Salad Dressings

delaneydj

Anybody have any tasty, healthy salad dressings I can make at home?

trigden1991

Balsamic vinegar is as simple as it gets and is delicious.

dklibert

Here is a Creamy Cucumber Dressing. soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/04/creamy-cucumber-dressing.html

dklibert

Here is the basic recipe I use. You can use different oils, vinegars, sweeteners and seasonings to change it up. I like walnut oil and white balsamic too. You can use ketchup for mustard if you like sweet. You use those to help bind the dressing. You can use maple syrup for honey for fall flavors. I have use Italian seasoning for the herbs. You can use ginger or shallot for the garlic. You can make just about any flavor.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes approx. 1/2 cup

Ingredients

3 oz olive oil
1 oz Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced (approx. 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp basil, chopped
Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Mix vinaigrette ingredients in a small mason jar. Secure with lid and shake until emulsified. Store remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Spliner1969

If you want to reduce the calories, increase the vinegar and reduce the oil. It's not typical to change up the ratio on vinaigrette but something like balsamic vinegar is damn near good by itself anyway. Less oil with it lowers the calories significantly. One of my favorite store-bought vinaigrette is Hendrickson's Original Sweet Vinegar & Olive Oil Dressing. 2 tbsp is only 70 calories, and it's so thin it coats the salad quite well. That's because it's more vinegar than oil.

dklibert

One more! This ginger dressing was delicious! https://youtube.com/watch?v=yjb963OqY_8

Mary_Anastasia

I just use a high quality balsamic vinegar (not the watery stuff off a shelf, go to a vinegar store); right now I'm finishing a bottle of white peach balsamic, and I have a bottle of truffle balsamic ready. Sometimes I add olive oil or hazelnut oil. I don't miss bottled salad dressings at all.

RaeBeeBaby

Homemade vinaigrette is the wonderful choice! I make my own vinegar, but also use a nice balsamic. Add some oil (olive, hemp, flax - whatever I have on hand). Some dried herbs and spices. Sometimes I throw in a few fresh berries and shake it up. Yum!

Plain yogurt is also a good base. You can add all kinds of seasonings - herbs, garlic, poppyseed, mustard, lemon, honey. I just throw stuff together and taste it until I get a flavor I like.

For bottled dressing the OPA greek yogurt dressings are very good. Low calorie and tastes just like the regular to me. They have blue cheese, feta dill and ranch. I buy them for parties when I'm short on time.

delaneydj

WOW!!! All these great ideas! Thank you everyone!

kasaz

I've been mixing 1 T balsamic fig reduction with 1 T avocado oil and it's enough for two salads. We've been having spinach salad with some strawberries and blue berries and a little bit of feta and walnuts on top. Delicious!

Karb_Kween

I usually do equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic. .. its called a vinaigrette