweetness and body; and olive oil blends it together. De Laurentiis does clarify that you should use a good olive oil here, so you get that silky consistency and only real, quality ingredients. Salt helps amplify those bright, sweet notes, too. 

Making this vinaigrette takes mere minutes and is more than worth that time. You won't get any additives or preservatives that are so often in store-bought salad dressings. You can also tinker with proportions based on your own preferences. Love a pop of tartness? Lean a bit more into the apple cider vinegar. Prefer a sweeter finish? Opt for more honey, or even swap in maple syrup. In addition to — or instead of — the salt, sprinkle any seasoning you love that happens to work with this flavor profile. Remember that because of the lack of preservatives, you should take care to keep your vinaigrette fresh, flavorful, and safe as long as possible. The acidity in vinegar is high enough to fend off bacteria when stored in your pantry, but when you start adding mustard and especially any herbs, it's a good idea to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Each batch of this vinaigrette may not even last that long in your kitchen when you realize how many uses there are for it. It's, of course, perfect for practically any salad — play with flavor matches by using it on an apple harvest salad, or bring in more herbaceousness with lots of leafy greens and mint, basil, and sage. De Laurentiis says it's also great with grilled chicken, fish, and rice, and it's an unexpected ingredient that will instantly up your baked-potato game.