This guest post comes from Natalie and Holly over at The Modern Proper. Their mission is to change the way people think about hospitality, one delicious recipe at a time — and in our series with them, we’re excited to share recipes that will nourish you, your family, and loved ones alike. Here, they’re sharing five healthy homemade salad dressings that you can make in three (!) minutes or less.
I had my first child right around the time Pinterest began to gain popularity. It was great for those long nursing sessions with nothing but a phone to keep me occupied, but not so great for my rising anxiety about not doing everything perfectly, making everything from scratch, and creating picture-perfect moments at every opportunity. As a creative individual and someone who loves to cook and entertain, I think I'm naturally inclined to strive for perfection in those areas anyway, but I'd be lying if I said I'd never reached total burnout in the quest to do it all “right.”
Now, as a mom of three, I've learned what really matters to me, what areas in my life deserve more time and attention, and when and where I can allow myself to take shortcuts (even in the kitchen). I've also discovered the places where shortcuts aren't necessary. Sometimes making something from scratch is absolutely worth it, and homemade salad dressings are worth the extra two minutes of your time (yeah, that’s really all it takes!). Sure, could buy a really nice bottle of organic dressing, but it will cost you $7 and it won’t be near as flavorful as if you'd made it yourself.
It's as simple as throwing oil, acid, herbs, and seasonings into a blender or food processor and pulsing a few times. Seriously, that’s all. And the result? Fresh, brightly flavored dressings (that can be used as marinades, too!). When it's that simple, why not? These are five of my go-to dressings that work with pretty much any salad I plan to make. Feel free to sub ingredients with whatever you have on-hand. Dressings are hard to mess up as long as you have the sweet, sour, salty balance right. Plus, they’re easy to make ahead of time—just store them in mason jars and have them ready to go whenever you’re whipping up a quick lunch or dinner salad!
Honey Mustard
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup good mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp stone ground mustard
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
Caesar
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup good mayonnaise
- ⅛ tsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
Asian Sesame
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (or ½ tsp ginger powder)
- 2 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (added after blended)
Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 chipotle pepper
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender, food processor, or with an emulsion blender until smooth.
- That’s it! Enjoy!
