Ten Salad Dressings
It’s easy to make your own personalized salad dressings. The basic ratio of sour, sweet and oil is easily modified and infinitely variable. This recipe makes enough for several salads because it’s just as easy to make a lot as a little and, once you taste your own dressings, you won’t be able to get enough.
Ingredients
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup any vinegar, lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or jelly
1 heaping Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping Tablespoon any fresh herb (optional)
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup any vinegar, lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or jelly
1 heaping Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping Tablespoon any fresh herb (optional)
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Simply decide which ingredients you’d like to use and then measure everything into a Mason jar and shake vigorously until combined. Your personalized dressing will stay fresh in your refrigerator for several weeks, if it lasts that long.
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Recipe Submitted by
Chef Michael
I’m a FoodTV host, cookbook author and official food ambassador for Prince Edward Island, more importantly I’m a Dad and passionate home cook!
Variation
1. Sherry Maple: sherry vinegar and maple syrup
2. Fennel Balsamic: balsamic vinegar, honey and ground fennel seed
3. Raspberry: red wine vinegar and raspberry jelly
4. Italian: red wine vinegar, no sweetener, minced garlic, oregano and thyme
5. Caesar: lemon juice, no sweetener, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
6. Caribbean: lime zest and juice, honey and shredded coconut
7. Southwestern: lime zest and juice, honey, cilantro and hot sauce
8. Vanilla: white wine vinegar, honey and pure vanilla extract
9. Goat Cheese: 1 small 5 oz log of goat cheese, 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, and sprinkle or two of salt and pepper, puréed smooth
10. Tomato: 1 large ripe local tomato puréed with the zest and juice of 2 lemons and 1/2 cup of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper
2. Fennel Balsamic: balsamic vinegar, honey and ground fennel seed
3. Raspberry: red wine vinegar and raspberry jelly
4. Italian: red wine vinegar, no sweetener, minced garlic, oregano and thyme
5. Caesar: lemon juice, no sweetener, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
6. Caribbean: lime zest and juice, honey and shredded coconut
7. Southwestern: lime zest and juice, honey, cilantro and hot sauce
8. Vanilla: white wine vinegar, honey and pure vanilla extract
9. Goat Cheese: 1 small 5 oz log of goat cheese, 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, and sprinkle or two of salt and pepper, puréed smooth
10. Tomato: 1 large ripe local tomato puréed with the zest and juice of 2 lemons and 1/2 cup of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper
Can’t wait to try these recipes! And I hate cooking so that’s a big compliment!
Hello Mr. Smith,
I really enjoy your cooking show and have tried some of your recipes and found them very good. I enjoy how you create salad dressings from scratch, and actually used some of them when I prepare a hot meal from our wife and I. I find that the way that you work is practical, even though it may take me a little longer to prepare supper I still remember some of the steps that you told me to your show to do. I wish to know any tips on how to prepare a clam chowder. My wife and I made a clam chowder from one of your shows she didn’t really like it do to the fact that I forgot what kind of milk to use and what type of wine as well. I want to try this recipe again sometime, and how fine do you shred the potatoes.
Yours sincerely
Nick Bear
Is there a good substitute for cilantro? I tried it a fer\w diffrent times diffrent ways and just don’t like it. Thankyou
I do not like cilantro either and I just replace it with regular parsley in all my recipes.
I love your show and went directly to your website to get a recipe for coleslaw., the one you marinate, for 100 people. I want to have this as a side dish with pulled pork sandwiches or a topping. I would like to make it up ahead so I can have some things done before Dec. 30th for my daughter’s Jack and Jill party. If you can give me a good recipe, I would sure appreciate that. Thank you.
Loved it. Easy to make and irresistable.
Thanks
Amazing recipe!! I’m thinking this will be nice with a summer Orzo salad with lots of grilled veggies. I will experiment with Balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs (Italian seasonings). I’m salivating just thinking about it.
Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Michael,
Would I be able to substitute blue cheese for goat cheese in the above recipe? If not, do you have a blue cheese dressing recipe you’d be willing to share?
Heather
Hej Michael
Jeg har se mange af din programmer og hvor kan du lave mad. Jeg mangler/ kan ikke finde opskriften på peberod du havde i et glas og du sagde når man har lavet dette går man ikke ud og køber peberodsalat mere
god jul hilsen Jette
Your salad dressings sound really good, – however, what quantities are required/recommended for the assorted variations? I realize there is probably not a set amount, but where should I start? Thanks.
Hi Pauline, Just follow what Chef Michael outlined at the top: 2parts oil; 1 part acid; 1 part sweet; 1 heaping T of dijon and 1 heaping T of any herb you like plus S&P.
If you follow his formula you can put anything together. I haven’t bought salad dressing since his show first aired!
Good luck, anything goes as long as you keep the ratio.
Joanne
I just made the olive oil/balsamic dressing…I love it, I just hope the others do….:)
Any suggestions for which veggies it goes best on?
Thank you, love this site.
Fae
Hi Michael,
I love your salad dressings, I have tried 3 so far and they are all great, I also took your basic recipe and twisted it a little.
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Maple Syrup (the real stuff)
1 1/4 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Fresh Thyme, Oregano (several sprigs of each)
Sea Salt, Pepper
The combination of Maple Syrup and Balsamic Vinegar is really interesting, it tastes sweet then acidic, and Dijon Mustard adds a nice finishing punch.
Thanks for the great recipes
Hi Chef Michael Smith and mike.
What could be more Canadian than a Vinagrette with Maple Syrup.
The combination of maple syrup with balsamic vinegar was incredible. I thought it would be strange but it had such a lovely taste. I will definitely try that again,
Hi Michael,
The goat cheese dressing.
I added 2 tbs of fresh mint as it is growing in my garden in early April.
It just added the extra layer of flavour.
I love spices and herbs ……. It is a keeper.
Thanks, This recipe was air today April 29 2011 Chef at Home recorded in 2004. Almost certain I have seen all your epsidoes.