Homemade salads dressings deserve some attention. Many people think they are time consuming or hard to get the ratios down to make the perfect dressing but I’ll let you in on my tips and tricks. The formula for a delicious vinaigrette salad dressing every single time. Now if you’re anything like me and hate math too, it’s ok this formula is easy! 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. That’s it! Now the vinegar is an acid so it can be anything from red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I also do a little lemon juice but instead of swapping out the vinegar entirely for the lemon juice I’ll just supplement the vinegar with lemon juice, adding to the flavor. Once you get the base down, you can start to add on herbs and seasonings. (Don’t forget the salt and pepper!). I’ll guide you through 6 of my favorite salad dressings below. Nowadays I come in contact with a variety of people who are gluten free, vegan, trying to reduce added sugars, etc. and I’m a supporter of whatever lifestyle you choose and want to provide recipes for you! Before I met my husband (10+ years ago) he told me he never ate salads. He grew up on meat and potatoes and just never liked salads – they were boring and bland to him. Enter: Me. I was able to open his eyes (and taste buds) to the magic of salads and how they aren’t “just for Dietitians” or “just for really healthy people.” He now REQUESTS salads and loves a variety of salads…and dressings! The Raspberry vinaigrette is the only dressing below that you will need a food processor or blender for. (*Note: you can make any dressing in the food processor if you’d like a more smooth consistency). Once you make your dressings, allow them to sit in the fridge for 15 min – 1 hour so the flavors can marinate! Perfect for meal prepping. Since these dressing aren’t made with preservatives like the store bought dressings, you can keep the Ranch and Caesar for 1 week and the other vinaigrette based dressing for up to 2 weeks. Let’s get to it!
What you’ll need for Caesar dressing:
Greek yogurt, plain Parmesan cheese, grated Olive Oil Lemon Juice Anchovy paste Dijon Mustard Garlic Worcestershire Salt & Pepper
How to make homemade Caesar dressing:
In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Add a touch more olive oil if needed to get the desired consistency. Store in fridge in a mason jar or air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.
What you’ll need to make a Mediterranean/Greek Vinaigrette:
Red Wine Vinegar Garlic Olive Oil Basil (fresh or dried) Oregano (fresh or dried) Feta (optional, leave out if vegan) Lemon Juice Salt and pepper Want to make it a creamy dressing? Whisk in 3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt!
How to make homemade Mediterranean Vinaigrette:
In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.
What you’ll need to make lemon poppyseed dressing:
Poppyseeds Lemon Juice Apple Cider Vinegar Olive Oil Honey Dijon Mustard Salt
How to make lemon poppyseed dressing:
In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Store in jar or container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.
What
you’ll need to make raspberry vinaigrette:
Raspberries Olive Oil Red Wine Vinegar Honey Fresh basil Shallot Dijon mustard Salt and Pepper
How
to make raspberry vinaigrette:
In a food processor or blender, process all ingredients until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Store in a mason jar or airtight container for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.
What
you’ll need to make ranch dressing:
Greek yogurt Buttermilk Fresh Parsley Fresh Chives Garlic Powder Salt and pepper
How
to make healthy ranch dressing:
In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Store in jar or container for up to 1 week. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.
What you’ll need to make jalapeño honey mustard:
Honey Mustard Jalapeno Lime juice & zest Fresh thyme (or parsley) Olive Oil Salt and pepper
How to make jalapeño Honey mustard:
In a bowl or jar, whisk the honey, mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper together. Then gradually whisk in olive oil and vegetable oil. Stir in the thyme and jalapeño. Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup. Enjoy this recipes…and let me know what you think of them in the comments below!
