Salad Dressings …

Today let us focus on something different. I got the request, to make a collection of some good salad dressings. and since I am always up for the challenge, to learn something new, and to write…well here it is… I have put together for all if you, a list of over 40 salad dressings, and quickly and easy ways of making them. So, now you only need a fresh. big salad, and one of the dressings. Enjoy 🙂

Classic Vinaigrette: Whisk 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil.

Shallot–White Wine: Make Classic Vinaigrette, switching the red wine vinegar for the white wine vinegar; add 1 minced shallot, salt, and white pepper.

Shallot – Champagne vinaigrette: Make Classic Vinaigrette but replace the red wine vinegar with champagne vinegar; add 1 minced shallot.

Citrus Vinaigrette: Tart, tangy and citrusy flavors blend perfectly in this quick citrus vinaigrette.  Whisk together: 1/4 cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Apricot Orange Vinaigrette: combine in a jar all ingredients. 1/4 cup apricot preserve, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 tablespoon water, 1/8 teaspoon salt, Dash pepper.

Strawberry Vinaigrette: using hand blender, combine all ingredients until creamy smooth. 1 package (16 ounces) frozen unsweetened strawberries, defrosted, 6 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds.

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette: 16 oz of fresh (preferably) or defrosted raspberries, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (it can be champagne vinegar too), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, white pepper, 3 tablespoons each walnut oil and olive oil. Blend it together until creamy smooth.

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette: roast in the oven one whole head of garlic (at 400 degrees F for about 35 minutes; sliced the top off before). Cool it off and squeeze out the cloves. In the blender combine the garlic with Classic Vinaigrette and 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, salt, and black pepper.

Mediterranean: make Classic Vinaigrette and add 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1 finely chopped sundried tomato.

Dijon: Cream together 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and champagne vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, white pepper, and 1/2 cup olive oil.

Honey mustard: mic together (by shaking it vigorously, in a mason jar), ½ cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper.

*Tip: to make it Spicy Honey-Mustard, combine 2 teaspoons of honey and Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of lime zest and kosher salt, 1/4 cup each olive oil, 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, 1/2 chopped jalapeno.

Cilantro buttermilk:  using emulsion blender combine 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise, 3 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves.

Italian dressing (Vinaigrette):  in a jar combine (by shaking vigorously) 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 3/4 cup olive oil.

Creamy Italian: Combine by using emulsion blender 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme), 1 garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley.

Balsamic dressing: combine ¼ cup of good quality Balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico di Modena), 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 large garlic clove minced, 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

* Tip 1: to make Lemon Balsamic, whisk together 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, with 1/2 cup olive oil.

*Tip 2: to make Creamy Balsamic, combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and sugar with prepared Lemon Balsamic dressing.

Basil-Walnut: using a blender, combine 3/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons of toasted walnuts, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 cup fresh basil, 1 garlic clove and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Lemon: Whisk 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and salt to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup each olive oil and vegetable oil.

*Tip 1: to make it Lemon-Dill, make Lemon Dressing and add 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped dill.

*Tip 2: To make Lemon Olive, add 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, to prepared classic Lemon Dressing.

Ranch: Whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, a pinch of garlic powder and a touch of hot sauce.

*Tip 1: to make it Light Ranch, whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and chives, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

*Tip 2:  to make it Bacon Ranch, make the classic Ranch Dressing and add 4 slices crumbled fried bacon.

French: mixed in the blender 1/4 cup of olive oil, ¼ of cup of water, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, ketchup, and brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and kosher salt.

Creamy Blue Cheese: Cream 1/4 cup of buttermilk, ¼ cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt, and dash of hot sauce to taste.

Classic Caesar: 1 pasteurized egg yolk, 1 garlic clove, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 4 anchovies in a blender. Gradually blend in 1/2 cup olive oil and a splash of water. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.

*Tip: to make it Light Caesar, blend 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon each olive oil and water, the juice from 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove and 4 anchovies.

Cajun Scallion: Blend 1 hardboiled egg, 2 teaspoons of Creole mustard, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano), 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup chopped scallions. Use blender to combine into smooth consistency.

Creamy Curry: Whisk 1/3 cup each Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon honey and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

Orange-Walnut: Whisk in together 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons of walnut oil and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

*Tip: to make it Maple-Walnut, whisk in together 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, ¼ cup of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts (you must pulse them in blender, to almost powdered texture).

Thousand Island (aka Russian Dressing): Whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons each sweet pickle relish and chopped chives, 1 chopped hard-boiled egg and the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Green Goddess: Combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, sour cream and fresh parsley, the juice from 1/2 lemon, 2 chopped scallions, 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon and 3 anchovies. Use a blender, and work until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Watermelon-Mint: first you must pure 2 cups of cubed watermelon (seeded), then add to the blender 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, pepper, 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves. Pulse to combine into smoot, and creamy consistency.

Carrot-Ginger: 1 chopped raw carrot, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons of chopped peeled ginger, 1 orange (peeled and segmented), 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, salt, and water as needed. Use blender to combine all ingredients in slightly chunky consistency.

Miso-Ginger: Blend 1 tablespoon of miso paste, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger (peeled), juice of 2 limes, 1/2 garlic clove, 1 chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon Sriracha, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Use blender to combine into smooth and creamy consistency.

Asian Sesame: Whisk 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger (peeled), 3 tablespoons sesame oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper.

Spicy Thai: Stir 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 cup vegetable oil.

Peanut-Lime: Blend 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons water, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger (peeled), 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of honey. Use a blender to make it smooth and creamy.

Tahini dressing: mix well together ¼ cup smooth tahini, 3 tablespoons water (more if needed), 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon sea salt.