It probably wouldn't occur to you to try to make your own salad dressings. You would be surprised at how many different types of salad dressings you can make from ingredients you already have on hand. They are easy to prepare, and you can't beat the taste. Try one of these recipes and you won't go back to store bought salad dressings again!
Creamy Garlic & Dill Dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. dried dill weed
Salt and pepper
Blend milk, parsley, and garlic in a blender until smooth. Pour milk mixture into a bowl and add mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Whisk until blended.
Fresh Basil Dressing
1 3/4 cups olive oil
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Oriental Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. oriental sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sugar
Combine oils. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
Blend ingredients, mixing well.
Ranch Dressing
2 tsp. onion, minced
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together mayonnaise and buttermilk. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Cucumber Dressing
3 medium cucumbers
2 small onions
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 quart mayonnaise
Process cucumbers and onions in a food processor. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cucumber mixture and mayonnaise.
Creamy Garlic & Dill Dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. dried dill weed
Salt and pepper
Blend milk, parsley, and garlic in a blender until smooth. Pour milk mixture into a bowl and add mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Whisk until blended.
Fresh Basil Dressing
1 3/4 cups olive oil
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Oriental Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. oriental sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sugar
Combine oils. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
Blend ingredients, mixing well.
Ranch Dressing
2 tsp. onion, minced
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together mayonnaise and buttermilk. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Cucumber Dressing
3 medium cucumbers
2 small onions
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 quart mayonnaise
Process cucumbers and onions in a food processor. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cucumber mixture and mayonnaise.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.
