There’s no need to run to the store because you ran out of salad dressing. Take advantage of items already in your fridge, pantry, spice rack, and garden and you’ll forget all about that pre-bottled stuff.
For beginners, start simple with a small batch of four-ingredient dressing: acid, oil, salt, and pepper. Find the ratio of acid to oil you prefer — it could vary from 4:1 oil-to-acid ratio to 1:1. Venture further with different flavors and sweetness, taste-testing after each addition.
Also, consider the salad you're making. For example, an apple, cheddar, and bacon salad would be complimented by lemon, Dijon mustard, and chives. A strawberry and snap pea salad could be paired with Champagne vinegar and raspberry jam, or a mozzarella, pepperoni, and tomato salad could stand up to a garlic-heavy dressing full of Italian herbs.
Go crazy and experiment! You can add flavor to a dressing by using things normally discarded, such as leftover liquid from jarred sun-dried tomatoes, giardiniera, olives, capers, or canned fruits. Versatile vinegars for salad dressing include balsamic, white balsamic, white wine, red wine, Champagne, rice, and apple cider vinegars.
Finally, raise your dressing game by adding an emulsifier — the “glue” that keeps the oil and acid from separating. Combine your acid, emulsifier, flavor(s), and sugar, then slowly drizzle in oil while whisking vigorously with a hand whisk. The combination of slowly adding the oil and constant whisking is key to the emulsion process. If your dressing begins to separate, try adding another teaspoon of emulsifier or warm water and whisk again, or pop it in the blender for a minute.
Pictured is a delicious example — this dressing was made with 1/3 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons fresh dill, 2 teaspoons honey, a dash of pepper, and 2/3 cup oil.
