Do yourself a favor when you get home from work today. Open up your fridge and dump out all of the bottles of salad dressings that are cramming your shelves full. Prepared salad dressings are typically loaded with all kinds of stuff you don’t want to eat. And if you think you’re being healthy by using fat-free dressings on your salads, think again. They’re loaded with sugar and lots of ingredients you can’t even pronounce—so throw them out.
Here are two quick and easy recipes that take less than 2 minutes to make. They taste BETTER than any bottled dressings and, with all natural ingredients, they’re much better for you.
Quick Balsamic Dressing
The key to this dressing is to use really good, aged balsamic vinegar. 
You can buy it in Italian specialty markets or high end grocery stores. They’re expensive (be prepared to spend around $25 or so) but a little bit will go a long way. It should have consistency similar to maple syrup (not vinegar). Mix the following ingredients in a glass with a whisk:
- 4 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 TSP Mustard (use your favorite)
- 1 TSP Garlic Salt
- 1 TSP Raw Sugar (or honey)
I actually don’t measure any of the ingredients—I just put them in the glass and mix it up. You may find you like more vinegar and less olive oil or want extra mustard in it. Just have fun with it.
Quick Lemon Dressing
This crisp and refreshing dressing is perfect when the main course is a bit heavy. I love this dressing on an arugula, pear and shaved parmesan salad.
- 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1-2 TSP Honey
- Salt & Pepper to taste
If you have any quick salad dressing recipes that you love, please share them with us! And let me know if you threw out those old bottles of salad dressings!
Eat Well & Smile,
Molly
I HATE store bought dressings too! Gag me! One of our favorite homemade dressing is:
2 TBSP EVOO
2 TBSP seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp agave nectar (sweeter than sugar, thinner than honey)
We serve over argula, cherry tomatoes, scallions and shaved parmeasan. Yum!
That sounds really good. Will have to try that! Can you buy agave nectar at most grocery stores? I’ve never used it before…Thanks Rebecca!
Ever since I’ve focused on low carb eating, I’ve switched to Blue Cheese salad dressing. Only 0-2 grams of carbs per serving! Does anyone have a home-made recipe?
Hi Lynne! My mom has a great homemade blue cheese dressing but it’s loaded in fat (lots of mayo and sour cream if I recall correctly). I’ll see if I can get it from her…
And do you like eating low carb? Does that mean no pasta for you? Boo hoo…
I too love home made dressing and I do not measure the ingredents!
I use EVOO always, some type of balsamic vinegar, flavored or unflavored, some type of mustard, recently I have been using spicy mustard with jalapeno already added…….I throw in some of my dry basil from the garden and some fresh garlic, if in the mood. The sky’s the limit on what to add. A very good french cook, ie Lucie gave me the tip some time back. If ever too thick add a drop or 2 of water!
Thanks Lynnie! Does Denise eat the dressing with the jalapeno mustard? WOW! 🙂
i have learned if I buy good olive oil to use on salads (not cooking) a little bit with just salt and pepper is delicious and allows you to taste the flavors in the salad. Yummy. (Learned it from a friend who is a caterer and big foodie). It makes olive oil tasting fun too.
I love that idea! And that’s even easier 🙂 I’ll try it tonight…thanks Brenda 🙂