Homemade salad dressings taste delicious and take only minutes to prepare — far less time than cutting and chopping produce.
“What kind of dressing did you use?” said a friend, taking a second helping of salad.
“My own,” I said.
“Is that a brand?” she asked.
“No, I make it myself,” I explained.
“From scratch?” she asked, shocked by the concept.
Most Americans rely on bottled salad dressings because they are easy and alluring. No longer is your grandmother’s plain oil and vinegar dressing acceptable amid supermarket shelves enticing you with raspberry hazelnut vinaigrette, guacamole ranch and roasted red pepper Italian.
Despite hyped-up flavoring, bottled products don’t taste as bright as the seasonal produce they’re dressing. Many of them are high in sugar, salt and preservatives. Some products list water as the first ingredient.
The first time I saw someone whip up salad dressing, I was observing a caterer in my kitchen.
Lettuce and raw vegetables graced a large wooden bowl. She flicked in pinches of salt, turned the pepper grinder three times and sprinkled dried mustard on top. She drizzled on olive oil and red wine vinegar and tossed everything together.
I couldn’t believe how much fresher that tasted than Spring Garden, my favorite bottled dressing.
“How did you do that?” I asked. “I mean, know how much of everything to include?”
“With practice,” she said. “You can do it, too.”
This was a transforming experience.
I began keeping a few basic ingredients on hand that lent themselves to throwing together foolproof dressings: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemons, red onion, garlic powder, dried mustard and fresh herbs (parsley, dill, chives or basil).
A salad brimming with summer ingredients deserves better than a bottle of dressing that expires next year. Homemade salad dressings taste delicious and take only minutes to prepare — far less time than cutting and chopping produce. Once you start making salad dressing, you’ll never buy a bottled product again.
Russian Dressing Revisited
(Pareve)
1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 cup ketchup
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix together with a fork until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and every white lump of mayonnaise is incorporated. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The dressing will last three days in the refrigerator.
Yield: 2 cups
Red Wine Vinaigrette
(Pareve)
1 cup olive oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon red onion, minced
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste, about two turns on the pepper mill
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until well combined. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The dressing will last a week in the refrigerator, but return to room temperature before serving and whisk again.
Yield: 1⅓ cups
Olive Oil and Lemon Vinaigrette
(Pareve)
1 cup olive oil
⅔ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves, finely minced
Kosher salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until well combined. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The dressing will last a week in the refrigerator, but return to room temperature before serving and whisk again.
Yield: 1⅔ cups
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
(Pareve)
1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt to taste
A pinch of white pepper
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix together with a fork until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and every white lump of mayonnaise is incorporated. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The dressing will last three days in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving.
Yield: 1⅓ cups
Bubbe’s Budget Dressing
(Pareve)
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
½ cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar, or more, if desired
Kosher salt to taste
1-2 garlic cloves, cut in half
Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. Shake until the ingredients are well combined. Leave on the counter for 12 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate and return to room temperature and shake again before serving. Strain out the garlic before serving. It can be refrigerated for a week.
Yield: 2 cups
