If you are a salad lover, or want to be a salad lover, you really need to know how to make delicious salad dressings at home. Let me start by saying making homemade salad dressing is actually very easy. Most vinaigrette dressings take just a couple of minutes to make and they are far healthier than store bought versions. But the most important thing is that homemade dressings take your salads from good, to exceptional. So let’s get to it: How to Make Delicious Salad Dressings at Home-Plus Recipes!
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How to Make Delicious Salad Dressings at Home-Plus Recipes
Tips for Making The Best Salad Dressings:
I love a good salad. But salads are only as good as their ingredients. So my advice is to use the freshest produce available to you and quality ingredients for your dressings. Here are a few of my favorite products that make your salads the best they can be…
A great olive oil– I love Cobram Estates California Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it’s COOC approved, so no fake olive oil here! This olive oil is loaded with healthy Omega 9 fats, is anti-inflammatory, and is good for your heart, brain, and skin!
Quality vinegar– my favorites are Prelibato White Balsamic, Blazing Barrel Dark Balsamic, A’Olivier Raspberry Vinegar and Passion Fruit Vinegar
Fabulous sea salt– my absolute favorite sea salt hands down is Maldon’s Flaked Sea Salt!
The formula for a healthy delicious Vinaigrette :
Three simple ingredients is all you need to make a delicious vinaigrette:
- You want to start with a healthy oil (this can be olive oil, avocado oil or nut oil)
- Then add an acid (a good vinegar or citrus/fruit juice)
- Finally flavor enhancers (herbs, spices, honey etc…)
Boom! That’s it, three simple ingredients.
Now for specifics…
Two parts oil to one part acid. That is the formula.
Vinaigrette dressing is usually made with two parts oil (olive, avocado or nut oils) to one part acid (vinegar, citrus or fruit juice). This means you will use twice as much oil as vinegar/juice. For Example: 1/2 cup olive oil to a 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar/juice. You can whisk that together and keep it that simple or add flavor enhancers such as chives, green onions, minced garlic or honey. Then add a little sea salt and pepper and you have a delicious healthy vinaigrette dressing. So easy! If you follow this formula you will always have success and you can be super creative.
Let’s Talk About Creamy Dressings:
Vinaigrette dressings are the easiest to make, while creamy dressings may take a few more minutes to prep because in general they have more ingredients and fresh herbs that need to be chopped. But truth be told, creamy dressings are also very easy to make. Some creamy dressings have a mayo base while others have an olive oil base emulsified in a blender.
Now Let’s Get to The Recipes!
I will list the dressing by category and some will also include a salad recipe, win/win…
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette Variations:
White Balsamic Vinaigrette– this is my go to dressing! It only has three ingredients and I use it on most of my salads.
Easy Honey Vinaigrette: Again, a staple, I use it all the time.
Dark Balsamic Vinaigrette: this is your basic balsamic vinaigrette that you see in most restaurants.
Fig Balsamic: I love this one with salads that include pears, apples and goats cheese!
Maple Balsamic: a traditional balsamic vinaigrette with real maple syrup added.
Citrus Vinaigrette:
My Five Favorite Spring/Summer Salad Dressings -this collection includes raspberry, lemon, citrus, balsamic, and tangerine vinaigrette!
My Five Favorite Summer/Fall Salad Dressings -this collection includes lemon vinaigrette, pomegranate vinaigrette, and apple vinaigrette
Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette- light, sweet and tasty!
Orange Vinaigrette– a sweet, easy to make dressing that tastes great on so many salads, including the one pictured below.
Fruit Vinaigrette:
Creamy Pear Vinaigrette– so delicious and made in minutes in your blender!
Raspberry Vinaigrette: a summer favorite!
Creamy Strawberry Vinaigrette – made with fresh strawberries this dressing has a gorgeous color and a Paleo-Whole30 option
Passionfruit Vinaigrette: I use this one on salads with peaches, cherries or nectarines.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette: a favorite for the holidays.
Apple Vinaigrette: perfect for fall salads!
Classic Mayo Based Salad Dressings:
Creamy Buttermilk Ranch– since the world cup came to America, we know that ranch dressing rules!
Classic Caesar Dressing– made in six minutes.
Creamy Avocado Ranch: delicious served on salads as a side to a Mexican food main course.
That is it friends! I hope you learned something and will start making your own salad dressings if you aren’t already.
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