Creamy Tarragon Dressing

Dijon Mustard in a White Bowl
Joy Skipper / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 3/4 cup

This delicious dressing is an easy recipe that you can make in just five minutes to serve with any combination of greens, but also with other recipes such as pasta and potato salads and as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. Fragrant tarragon and tarragon vinegar perfume the mixture, while olive oil adds creaminess and mustard helps emulsify the dressing. Say goodbye to your store-bought dressings, packed with sugar and unnecessary ingredients, and welcome to your table this simple and healthy preparation, with the perfect amount of salt and sugar, and just a few ingredients. This recipe is very simple and requires just a quick mix. Because it has fresh herbs in it we recommended you making one batch at a time and storing the leftovers, covered, for up to just two days, as the fresh tarragon might change color and the will dressing lose its vibrant flavor.

Tarragon, or estragon, is a perennial herb naturally growing in Europe, Asia, and North America. It presents many varieties but the most commonly used for cooking is French tarragon, which has a more bright and bold flavor, though Russian and Mexican tarragons are also used in many preparations. Because of its pungent, licorice-like flavor, tarragon is commonly used when serving fish, chicken, and eggs. Thus, our dressing will be a great accompaniment to any of these proteins.

This recipe is really adaptable to your taste or to what you have at hand. If finding fresh tarragon proves difficult, simply use other herbs such as basil, oregano, or dill and replace the tarragon vinegar with white wine vinegar. Likewise with the mustard. If you find the flavor of Dijon too strong, you might use prepared or flavored mustard or replace it with mayonnaise for a creamier result—in this case, we recommend using a blender for better results. Use the resulting dressing on your favorite salad or mix it with cooked pasta for a lovely summer side dish. Cubed cold potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and peppers covered in our tarragon dressing make a great potato salad for your next BBQ. Mix the dressing as a marinade for chicken breasts or flank steak before grilling them, or as a table sauce for when they're already cooked. Spread the dressing on baguettes or the bread of your choice, and stuff with sliced turkey and Provolone cheese for a quick and tasty lunch. Make deviled eggs by mixing our dressing with hard-boiled yolks, or scoop a few tablespoons on baked salmon or tilapia for a delicious meal.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard, tarragon vinegar, fresh tarragon, salt, white pepper, and sugar.

  2. Beat this mixture well with a wire whisk to blend and emulsify. The dressing is done when it looks creamy and holds together without separating.

  3. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
100 Calories
11g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 134mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 6mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)