One of the easiest ways to elevate a salad is to make your own dressing. With some olive oil, vinegar and spices you can easily create a custom vinaigrette in just about one minute. Put all the ingredients into a mason jar or container, shake it like a Polaroid picture, and you’ve got yourself a dressing. In my latest Gourmet Gab video I’ll show you how fast it is to make a two dressings: balsamic and a honey mustard vinaigrettes. You’ll save money since these use items you probably already have in your pantry and also be healthier since these don’t have any preservatives!
Vinaigrettes usually follow a 3-to-1 ratio, meaning three parts olive oil to one part vinegar. The best thing about making your own dressing for salads is that customize it to fit your preferences. Like it more tart? Add more vinegar. Hoping for more sweetness? Add some honey! Want it to be a little more smooth? Add more olive oil. I made the honey mustard vinaigrette a little more thick, but feel free to add more olive oil to smooth it out.
All of these are approximate measurements. The dressing is meant to be easy to assemble (and eyeball!) when you’re in a hurry or on the go. Here is more-or-less what I incorporate into my dressings depending on the day!
- [b]Balsamic Vinaigrette[/b]
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- [b]Honey Mustard Vinaigrette[/b]
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons mustard (regular, dijon, spicy, etc.)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Add all ingredients to a mason jar or container for either the balsamic or honey mustard vinaigrette.
- Shake until combined. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Serve over salad or use as a dipping sauce. Keep in refrigerator.
Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela
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