Make Your Own – Salad Dressings

Make Your Own – Salad Dressings

 

My family has always been salad eaters so it can feel like a real crisis around here if we run out of certain salad dressings and have not noticed until right before dinner. And with all the chemical additives found in most commercially prepared dressings it just feels right to make our favorites at home. Once you try it you may find you love to make your own salad dressings!

The directions are a little superfluous since making salad dressings is pretty much just combining the ingredients until they are really mixed well. But, hey, it’s not a recipe without directions, right?

 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
Milk (by tablespoons to reach desired consistency)

Directions:

1. Combine mayonnaise and sour cream in a bowl.
2. Add onion powder, garlic powder, parsley (if using) and stir to combine.
3. Add salt & pepper and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

 

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Ingredients:

3 cups mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 or 4 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained well

1-2 teaspoons mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground celery leaf

Sugar to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons cooked, finely minced egg yolk

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and whisk vigorously until well combined. You can put the ingredients in a blender but don’t over-blend.
2. Add a tablespoon of water if dressing is too thick and whisk thoroughly.

 

Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:

            1/4 cup whole milk yogurt

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/4 cup honey

 

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients and whisk or stir vigorously to combine.

 

Homemade Vegan French Dressing

Ingredients:

            4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 tablespoon garlic powder (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Whisk ingredients until thoroughly combined.

 

Homemade Zesty Italian Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup white vinegar

1 1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons of water
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon salt (I usually start with less and adjust to taste)

Directions:

Combine ingredients and whisk until thoroughly.
Homemade Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (found near the tuna fish in the supermarket)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Add the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined.

More cheese may be added to suit your taste.

 

Homemade Greek Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 large clove of garlic, squeezed through a garlic press

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

Squeeze a clove of garlic into a glass jar or re-sealable container.

Add oregano, salt and black pepper.

Pour in lemon juice and olive oil.

Whisk to thoroughly combine.

This dressing should be pulled from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving to warm the solidified oil then shaken or whisked to combine ingredients.

Advertisement