Salads are the perfect choice when you want to eat something healthy and light, and you can combine them with all kinds of delicious dressings so that you can enjoy a good snack.
And if you don’t know what to choose and what to replace the traditional combination of oil and vinegar, here are some dressing ideas that will inspire you in the kitchen, are easy to prepare, and with which you will not fail.
5 quick and delicious salad dressing recipes
- Simple vinaigrette salad dressing
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice from half an orange
Instructions: Add all the ingredients in a jar which you then have to close tightly. Stir well until the composition is homogeneous. You can put the jar cold, in the fridge, before pouring the dressing over the salad.
2. Dressing with strawberry vinegar and poppy seeds
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar strawberry cream
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons of granulated onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions: Add the strawberry vinegar, orange juice, salt, ginger, and granulated onion to a blender and mix well. Gradually pour in the olive oil, and finally add the poppy seeds. Leave the dressing cold until you serve it.
3. Italian dressing
1/2 cup water
the juice from a lemon
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions: Add all the ingredients in a blender, apart from the olive oil, and mix well. Gradually pour in the olive oil and continue to mix until the composition becomes homogeneous.
4. Citronette dressing
1/2 cup of lemon juice
juice from a lime
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches of green basil
4 strands of green rosemary
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
4 strands of green sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon honey or organic agave syrup
Instructions: Finely chop the basil, rosemary, parsley, and sage. Add the rest of the ingredients over the chopped greens and mix well. You can keep the dressing in the fridge.
5. Avocado dressing
1 medium avocado
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
a handful of fresh parsley
the juice from a lime
1 clove of crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix well until the composition becomes a homogeneous paste.
Useful tips for a successful dressing
As fast as salad dressing recipes are, you have to pay as much attention to the ingredients and quantities you use. Here are some tips that will help you make a delicious and flavorful salad dressing:
- Use olive oil, preferably extra-virgin, because it is fragrant, and you will get a much tastier dressing. For even more flavor, you can even use peanut or sesame oil;
Vinegar should not be missing because it gives the dressing acidity and a strong taste. - Opt for wine vinegar or other more flavorful assortments, such as balsamic strawberry vinegar cream. You can also use balsamic vinegar, but keep in mind that it has a stronger taste. As a substitute, you can opt for lemon juice and orange juice;
- Mustard should not be missing, especially if you make a vinaigrette dressing because it helps to bind the sauce;
- Taste the sauce as you prepare it to make sure you get the taste you want;
If you prefer sweeter dressings, then you can add honey or even a few tablespoons of jam; - Use fresh greens as much as possible because they are more fragrant than dried ones.
For some extra inspiration, here are some additional dressing ideas from famous bloggers:
Vinaigrette-based dressings
- Amy Gorin’s Grape Vinaigrette Dressing is a great idea for a slightly unusual vinaigrette dressing
- Nutrition Nuptials’ Pomegranate Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing recipe
- Healthy Inspiration Blog has this Sweet and Tangy Honey Balsamic recipe
- Bucket List Tummy has this Maple Dijon Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe
Vegan creamy dressings
- Kara Lyndon’s Vegan Green Goddess Dressing is perhaps the most well known vegan creamy dressing out there
- Thinky Bites’s Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Kara Lydon’s Creamy Cashew Apple Cider Dressing
- Nutritious Vida’s Creamy Walnut Dressing
You can still experiment with all kinds of flavors, herbs, and ingredients, such as sesame, chia seeds, poppy seeds, or the like.