I’ve tried bottled salad dressings and they just don’t seem quite right. There might be some decent ones out there, I’ve just never found them. Do you have any favorites? Every now and then I’m tempted to purchase another bottled dressing thinking this will be the one! Once I get home and open that “possibly good enough to dress my salad bottled dressing,” well, to my dismay it does not live up to my expectations of what a well-balanced dressing should be. A good dressing can turn a few simple greens into a really delicious salad.
Olive oil, vinegar, mustard, fresh herbs and garlic
Chopped herbs and garlic.
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or a combination of canola oil and extra virgin olive oil
1 very small garlic clove – pressed
2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (1 tablespoon Italian parsley, 2 teaspoons basil, 1 teaspoon chives)
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. This dressing is on the tangy side due to the generous amount of vinegar and that’s what I like about it. It really brightens up your greens and is equally good on pasta salad or potato salad (with green beans and bacon). You can substitute these herbs with your favorites such as tarragon, cilantro, marjoram or whatever fresh herbs are available to you. The Dijon mustard helps to keep the dressing emulsified and just a quick stir once it has been refrigerated is all it needs before you use it on your next salad. It will keep nicely in the refrigerator for a week.
This looks yummy. Home made dressings are a lot healthier than the stuff in the stores. This last of the summer pasta salad looks fantastic. I’m going to have to try this one!
Aloha Teresa! You’re absolutely correct about homemade dressings being healthier than bottled dressings and they taste a whole lot better. Just a few fresh herbs and you’re all set.