To me, salad dressings are an amazing combo of science and art. You have to get just the right ratios with the right mix of Ingredients. And once you get it, “fahgettaboudit”! You’ll never go back to those (expensive and nutritionally inferior) store bought bottles of dressing!
My secret is to choose a light, flavorful vinegar (I found a yummy mango one but have also used champagne and citrus), a touch of sugar and mustard. Mustard acts as an emulsifier so the oil and vinegar will stick together. This is a basic 1:3 ratio (1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, so you can scale this however you’d like.)
Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
1/3cup vinegar of choice (champagne, citrus, or this tasty mango one I found are my go-to’s)
2/3cup EVOO
1 tsp sugar or honey (omit if your vinegar has sugar already added)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Directions:
Combine vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and mustard in a medium bowl until combined using a whisk or immersion blender.
Slowly drizzle in the oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is emulsified and smooth. If using immersion blender just throw the oil in and blend away.
Before you actually use your vinaigrette to dress your salad, be sure to give it a taste. This is your moment to change the ratio of vinegar and oil, or make any other last-minute adjustments. Dip a veg in to test it out, as just using ‘the finger dip method’ may give you a skewed idea of the flavor.
Refrigerate leftovers and use throughout the week.