Vinaigrettes and Salad Dressings

Life is too short for sad salad dressing!

Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash

First of all, a confession. I will say right now that I NEVER measure anything when I’m making salad dressing, and I don’t think you should either. That being said, people want amounts when they see recipes, so here are recipes for my favorite salad dressings, with amounts. I will be the first to say you can eye ball everything and adjust each vinaigrette to your own taste. Some people like a more punchy, vinegar forward dressing, others prefer the olive oil to shine. If you want to eat salads on the daily (your body will thank you) then you should make your salad dressing the way YOU like it best.

Tips:

A jar is a great vessel for vinaigrette because you can put all the ingredients in it and shake to emusify - no whisk needed. The other selling point here is that whatever you don’t use can be stored in the jar. I often make a vinaigtrette in a jar and leave it on the counter for days until it’s used up. As long as there’s nothing perishable in it like dairy, a vinaigrette should last on the counter for about 5 days.

If you’re using minced shallot or garlic, let it soak in the vinegar with a pinch of salt for 10-20 minutes (if possible) before adding the oil and other ingredients. This helps soften and mellow the shallot/garlic, almost pickling it a bit, which will be more pleasant to bite down on than a chunk of raw shallot/garlic.

Mint, basil, tarragon, cilantro, parsley – any fresh herb, or a combination, elevates salad dressings. You can add minced herbs, or blend the dressing in a blender to combine everything. Dressings are a great way to use up herbs in the fridge.

Make sure your lettuce leaves are dry before adding vinaigrette and tossing your salad. If your lettuce is wet the salad dressing won’t stick to it.

If you like your dressing slightly sweet, you can add a little sugar, honey or maple syrup. I rarely do, but sometimes I have a salad at a restaurant like All Time in Los Feliz and the salad is phenomenal and then I find out theres a little sugar in it…so there’s definitely a time and a place for it.

Taste! Taste your dressing on a vegetable or lettuce leaf to see if it holds up. Maybe it needs more salt, acid or oil. They only way to know is to taste!

Rules and ratios. Some people will tell you that there should be a ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar in a vinaigrette. Other people will say that it’s closer to 50/50. I think different dressings work better with different ratios. Let your palate guide you rather than ratio rules.

Here are some of my standbys (listed alphabetically) and I will update the list periodically - if you notice one is missing from this list, lmk!

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Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot or 1 minced clove of garlic

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard,

• 6 tablespoons olive oil,

• salt and pepper to taste

Let shallots or garlic marinate in the vinegar for 5 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and whisk or shake in a jar until combined. Taste and adjust as desired.

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Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Shake all ingredients in a jar or whisk until combined.

Great in this salad:

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Ceasar

• 1 egg yolk⁣⁣

• 1 teaspoon Dijon⁣⁣

• 1 clove minced garlic

• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire⁣⁣

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice⁣

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar ⁣⁣

• 1-3 smashed and minced anchovies (according to taste)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• fresh black pepper⁣⁣

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil⁣⁣

BY HAND:

Put all ingredients except olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Tilt the bowl and use a folded dish towel to keep it at an angle. Whisk ingredients to combine and then slowly pour olive oil into the bowl while whisking continuously. That’s it! You can taste it and add more salt or pepper if you like. If it tastes strong, don’t worry, remember it will be on romaine lettuce which can stand up to bold flavors. ⁣⁣

BLENDER/FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD:

Put all ingredients except olive oil in blender or food processor. Turn machine on to blend ingredients well. Turn off. Then slowly drizzle olive oil into the machine (through the hole in the top) while machine runs. Adding the oil slowly is crucial in order to create a creamy emulsion. Taste for seasoning.