DIY Salad Dressing

Bottled salad dressings can be full of artificial preservatives, ingredients and colors. They also can be loaded with sodium and sugar (quite counter-intuitive if you’re trying to make healthy food choices). Luckily, creating your own dressing at home is simple and easy!

Homemade salad dressing is a great way to save money and make sure you know exactly what’s going into your body. All you need to remember is a simple 3-step formula.

The most basic equation for salad dressing is fat, acid and seasoning. You’ll want to start with a base and add ingredients based on your flavor preference and meal type. Not only is this equation great for preparing salad dressing, you can also use it for vinaigrettes, sauces and marinades.

Step 1

Fat: Oil, Cheese, Egg, Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, Avocado, Mayo, Buttermilk

Step 2

Acid: Lemon, Lime, Citrus, Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard, Fruit Juice

Step 3

Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Thyme, Sage, Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Chives, Dill, Parmesan Cheese

Creating homemade salad dressing takes less than 5 minutes and requires no special equipment. When mixing, pour all ingredients into an airtight container and shake. Dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed container, like a mason jar. Store any unused dressing in the refrigerator.