Salads can be a great and delicious way to include more vegetables in your diet. With the summer months upon us, many of our clients are asking for more salad ideas. And we always suggest the easiest way to spice up a salad is to try new salad dressings. Salad dressings can take a drab salad and make it fabulous.
That said, we would like to share with you a how-to guide on preparing your own simple salad dressings. The simplest salad dressing to prepare is the classic vinaigrette. Vinaigrettes require few ingredients and can be easily seasoned to add variety to your meals. Preparing this simple salad dressing is a quick two-step process.
Step 1: Prepare the base of your salad dressings
The base of a simple vinaigrette is mixing a 1:2 ratio of your choice of an acid (like vinegar or a citrus juice) and a vegetable oil. Knowing the acid to oil ratio is helpful because it allows you to prepare as little or more of the salad dressing as you would like.
Vinaigrette Base Servings
- ¼ cup = 1 tbsp acid + 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
- ¾ cup = ¼ cup acid + ½ cup vegetable oil.
- 1 ½ cups = ½ cup acid + 1 cup vegetable oil.
Then, use an immersion blender to combine and emulsify the acid and vegetable oil together. Or you can also use a whisk.
You now have the base of your vinaigrette!
Pro tip: For every ½ cup of vegetable oil you use, you can add ½ tbsp of Dijon or honey mustard to help emulsify (incorporate) the liquids together so that as the vinaigrette sets, the acid and oil do not separate. If you omit the mustard, make sure to mix the dressing well before serving!
Acid and vegetable oils pairings that work well together
Most neutral oils, like olive oil or canola oil pair well with most acidic ingredients. That said, here are some acid and vegetable oil pairings that work well together for a simple salad dressing:
- Balsamic vinegar has a sweet and sour flavour. It works well with nut-based oils like peanut, walnut, hazelnut, and sesame oil or olive oil.
- White wine vinegar has a sour flavour that works well with safflower oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil.
- Lemon or lime juice has a sour flavour. They work well with olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, and avocado oil.
- Apple cider vinegar has a sour flavour that works well with olive oil, canola oil, and avocado oil.
Step 2: Mix in your favourite seasonings.
You can choose to leave your simple vinaigrette as acid + vegetable oil and skip this second step or you can mix in herbs and spices to add an extra layer of flavour.
Suggested Flavour Combinations for Salad Dressings
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Garlicky Dill Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5
Description
So simple, even your kids can make it! This garlicky dill vinaigrette is not only wonderful on salads but with lots of different veggies and entrees.
Ingredients
Salad dressing base
½ cup lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
Seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried dill
½ tsp each of salt and pepper
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a mason jar and close the lid. Give the jar a shake. Yep, it’s that simple!! Use the dressing right away or refrigerate it for up to one week.
Notes
Note: A stronger flavour develops over time.
- Prep Time: 5
Easy Italian Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5
Description
You probably already have everything in your pantry that you need for this recipe. This Easy Italian Vinaigrette is amazing on salads, tossed with pasta, or drizzled on spring vegetables. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Salad dressing base
½ cup lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil*
Seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp garlic powder or 1–2 cloves of garlic, minced *
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a mason jar. Use an immersion blender to combine and emulsify. If you don’t have an immersion blender, cover the jar tightly and shake ingredients.
Notes
*Pro tip: You can use garlic-infused olive oil and omit the garlic powder in this recipe. It’s one less ingredient to add and also makes the dressing appropriate for those who are sensitive to whole garlic.
- Prep Time: 5
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5
Description
Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing a very versatile dressing, you can serve it on salads, on roasted vegetables or use it as a marinade. The sourness of the balsamic vinegar complements salads that contain apples, pears and berries. Perfect for summer salads.
Ingredients
Salad dressing base
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil
Seasoning
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp garlic powder or 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a mason jar, pop on a lid, and Shake, Shake, Shake.
- Prep Time: 5
TIP: All homemade simple salad dressings should be stored in your fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container, like a glass jar.
Now you know the basics of preparing your own homemade simple salad dressing! Preparing homemade salad dressings are great. They are easily customized to suit your preferences, add variety, and can be cost-effective.
Are homemade dressings healthier than store-bought dressings?
Yes, some store-bought dressings may have more sodium (salt) or sugar added to them compared to the homemade simple salad dressing. However, in most cases, those amounts are still quite low per serving. If grabbing the store-bought salad dressing is more convenient and helps you actually eat your vegetables -there’s way more benefit to include them, not avoid them!
Don’t forget to check out our blog post on HOW TO MAKE A BALANCED SALAD
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