Salad Dressing

It's just three ingredients dumped into a mason jar and shaken, but it's pure genius.

Just a bit mellows out all of the flavors so that each can shine through.

If the only time you think of pulling that jar of balsamic out of the cupboard is when it’s time to make a salad, you’re missing out. This sweet and tangy vinegar is one of my favorite secret ingredients, and I’ve found all sorts of ways that its presence will perk up my everyday cooking. To Finish Soups and Sauces: Balsamic and ripe summer tomatoes have a well-known affinity for one another.

I honestly can’t remember the last time my fridge was yogurt-less. Greek yogurt is great for breakfast parfaits and smoothies, and a spoonful of this essential ingredient is also the perfect way to add creaminess (without the actual cream!) to salad dressings. Here are five of our favorite salad dressings that are made more magical with Greek yogurt.

Q: I made a salad dressing a couple of days ago from lime juice and zest, olive oil, shallots, garlic, and cilantro. I used some on a salad and stored the rest in a Mason jar in the fridge. Today it’s solid on the top and liquid on bottom — it that the olive oil? Is it safe to eat? If so, how do I make it into a dressing again? Shaking the jar is doing nothing. Sent by Gail Editor: Don’t fret.

Caesar dressing, whether store-bought or homemade, is a glorious thing. Its garlic, cheese, and anchovy-packed flavor with its rich and creamy texture is the key to one of the best classic salads around. But if it’s so good, why limit it to only salad? In fact, why not use it to make 10 other dishes infinitely better? We were asking ourselves the very same question, so we answered it. Toss chicken in Caesar dressing and let it refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Salad dressing can sometimes seem like an afterthought, something to quickly pick up at the supermarket while we focus more on the greens and toppings. But think about it this way: Dressing is like the music score to a movie, the undercurrent that weaves its way through the entire experience. A good dressing, like a good music score, works with every part of the salad and rounds everything out into a complete package, so it’s worth a little bit more attention.

On its own, each ingredient in a salad is fairly unremarkable. Lettuce, cut-up vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, maybe some cheese or protein. What brings it all together, though, is the salad dressing, so the dressing deserves some extra care and attention. Here’s a tip on how to make sure your dressing is perfectly balanced and seasoned properly for your salad.

You know that point when you’re almost to the bottom of a jar of jam? It’s not quite empty, but it feels close enough because there’s not even enough jam to spread on a piece of toast. It might seem like what’s left is a lost cause and the easiest solution is to toss the jar. Don’t do it! This tiny amount of sweetness is the perfect beginning for a super easy jam jar vinaigrette.

Q: My family loves my grandma’s simple coleslaw dressing recipe: mayo, salt, pepper, sugar and a dash of milk. It whisks into a thick, yummy dressing for my chopped cabbage and carrots but if I make it ahead of time (even 30 minutes), what was once creamy perfection turns to a runny mess. Is there something I can use to emulsify my dressing without changing the taste of grandma’s slaw too much?

Here’s a good question from Brian about salad dressings. He says: I am wondering about salad dressings. I love salads but I am struggling at making homemade salad dressings. It might be because i’m not a big vinegar fan. For some reason I don’t like the taste. What do you suggest for a healthier alternative to vinegar salad dressings? Brian, this subject is near and dear to our hearts.