25 Salad Dressings You'll Want to Make Forever
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
From a simple spinach salad to a side of crispy fries, the right dressing can make all the difference in flavor. Luckily, we’ve prepared this collection of four- and five-star dressings for you to choose from. Perfect for a grain bowl or fresh greens, readers want to give recipes like our Basil Vinaigrette “6 stars!” You can also turn to our smoky Chipotle Ranch Dressing to drizzle over a hot chicken sandwich or use as a dip. No matter what you’re making, the dressing you need is waiting below.
Basil Vinaigrette
Drizzle this basil salad dressing over sliced tomatoes or cooked green beans. Or toss it into a grain salad for a pop of fresh summertime flavor.
Easy Homemade Italian Dressing
This easy homemade Italian dressing is a snap to pull together and lasts for up to a week in the fridge. You can make and store the dressing in the same jar, making cleanup a breeze. If the dressing separates, give it another shake before pouring. If the oil solidifies in the fridge, let the dressing sit at room temperature before shaking and serving. Use this dressing on a chopped salad with romaine, salami, olives, mozzarella and tomatoes or as a quick marinade for chicken or steak.
Julia Child's Sauce Vinaigrette
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
When making her simple Sauce Vinaigrette recipe, Julia Child suggests using high-quality vinegar and oil, as their flavors will really shine through. We thought a pinch of sugar would balance the acidity and flavor of the ground mustard; feel free to add some if you find the dressing to be too strong. Recipe adapted from The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child © 1968 by Julia Child with permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
This classic ranch dressing gets a kick of heat and smokiness from canned chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Got extra peppers? Don't let them go to waste! Freeze them in an ice cube tray or small container to use later. Serve this zesty chipotle ranch dressing with crispy tater tots, french fries or drizzled on a chicken sandwich, or use it as a dipping sauce for fresh veggies.
Citrus Vinaigrette
This versatile citrus salad dressing gets a touch of natural sweetness from orange juice, which balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Use it in coleslaw for a mayo-free dressing, or drizzle it over winter greens with dried fruit and nuts.
Garlicky Pickle-Juice Vinaigrette
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman
Don't toss that pickle juice! The salty-sour brine is the backbone of this quick vinaigrette that pairs well with salad greens as well as steamed potatoes and carrots.
Green Goddess Dressing
This bright and tangy green goddess dressing is made from creamy avocado, tangy buttermilk and fresh herbs. Anchovy paste adds savory flavor. This dressing is delicious tossed with sturdy greens or served with fresh or grilled vegetables for dipping.
Sesame Tamari Vinaigrette
The roasted-nut and citrus flavors of this easy dressing go well with Asian-style salads or meals; try drizzling it on grilled shrimp or chicken breast, too.
Creamy Cilantro-Avocado Dressing
Use this tangy, creamy cilantro-avocado dressing on a salad of romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes and black beans, with crumbled tortilla chips or toasted pine nuts on top.
Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
While a 1-to-2 acid-to-oil ratio is common for vinaigrettes, shifting it to 1-to-1½ yields a dressing with a brighter flavor and fewer calories. That means for every 1/2 cup of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, use 3/4 cup of oil in this salad dressing recipe.
Creamy Buttermilk Dressing
This creamy buttermilk-herb dressing recipe is perfect tossed with mixed greens, as a dressing for cold pasta salads or as a dip for crunchy vegetables.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
In this balsamic vinaigrette recipe, the addition of Italian seasoning adds an extra layer of flavor and spice. Use as a quick and easy balsamic vinegar salad dressing or as a balsamic marinade for chicken that's delicious and moist.
Herb Vinaigrette
This fresh herb vinaigrette dressing recipe is great tossed with mixed greens or as a dressing for cold pasta salads. It's easily adapted to whatever herbs and citrus you have on hand. Be sure to shake well before serving.
Creamy Cottage Cheese Dressing
Cottage cheese serves as the base for this easy dressing and adds protein. We like the dressing on the thicker, creamier side, but you can add more water to thin it out, if desired. Use any mix of fresh herbs you have on hand—chives, parsley and dill all work well here. We add the herbs after blending to preserve their delicate flavor, plus it prevents the dressing from turning green. Use leftover dressing on grain bowls, salads and more.
Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
Here is a great, all-purpose salad dressing. The pleasing pungency of Dijon mustard makes it a good match for slightly bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, radicchio or Belgian endive. It also makes an irresistible dipping sauce for crunchy vegetables (especially fennel) and crusty whole-wheat bread.
Caesar Salad Dressing
Double this Caesar salad dressing recipe to have extra on hand for tomorrow night's salad.
Mint Vinaigrette
This brightly flavored lemon-mint vinaigrette recipe is an ideal dressing for mixed green salads or grain salads, such a quinoa or freekah, topped with fresh fruit.
Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
This roasted red pepper vinaigrette recipe has a Spanish zing with the addition of sherry vinegar and smoked paprika. Purchased jarred roasted red peppers make this salad dressing recipe quick, or you can make it extra-special by roasting your own red peppers.
Cucumber Herb Vinaigrette
As the base of this herb-spiked dressing, pureed cucumber provides a mellow grassy flavor and a luxurious texture. Pureeing vegetables into a salad dressing is a great way to give it body (and to sneak in more low-cal vegetables). Experiment with tomatoes, arugula and/or roasted garlic to create your own dressing magic.
Lemon-Balsamic Dressing
This lemon-balsamic dressing has the perfect balance of acidity from lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and sweetness from honey. Use it to dress a simple salad with anything from mild to spicy greens.
Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Spoon this tangy dressing over cooked broccoli, green beans, salad or poached fish.
Charred Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Jacob Fob
This charred lemon-garlic vinaigrette picks up a pleasant smoky flavor from the grill. The garlic cooks just enough to mellow its flavor, and maple syrup balances the acidity nicely.
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
This white-balsamic dressing is perfect when you want the sweet-tart flavor of balsamic vinegar without the dark color. This dressing will work well on any salad, but pairs particularly well with fruit.
Tahini Dressing
Tahini adds richness to this creamy dressing. Its nutty flavor will enliven any salad.
Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing
Made with mellow roasted garlic and chicken broth, this creamy dressing is perfect with a simple salad of romaine lettuce and red onion rings or with a main-dish salad.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
