Basic Salad Dressing Recipe

I used to think that making salad dressings was too difficult, but I also want to avoid the GMO canola oil and non-organic ingredients in commercially made salad dressings.

Bits of dried tomato, basil and oregano - all from the garden.

This quick and easy recipe allows me to use my own quality ingredients to create salad dressings that not only taste great, but also have nutritional value.

This basic recipe has ingredients that can be switched up to create many different flavors.

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Basic Salad Dressing

1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 TBS maple syrup or honey
3 TBS raw apple cider vinegar (see variations below)
1 TBS lemon juice (see options below)
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 C olive oil or avocado oil
Optional add ins

Place ingredients in a pint glass canning jar, cover and shake.  That's it!  This salad dressing will keep for about 3 weeks when refrigerated.

Now here is the fun part.  You can customize the kind of mustard, vinegar, juice and oil you use to change the taste.  You can also select a few "add in" ingredients to create even more flavors and textures. 

Mustard Choices

• Dijon
• yellow
• whole grain
• flavored with horseradish

I found this fun mustard guide blog post that also provides recipes, if you want to go all out and make your own mustard.

Vinegar Options

Different kinds of vinegars will provide many different flavors.  Try these;

• raw apple cider vinegar
• kombucha vinegar
• balsamic vinegar
• rice vinegar
• red or white wine vinegar

If you use raw AC vinegar or kombucha vinegar you will add probiotics to your salad dressing which will aid in digestion.

Want to make your own raw apple cider vinegar?  Check out the instructions here.

Kombucha vinegar can be made by allowing a batch of kombucha to ferment for a month or longer.  I made a salad dressing this week with kombucha vinegar which was made from pomegranate flavored tea.  It was delicious! Learn to make kombucha by clicking here.

Citrus Options

Lemon juice is the standard for this recipe, but try shaking things up by using lime, orange or even grapefruit juice instead.  For an added burst of flavor consider adding the zest of the fruit, as well, if you have organic citrus.

Healthy Oils

I define healthy oils as those that are organic, non-GMO, have a balanced omega 6 to omega 3 ratio,  and have not gone through a chemical extraction process.  

I usually use organic olive oil, but have recently tried avocado oil and found it to be delicious.  Avocado oil doesn't have a strong taste which makes it ideal for salad dressing and homemade mayonnaise recipes.

Optional Add ins

• oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or any other fresh or dried herb
• onion or garlic powder
• poppy or sesame seeds
• bits of dehydrated or sun dried tomatoes
• nut butters

Health Benefits of Quality Ingredients

Using quality ingredients will not only make the dressing taste better, but will also provide a nice nutritional boost.

• Raw apple cider vinegar and kombucha vinegar are probiotics and add friendly bacteria to your digestive system which helps to boost your immune function.

• Unrefined sea salt maintains the balanced mineral content that nature intended.  Think of it as a mineral supplement.

• Local wild flower honey can help those suffering from seasonal allergies and has other health benefits that you can check out here.  Real maple syrup is a source of minerals.

• Fresh squeezed lemon juice can reduce your body's acidity level. 

• Garlic's medicinal value is at its peak when raw.  This recipe is a great way to incorporate raw garlic to your diet.  Growing garlic can be easy.  Check out my garlic blog post here.

• Eating oils with a balanced ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids is one way we can reduce inflammation.  Oils high in omega 6 fatty acids, like vegetable oil, can contribute to inflammation which is present in most, if not all, chronic diseases.

Give this recipe a try!  If you get creative and put together a wonderful combination, please share it in the comments section.