Salads are a great way to eat well but did you know your salad dressing may be hiding a lot of not so healthy ingredients? Making your own homemade dressing is easier than you think. You just need to know the basic ratio of acid to oil and you can make almost anything in your pantry into a tasty homemade salad dressing.
Watch the video below to find out how you can make a homemade salad dressing and clean out the fridge in the process.
Need a little more guidance? Here are a few starter recipes to give you some thoughts and inspiration to making your own homemade salad dressing.
Basic Vinaigrette
- ¾ cup oil such as olive, canola, grape seed, vegetable
- ¼ cup acid such as red wine, white wine, balsamic, champagne or apple cider
- pinch of salt and pepper
- optional additional flavorings like sweet, spice, garlic or herbs
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bow or jar and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp dry mustard
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bow or jar and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Makes about 1 cup
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bow or jar and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Citrus Vinaigrette
- 6 tablespoons good quality olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons honey, more if you like it sweeter
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bow or jar and mix well until thoroughly combined.