Simple Salad Dressing
on May 27, 2023
A Simple Salad Dressing can go a long way in making boring salad taste great. Our salad dressing recipe is quick and easy to make- tasty too! With just a few pantry and fridge staples, you can make a delicious salad topping that beats any sort of store-bought salad dressing. We love this stuff and think it just might be our new everyday salad dressing!
What might be the best part of this dressing recipe is how simple and customizable it is. Making salad dressing from scratch lets you grab some of your favorite olive oil or a fancy vinegar you’ve been wanting to try and see how it tastes! You can make your salad dressing with lemon, try some different flavored oils- there’s just too many variations and tweaks to list. However you make it, homemade salad dressing is just too delicious and simple of a recipe to pass up. You’ll find the recipe below- we know you’re gonna enjoy it!
If you love making salads at home during the warm weather like I do, then next time you may want to give this Greek Salad recipe or this Wedge Salad a try. I promise you will love them!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love our Salad Dressing Recipe
- It’s easy to make with simple ingredients. Also, it’s great on top of a House Salad.
- It only requires only a few pantry staples to make a delicious dressing that’s better than any store-bought salad dressing.
- Making salad dressing from scratch lets you tweak and adjust the flavors just how you like them!
Simple Salad Dressing Ingredients
Creating a delicious homemade salad dressing doesn’t require complicated ingredients or expensive store-bought products. In fact, with just a few simple pantry staples and some basic kitchen tools, you can make your own unique dressing that will take your salads to the next level!
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- Olive Oil – Use a high-quality olive oil to get the best flavor, and nice richness to your dressing.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic will give you the best flavor but you can use jarred garlic as well.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Pick up this pantry staple on your next trip to the market, it’s perfect for making dressings.
- Dijon Mustard – Mustard adds not only a delicious flavor but also a creaminess. It’s one of the best emulsifiers for salad dressing- helping hold the oil and vinegar together.
- Salt and Pepper – These spice cabinet staples can add so much flavor to your homemade dressing.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Salad Dressing
Our homemade dressing recipe is so easy to follow, anyone can do it – no matter your skill level in the kitchen. Plus, this recipe allows for lots of variation so you never have to worry about eating the same boring salad twice!
- Combine all ingredients in a sealable bottle and shake or whisk together in a bowl until blended.
Substitutions
Are you out of an ingredient? Here are a few substitutions that you can use to make this recipe.
- Vinegar – If you don’t have red wine vinegar, try using white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. You could also try using some citrus, like lemon juice as well.
- Mustard – You can also use any kind of mustard that you like; dijon or whole-grain mustard.
- Olive Oil – If you don’t have olive oil, try substituting it with avocado oil or vegetable oil. You could sub out the olive oil entirely or do a 50/50 split with one of the oils we mentioned to make a substitute for light olive oil.
Variations
Do you want to add some additional flavor to this homemade salad dressing? Here are a few of my favorite tried and true additions to this recipe.
- Herbs – Add some freshly chopped herbs such as basil, oregano, or parsley to give it a fresh flavor.
- Citrus – Adding a bit of lemon or lime juice alongside the vinegar can brighten up the dressing.
- Spicy – Add some heat to your dressing with a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flake. You might even want to try adding a dash of your favorite hot sauce into the mix!
If you love making a homemade salad you may also enjoy this Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe.
Storage / Freezing
Storage: Store this delicious dressing in the fridge for up to one week. Just give it a good shake before you use it.
Freezing: You can also freeze this dressing for up to 3 months, although the olive oil may separate upon thawing so be sure to give it a good shake before using.
Top tip
Feel free to double this recipe, if you plan to have salads for the week. This is a great recipe for meal prep.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
Yes, this dressing is vegan-friendly.
Yes, adding some honey will help sweeten the dressing, if desired.
Yes, you can use gluten-free mustard and vinegar to make this recipe suitable for those following a gluten-free diet.
Other Homemade Salad Dressings
Looking for other homemade salad dressings? Try these:
Salads to serve this dressing with
These are my favorite salads to serve with Simple Salad Dressing:
Simple Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 tsp minced Garlic
- 3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 3 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a sealable bottle and shake or whisk together in a bowl until blended.
Notes
Can also be used as a marinade for chicken or seafood.
