Wholegrain mustard vinaigrette, in my books, is the culinary hero that steals the show. When it comes to elevating your salads, roasted vegetables, or meats, the right dressing can make all the difference. All these little pieces of attention to detail can turn your food from ordinary to extraordinary.

I’ve been a chef for decades and have learned that something as simple as a wholegrain mustard vinaigrette can steal the show. Bringing a burst of bright flavors and textures to your dishes.

In this blog post, we’re sharing our delightful vinaigrette recipe that has become a staple in our kitchen. This versatile vinaigrette will make your salads shine and add complexity to your meat. Let’s dive into the world of this simple little wholegrain mustard vinaigrette that will steal the show.

Wholegrain Mustard Vinaigrette Ingredient Deep Dive

In this ingredient deep dive, we’ll explore the components that make wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. This standout dressing adds life to salads, meats, and roasted vegetables. One tablespoon at a time.

Wholegrain mustard vinaigrette is a delicious amalgamation of these ingredients. Each contributes a unique dimension to the overall flavor and texture.

The combination of bold wholegrain mustard, fruity olive oil, acidity of Chinese black vinegar, sweet honey, and smoked sea salt. All adds up to creating a vinaigrette that steals the show in your culinary creations.

• 1 tbsp Mustard wholegrain or Dijon.
• 1 tsp Honey Manuka.
• 2 tbsp Black vinegar Chinese.
• ½ tsp Sea salt smoked.
• ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil.

• Wholegrain Mustard — Wholegrain mustard is a versatile ingredient that plays an important role when making wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. It adds texture and a tangy kick. It also serves as an emulsifier, creating a creamy and stable vinaigrette.
  • Texture — Wholegrain mustard is distinguishable by its characteristic texture. Where mustard seeds are visible, these seeds add a pleasant crunch and flavor to your vinaigrette.
  • Flavor — The taste of wholegrain mustard is bold and slightly spicy.
  • Versatility — Beyond dressings, wholegrain mustard can be used as a condiment, in marinades, or as a topping for meats, sandwiches, and more.

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil — A staple in vinaigrettes, known for its rich and robust flavor.
  • Flavor — Extra-virgin olive oil contributes a distinct fruity, slightly peppery, and sometimes grassy flavor to your vinaigrette. It enhances the overall taste and provides a smooth, luxurious mouthfeel.
  • Versatility — Olive oil can be used in marinades, dressings, as a refreshing dip for bread, and more.

• Chinese Black Vinegar — This zesty, slightly sweet vinegar provides the necessary acidity and brightness to balance the richness of the olive oil. Here’s why it’s a key player when making vinaigrette.
  • Acidity — Chinese black vinegar offers a milder acidity than other kinds of vinegar, which allows it to enhance the flavor of the vinaigrette without overwhelming it.
  • Flavor Balance — It provides a pleasant tangy note that complements the honey’s sweetness and the mustard’s tartness. This balance is essential for a well-rounded vinaigrette.

• Honey — Honey adds a touch of natural sweetness to your vinaigrette. Creating a harmonious flavor profile.
  • Sweetness — Honey’s natural sweetness counterbalances the tangy mustard and vinegar, resulting in a well-rounded and refreshing taste.
  • Complexity — It adds complexity to your wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. Giving it depth and character that a simple syrup or sugar wouldn’t achieve.

• Smoked Sea Salt — This smoke-infused salt adds a subtle smokiness to your vinaigrette. This works wonders when the vinaigrette is used to dress meats like beef, lamb, chicken, or pork. Smoked salt takes your vinaigrette from good to exceptional.
  • Salt — You can use Kosher or Himalayan pink salt if you don’t have smoked salt. You won’t get that beautiful smoky undertone.
  • Pepper (optional) — Freshly ground black pepper adds a subtle peppery kick. I prefer not to add pepper when I’m making wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. The mustard is enough.

Wholegrain Mustard Vinaigrette Recipe

Wholegrain mustard vinaigrette is a classic and versatile dressing that you can easily make at home. It can be made in large quantities and stored in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Making your wholegrain mustard vinaigrette from scratch allows you to tailor the ingredients to your taste. Experiment with different flavors, providing a personal touch to your culinary creations.

Mixing the Mustard, Honey, Vinegar, and Salt

1. Combine the wholegrain mustard, honey, black vinegar, and smoked sea salt in a mixing bowl. Use an electric whisk, benchtop Kitchen Aid mixer, or even a blender for the best results. I prefer to use a stick mixer with a whisk attachment.

Whisking In the Olive Oil

2. As you whisk the mixture, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil. The key here is to add the oil gradually while continuously whisking. This emulsification process combines the oil with the other ingredients, creating a smooth and creamy texture. You’ll notice the vinaigrette beginning to thicken as the oil is incorporated. The more oil you add, the thicker the vinaigrette will become so that you can tailor it to your desired consistency.

Taste and Adjust

3. Once you’ve achieved your preferred thickness, take a moment to taste the vinaigrette. Depending on the flavor profile you’re wanting, you might want to adjust the seasoning. Add more sea salt for a stronger savory note and honey for sweetness. Even a touch more black vinegar for extra tang. This is your opportunity to customize the vinaigrette to your liking.

Usage

Your wholegrain mustard vinaigrette is now ready to enhance your culinary creations. Combine it with fresh salads, and use it as a dressing for roasted meats or vegetables.

Next time, make Espagnole sauce or gravy mix in a tablespoon of the wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. This will add a flavor spark to the roast meat sauce.

Our wholegrain mustard vinaigrette is not only delicious but also versatile. Making it an excellent addition to your cooking repertoire. Enjoy experimenting with it in various recipes and exploring the diverse flavor profiles it can enhance.

Adaptations and Flexibility — Ingredient Substitutions For Wholegrain Mustard Vinaigrette

Meanwhile, the classic Wholegrain Mustard Vinaigrette recipe offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures. It is essential to remember that the culinary world is all about adaptation and creativity.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its flexibility. Allowing you to experiment with ingredient substitutions to suit your taste preferences or accommodate dietary restrictions.

Here, we explore various ingredient swaps that can help you maintain the essence of the vinaigrette. While adding your unique twist or ensuring it aligns with your specific dietary needs. These ingredient substitutions offer versatility and customization to your vinaigrette-making experience.

Vinegar Varieties

• Balsamic Vinegar — Balsamic vinegar is a popular choice for vinaigrettes because it is rich, slightly sweet, and tangy. You can substitute black vinegar with balsamic for a sweeter, more robust vinaigrette. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

• Red Wine Vinegar — Red wine vinegar offers a pronounced acidity with a subtle fruity note. It can be used as a substitute for black vinegar to create a vinaigrette. It has more of a tang, making it an excellent choice for full-flavored salads and dishes. Replace with ½ tablespoon for every tablespoon of black vinegar.
• White Wine Vinegar — If you prefer a cleaner-tasting vinaigrette, white wine vinegar is a great option. It has a light, acidic profile that won’t overpower the other ingredients. Allowing the wholegrain mustard and honey to shine through. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

Mustard Varieties

• Dijon Mustard — Dijon mustard offers a smoother and creamier texture than wholegrain mustard. It also has a slightly spicier and more intense flavor. Substituting Dijon mustard can produce a vinaigrette with a different texture and taste, which can be particularly enjoyable if you prefer a creamier, more refined dressing. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.
• Hot English Mustard — For those who enjoy a bit of heat, consider using spicy hot English mustard. It brings a bold, zesty flavor to the vinaigrette, which pairs well with the sweetness of honey and the acidity of the vinegar. Replace with ½ tablespoon for every tablespoon of wholegrain mustard.

Alternative Sweeteners

• Maple Syrup — Maple syrup offers a rich, earthy sweetness and a touch of caramelization that complements the vinaigrette’s flavors. It’s a great alternative to honey, especially if you want a vegan option. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.
• Corn Syrup — This is a vegan-friendly sweetener that provides a mild, clean sweetness without an overpowering flavor. It’s an excellent substitute for honey if you’re seeking a plant-based alternative. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

Cooking Is A Science And A Skill

Cooking is a science and a skill that requires a deep understanding of both the technical and creative aspects. Cooking is also a matter of precise measurements and ratios.

For example, baking is particularly sensitive to accurate measurements and temperatures. A slight deviation in the amount of an ingredient or cooking degrees can result in a completely different outcome. So, to help you, here is a handy little unit converter tool for cooking without guesswork.

Wholegrain Mustard Vinaigrette — The Dressing That Steals the Show

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PREP TIME: | 1 minute min

COOK TIME: | 4 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME: | 5 minutes mins

SERVINGS: | 6 servings

AUTHOR: | Shannon The Helpful Chef

PIN PRINT RECIPE

DESCRIPTION

DISH SUMMARY

Discover the magic of wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. A culinary star that transforms every dish. Uncover the secret to culinary success that steals the show.

Equipment

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  Cookware
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  Kitchen Gadgets
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  Kitchen Knives

Ingredients

1x2x3x

METRICUS CUSTOMARY

• ▢ 1 tbsp Mustard wholegrain
• ▢ 1 tsp Honey Manuka
• ▢ 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• ▢ ½ tsp Sea salt smoked
• ▢ ¼ cup Olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

SHOWHIDE

• Mixing The Mustard, Honey, Vinegar, And Salt — In a mixing bowl, combine the wholegrain mustard, honey, black vinegar, and smoked sea salt. For the best results use an electric whisk, benchtop Kitchen Aid mixer, or even a blender. I prefer to use a stick mixer with a whisk attachment.
  
• Whisking In The Olive Oil — As you whisk the mixture, start slowly drizzling in the extra-virgin olive oil. The key here is to add the oil gradually while continuously whisking.

  This emulsification process combines the oil with the other ingredients, creating a smooth and creamy texture. You’ll notice the vinaigrette beginning to thicken as the oil is incorporated. The more oil you add, the thicker the vinaigrette will become, so you can tailor it to your desired consistency.
  
• Taste And Adjust — Once you’ve achieved your preferred thickness, take a moment to taste the vinaigrette. Depending on the flavor profile you’re wanting, you might want to adjust the seasoning.

  You can add more sea salt for a stronger savory note, and honey for sweetness. Even a touch more black vinegar for extra tang. This is your opportunity to customize the vinaigrette to your liking.
  

Chef Tips

• Vinaigrette Splitting — If the vinaigrette splits or breaks. You can add a small amount of mustard and vinegar into a clean bowl and whisk in the split vinaigrette.
• To stop your wholegrain mustard vinaigrette from splitting or breaking make sure to add the oil in slowly. This will ensure that it emulsifies with the mustard and vinegar.
• Resting — For best results, let your vinaigrette rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to infuse and meld together. This will enhance the overall taste.

INGREDIENTS SUBSTITUTIONS

VINEGAR VARIETIES

• Balsamic Vinegar — Balsamic vinegar is a popular choice for vinaigrettes due to its rich, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor. You can substitute black vinegar with balsamic for a sweeter and more robust vinaigrette. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

Keep in mind that balsamic vinegar is sweeter than black vinegar, so you may need to adjust the honey to balance the sweetness according to your taste.

• Red Wine Vinegar — Red wine vinegar offers a pronounced acidity with a subtle fruity note. It can be used as a substitute for black vinegar to create a vinaigrette. It has more of a tang, making it an excellent choice for full-flavored salads and dishes. Replace with ½ tablespoon for every tablespoon of black vinegar.
• White Wine Vinegar — If you prefer a cleaner-tasting vinaigrette, white wine vinegar is a great option. It has a light, acidic profile that won’t overpower the other ingredients. Allowing the wholegrain mustard and honey to shine through. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

MUSTARD VARIETIES

• Dijon Mustard — Dijon mustard offers a smoother and creamier texture compared to wholegrain mustard. It also has a slightly spicier and more intense flavor. Substituting Dijon mustard can result in a vinaigrette with a different texture and taste. Which can be particularly enjoyable if you prefer a creamier, more refined dressing. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.
• Hot English Mustard — For those who enjoy a bit of heat, consider using spicy hot English mustard. It brings a bold, zesty flavor to the vinaigrette. Which pairs well with the sweetness of honey and the acidity of the vinegar. Replace with ½ tablespoon for every tablespoon of wholegrain mustard.

ALTERNATIVE SWEETENERS

• Maple Syrup — Maple syrup offers a rich, earthy sweetness and a touch of caramelization that complements the vinaigrette’s flavors. It’s a great alternative to honey, especially if you’re looking for a vegan option. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.
• Corn Syrup — This is a vegan-friendly sweetener that provides a mild, clean sweetness without an overpowering flavor. It’s an excellent substitute for honey if you’re seeking a plant-based alternative. Replace with a 1:1 ratio.

Nutrition

Serving>1serve | Calories>14kcal | Carbohydrates>1g | Protein>0.2g | Fat>1g | Saturated Fat>0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat>0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat>1g | Sodium>309mg | Potassium>7mg | Fiber>0.3g | Sugar>1g | Vitamin A>24IU | Vitamin C>0.02mg | Calcium>5mg | Iron>0.1mg

COURSE:

Dressing

CUISINE:

French

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New Zealand

KEYWORD:

Dressing

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Vinaigrette

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Wholegrain Mustard

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