This page contains fairly simple recipes for making many of the classic dressings from scratch.
Why make your own?
Making many basic dressings is actually easier than running to the store to buy a bottle of a commercial brand. The one catch: pre-measure all your ingredients so you can be whisking IN ORDER AS LISTED the entire time. Here is how easy it is:
Click print at the top of this page, and then click recipes (click to delete) you don’t want to print and they will be deleted.
General Tips
- Proportion are important: 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar with a pinch of salt.
- You can use an egg yolk or Dijon mustard as an emulsifier
- Mix 2 oz vinegar, a pinch of salt, 2 tsp Dijon or one egg yolk, scant garlic and pepper and mix
- Put into blender on low and drizzle in 8+ ounces of very good EVOO
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 C buttermilk
1 C Miracle Whip
2 TBL parsley
1 TBL sour cream
1 TBL good white wine
1 TBL onion powder
1 TBL garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Italian Dressing
1/4 C White Vinegar
a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil – whisk continually while drizzling in VERY SLOWLY the oil. This will cause the droplets of oil to remain suspended in the vinegar
– Use Avocado Oil for a different taste
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
a couple leaves of rosemary
two leaves of fresh basil (chopped)
Cobb Salad Dressing
1 tbl Dijon mustard
2 tbl red wine vinegar
oregano
touch of dill
2 tbl olive oil, drizzled and whisking to emulsify.
Green Goddess – Copy Cat
1 Lemon . zest and Juice
1/2 C mayo or Salad Dressing
2 TBL yellow mustard
1/2 C sour cream
3 anchovies – smashed
2 egg yolks
1 TBL tarragon
1 TBL apple cider vinegar
1 TBL granulated sugar
1 TBL parsley
1 TBL chives or scallions
1 TBL cilantro
1 tsp pepper
Salt is not needed because of the anchovies
Sesame Dressing for Noodles
2 limes (juiced)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 TBL soy
1 TBL brown sugar
scant chili pepper powder
1 handful of cilantro (chopped)
Classic Caesar Dressing
- 2 TBL apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 C Miracle Whip
- 2 TBL low fat sour cream
- 1 TBL deli mustard
- 2 TBL grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3 grated garlic cloves
- 3 chopped anchovies
- 1 TBL lemon juice
- 1 tsp Tabasco
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 whites of green peppers / chives
- 1 T brown sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 T Sesame oil
- 1/2 CU olive oil – after initial mix
- 1 TBL water ++++ as needed for consistency
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients except water and oil
3. Drizzle oil whisking continually
4. Add water, mixing until approx the consistency of mayonnaise
5. Toss with romaine lettuce
Hot Bacon Dressing
Traditional Dressing for Spinach Salad
4 slices bacon (cooked crisp and drained)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 TBL red wine vinegar
4 green onions (chopped)
salt and black pepper to taste
horseradish to taste
1. Saute bacon until crisp.
2. Drain, and reserve 1 tsp bacon drippings.
3. Crumble into pan.
4. Add sugar, vinegar and other spices into pan.
5. Clean and pat dry baby spinach leaves
6. Toss with dry spinach leaves
Coco’s Sesame Dressing
We moved to Spain from Phoenix nearly two years ago. One of the things that I brought with me was three bottles of Coco’s Asian Sesame Dressing. I am on my last bottle, so I prepared this Copy Cat recipe that I’d like feedback on, and any improvements offered would be appreciated.
The Copy Cat recipe that I created is HERE. I decided to not move it to this page, since I would lose all of the wonderful comments.
Caesar Salad
INGREDIENTS
½ C mayo or Miracle Whip
1 TBL Worchestershire Sauce
1 TBL Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp grated garlic
zest and juice from one lemon
salt and pepper
2/3 C EVOO
grated Parmesan for garnish
STEP BY STEP
Place first seven ingredients together in a blender
Turn blender on low
Slowly drizzle in EVOO
Spoon mixture onto lettuce leaves
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan
Eat with your fingers
