I’m not going to lie to you and say that salads are tasty and fun and great to eat. I eat my salad in this order: greens first, saving all the cheese, nuts, and other goodies for last, so I can finish my meal with a smile. However, I do believe that a tasty dressing made to your liking will take that salad from a 5 to a 7.5 (out of 10).
Additionally, when you tell people that you made the dressing yourself, should it come up because you’re in the break room at work or serving it to friends and family, it sounds cool and impressive.
Making salad dressing is incredibly easy. You just need a bowl, a whisk, and a few ingredients you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. Having made about a dozen different kinds of dressings over the years, I’ve figured out the perfect formula for making dressings at home with what you have on hand.
The ratio is 3 parts oil/fat, to 1 part acid, with about ⅓-⅔ of a part emulsifier/sweetener. Add herbs and spices to your taste.
Some additional tips: you’ll definitely want some mustard if you’re making a vinaigrette, but you can probably skip it if you’re making a creamier, mayonnaise-based dressing.
Check out the graphic below for an easy visual guide to creating your own salad dressings.
