The Salad Dressing Repository
An extensive library of freshly made vinaigrettes and creamy dressings to liven up any greens.
Simple Vinaigrettes
Quick and easy, the vinaigrette is the basis for many dressings. Basically, a vinaigrette needs four ingredients: an acidic liquid such as vinegar or citrus juice; seasonings such as herbs, spices and salt; a food emulsifier such as powdered or prepared mustard, or egg yolks; and oil such as olive, avocado or vegetable oil. You can easily see that within this framework, the variations are virtually limitless. You can change the flavor immensely just by trying a different flavored vinegar, using citrus juice instead of vinegar, varying spices and herbs, or using flavored, infused or varying types of oils.
The assembly of any vinaigrette is always the same. Add everything except the oil to a mixing bowl, and whisk together vigorously. Then, slowly add the oil to the other ingredients while whisking continuously, ensuring an emulsion occurs which keeps oil and vinegar from separating. You generally want twice or half again as much oil as vinegar.
The recipes below can be made at the last minute before serving, and are generally enough for 3-4 salads. When using dried herbs, however, it's best to allow the dressing to sit at room temperature for an hour or so before serving to allow the herbs to reconstitute and release their flavors.
Asian Vinaigrette - Great on Butter Lettuce with Arugula, matchstick Radishes and chopped Scallions.
Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette - Good for a salad of grilled vegetables, like sweet Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Asparagus, and Radicchio.
Blue Cheese & Chervil Vinaigrette - Inspired by a recipe from the Sugar Busters Quick & Easy Cookbook, 1999; great with any greens and compliments Walnuts added to any salad.
Cajun Vinaigrette - Good for any hearty salad with peppers and cheese where a Cajun flavor profile is needed.
Dijon Chive Vinaigrette - Good for any basic salad or simple, thick-sliced broiled Tomatoes.
Fennel Dressing - Inspired by a Jeff Smith’s The Frugal Gourmet,1984; good for Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Greek Salad.
Italian Vinaigrette - Arguably, the most popular US vinaigrette, good for any basic salad.
Lemon Vinaigrette - Good for a salad made solely or mostly with Arugula.
Miso Dressing - Good for an Asian salad of soft lettuces (like Boston, Bibb or Oak Leaf) with scallions and radishes.
My Number One Fan’s Fav Vinaigrette - Good for any salad; sweet and savory.
Orange Vinaigrette - Good for a salad of Baby Spinach, Mandarin Oranges, slivered Almonds and dried Cranberries.
Parmesan Vinaigrette - Good for any salad where Italian flair is needed, but originally meant for a salad of Belgian Endive, julienne Prosciutto, roasted Red Bell Pepper and roasted Pine Nuts.
Pear & Goat Cheese Dressing - Good for any salad of delicate greens, like Red and Green Oak Leaf or Endive, and it’s better if you have very ripe or even overly ripe pears that can blend into the dressing.
Picnic Cole Slaw Vinaigrette - A great alternative to typical mayonnaise-based Cole Slaw dressings.
Pomegranate & Blue Cheese Dressing - Good for an salad with hearty greens, like Romaine, Radicchio and Frisée.
Raspberry Vinaigrette - Good for sliced Avocados or a salad with bitter greens, like Endive, Escarole or Radicchio.
Tomato Vodka Dressing - Inspired by a recipe from Emeril Lagasse's first cookbook, Louisiana Real & Rustic, 1996. This dressing is good for heartier salads with cheese.
Advanced Vinaigrettes & Creamy Dressings
These are recipes with slightly more complicated preparation methods. These dressings can be made ahead of time and will hold in the refrigerator for a week or more.
Apple Cider Dressing - Good for a fall salad of Belgium Endive, Watercress and Granny Smith Apples.
Basil Vinaigrette - Great on sliced tomatoes! Add fresh Mozzarella for a lazy man’s Caprese Salad.
Caesar’s Salad Express Dressing - This is not Caesar Cardini’s original recipe; nor is it the adapted version found in the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for My Version of Caesar’s Salad, but a quick version with a similar flavor profile for when you’re in a hurry or have a guest who cannot eat a raw egg.
Creamy Tarragon Dijon Dressing - From the Silver Palate Cookbook, 1982; this is a must dressing for char-grilled lettuces and veggies, like Radicchio, Belgian Endive, Asparagus, Bell Peppers, sweet Onions and Mushrooms.
Fresh Ginger Vinaigrette - Only freshly grated Ginger root will do. Great on any salad where an Asian flare is needed; try it on Napa Cabbage with chopped Green Onions and finely diced Red Bell Pepper.
Irish Pub Dressing - A true Irish Pub dressing, served on a bed of Bibb Lettuce, sliced Cucumber and Tomatoes, hard boiled Eggs, pickled Beets and picked Green Beans or Asparagus spears, served with a hunk of Irish Cheddar cheese on the side.
No Honey Honey Mustard Dressing - A low carb, no-sugar added version of the famous honey mustard dressing allegedly created in the 1980s at a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Great on salads, but also as a dipping sauce for fried hors d’oeuvres.
Port Wine Dressing - Delicious on a salad of Belgian Endive, Grilled Pears and Gorgonzola Cheese; in fact, this dressing pairs well with any salad that has any variety of Blue Cheese, like Stilton, Roquefort or Maytag.
Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette - Probably the only original Bobby Flay recipe I have. This is a hearty dressing for a hearty steak salad; also great as a side sauce for grilled chops and steaks or shish kabobs.
Sun Dried Tomato Dressing - Especially good on a salad that contains Romaine lettuce, grilled vegetables, like Zucchini and Asparagus and crumbles Feta or Goat Cheese.
Tomato Basil Dressing - Great on sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella cheese, or a salad of baby Spinach and Arugula with Red Onions and grated Parmesan.
Wilted Spinach Salad Dressing - Specifically made for the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Classic Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing.
