It’s been over 90 degrees outside for the past few days, which means one thing:
SALAD SEASON!
Also known as don’t turn on the oven or I’ll melt season.
Also known as let’s eat ice cream for every meal season.
When I’m not busy plotting out the next ice cream flavor I need to make, I spend most of my summer nights eating salads. I can’t bear the though of a hot meal for dinner after a long, hot, sticky day, so I tend to throw together a big salad for dinner and call it a day.
Instead of buying bottled salad dressing, which I find to be generally too expensive and loaded with weird ingredients, I always make sure my pantry is stocked with olive oil, various vinegars, and dijon mustard. Armed with those three ingredients, I know I can whip up a tasty salad dressing in no time.
So, today I’m sharing my go-to dressing with you; the one I shake up in a mason jar and pour over just about every salad I eat. The vinegars and add-ins vary based on my mood and what’s going on my salad, but the basic formula always stays the same.
For this dressing, I stuck with the basics:
Dijon Mustard
Red Wine Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
and Garlic Powder.
This basic, no-fuss dressing is perfect for just about every salad I make. Sometimes I swap out the red wine vinegar for balsamic or apple cider vinegar, or add in chopped fresh or dried herbs for a little extra flavor. I tend to like my dressing on the tangy side, so I use equal parts of vinegar and oil. If you want a little less zing, feel free to adjust the oil to vinegar ratio til it tastes just how you like it. You can even swap out fresh lemon juice for some or all of the vinegar, too.
This simple, homemade salad dressing is full of flavor and couldn’t be any easier to make. It’s easily customize-able, and can be made in less time than it takes to throw together a big salad for dinner. Plus, the bright, fresh flavor of this vinaigrette will bring you back to life after a hot summer day. At least, it does for me.
Looking for salad inspiration?
Try my Strawberry Avocado & Goat Cheese Salad, Summer Kale Salad with Spicy Granola, Peach, Pecan & Blue Cheese Kale Salad, or Barley Salad with Grilled Eggplant, Feta & Mint
My Go-To Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup vinegar red wine, balsamic, or apple cider vinegar are my favorites
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt pepper, and garlic powder
- optional add-ins: 1 teaspoon dried herbs like oregano, rosemary or thyme or 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, cilantro); 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey; 1 Tablespoon finely grated parmesan;
Instructions
- 1. Put all ingredients into a small jar, cover, and shake vigorously. Serve immediately, or keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Dressing will separate when refrigerated, so shake again before serving.
Notes