No, the vinaigrette is not just vinegar.
Vinaigrette is a type of complete salad dressing that is made by mixing oil and vinegar into a temporary or stable blend.
In order to turn plain vinegar into vinaigrette, you have to combine a combination of specific culinary ingredients, which include the oil base, use the golden ration, the emulsifier or binder and the seasonings to get vinaigrette.
For the oil base of vinaigrette, high quality fats like avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil or even neutral vegetable oils are used for coating greens and toning down the harsh sting of pure acid.
For the golden ration for vinaigrette, a traditional French vinaigrette follows what is known as a 3:1 ratio, which includes 3 parts of oil to 1 part of vinegar.
And modern vinaigrette recipes also often use a 2:1 ration.
For the emulsifier or binder for vinaigrette, oil and vinegar naturally separate, so you need binders like Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, which are added to bridge the gap and hold the mixture together so that the dressings will cling evenly to the food.
For seasonings for vinaigrette, you can use salt, black pepper, minced shallots, garlic and fresh herbs to build a complex and savory flavor profile.
Vinegar is a single, raw ingredient made from fermented alcohol.
And vinaigrette is a multi ingredient dressing or sauce.
The vinaigrette is also thicker, smooth and emulsified and vinegar is just completely thin and watery.
Vinegar is mainly used in pickling, baking, cleaning or as a cooking component.
And vinaigrette is used directly for dressing salads, grain bowls or marinating of meats.