Recipe: Basic Salad Dressing

While I do use my share of prepared goods, some foods beg to be made from scratch. My favorite thing to make from scratch? Salad dressing. It is the easiest thing to whip up, uses whatever you have in your pantry, and allows you to customize it to your tastes and preferences. I also love the ability to be control the salt and sugar content of the dressing – two very important things nutritionally! This is the recipe for an everyday, vinegar-based salad dressing which goes perfectly on any salad or can be used as a meat marinade too (a perfect double duty recipe!).

It starts with a jar. I never use a bowl and spoon to mix my dressings anymore. Salad dressing usually consists of two major components – fat (oil) and water (vinegar/citrus juice). These two things do not mix together well if you do not have adequate force. Using a jar with a tight-fitting lid (I love a simple mason jar) and an emulsifier, allows you to vigorously shake the dressing and create an emulsification that prevents your dressing from separating.

The dressing starts with some good olive oil.

And then add in some red wine vinegar.

Now for the emulsifier. To help the dressing stay together, I add in some Dijon mustard. This helps the oil and vinegar come together and make a cohesive salad dressing. No separated dressing on your salad ever again!

The dressing is seasoned with garlic powder.

And some dried oregano.

I also added in some salt and pepper.

Put the lid tightly onto the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is creamy. Using a piece of lettuce, sample the dressing and adjust seasonings to taste.

And there you have it–a perfect everyday salad dressing!

Check out more of Catherine’s delicious recipes by visiting Simply A (RD) Foodie and come back here every Wednesday for new recipes!