My Favorite Salad Dressings + The Farmer's Market!!
Whooo... After all those sweets, I think it's time for a little health. Don't ya think??
I know two of them are kind of "healthier" desserts but still. A little salad here and there would be nice.
Or a lot of salad. Seriously, all these dressings are to die for.
So, if you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a salad freak... But definitely an overdressed, so-many-toppings-you-can't-see-the-lettuce type of one.
It's still salad, okay. Besides, who likes drab, dry lettuce anyways??
One of my favorite things about the summer is the farmer's market. My mom and I recently went crazy on produce between our farmer's market and all of our grocery store runs over the past few days. Seriously, our kitchen looks like a garden exploded in it. And I love every bit of it.
Can we just all agree that summer produce is the best?? Don't get me wrong... I love all the winter root vegetables, but nothing beets fresh juicy peaches, sweet corn, ripe tomatoes, and tart cherries. Nothing.
Alright, back to the salad dressings...
I had an insanely hard time trying to narrow it down, but eventually I decided on a few of my favorites that cover all the flavors and cuisines you would need a dressing for.
1. White Wine + Parsley
I love all of these dressings, but my all-time favorite is the White Wine & Parsley Vinaigrette. It's my go-to for green salads, roasted veggies, pasta salads, or sandwiches. Really, you can drench this dressing on anything you want, and it will taste delicious. It's perfect for the spring/summer time too!
2. Creamy Mint + Lemon Tahini
Okay. If you've never tried tahini, or sesame seed butter, in salad dressings you absolutely HAVE to. I've made so many different variations using tahini, but this has to be my favorite. It's so creamy and nutty with the addition of avocado oil.
3. Sesame Peanut Lime
You can probably tell just by scrolling through all my dessert recipes, but peanut butter is another one of my obsessions. I especially love it in Asian cuisine- hence pad thai being my favorite meal ever!! Besides being a bomb salad dressing, it's a perfect dipping sauce for summer rolls (or anything really).
4. Balsamic Maple Mustard
Basically a honey mustard on steroids. I used to put, okay let me rephrase that...
drench
balsamic on EVERYTHING (not exaggerating), but then I realized how strong it actually is. The combination of maple syrup with the dijon and balsamic helps tone down the acidity, making for a perfect honey mustard replacement.
5. Jalapeno Cilantro Lime
I'm not a huge cilantro fan. Okay fine, I pretty much despise the soapy tasting herb, but this dressing actually surprised me when I first made it. It's literally perfect (and not too spicy) for any Tex-Mex inspired meal. The jalapeño just adds some freshness to mellow out the pungency of the cilantro.
My favorite way to mix salad dressings is with a mason jar, but if you don't have any, a regular container, bottle, or bowl will work fine.
I also add a splash of water (about a tablespoon) to most of my dressings to help balance out and blend all of the flavors together.
Okay, let's get into these dressings!! (The amounts each yields is an estimate.)
White Wine + Parsley Vinaigrette (personal fave!!):
Makes 3/4 cup dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 lemon- juiced
1/2 cup parsley- chopped
1/2 tbs. dried mint flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
1 tsp. honey
1 large garlic clove- minced
splash water
Shake all ingredients in a mason jar and taste. Add more oil/vinegar to your liking.
Recommended: Over spring salad greens, or a Panzanella salad. My favorite Panzanella salad with this dressing is:
toasted ciabatta bread chunks
yellow cherry tomatoes
thinly sliced red onion
fresh parsley
roasted asparagus tips
parmesan shavings
Creamy Mint + Lemon Tahini:
Makes 3/4 cup dressing
2 tbs. avocado oil
1/4 cup garlic olive oil OR 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 garlic clove- minced
2 lemons- juiced + zest from 1
1 tbs. dried mint flakes
2 tbs. tahini
1 tsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste
splash water
Shake all ingredients up in mason jar. Add more oil/lemon to taste, if needed.
Recommend: Over a pasta or roasted potato salad, or over a spring green + fresh veggie salad.
Sesame Peanut Lime:
Makes 1/2 cup dressing
1 heaping tbs. creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. Sriracha or chili sauce
1 1/2 tsp. agave syrup OR 2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp both- fresh grated ginger and garlic
1/2-1 tsp. sesame oil (I use 1/2; add 1 tsp. if wanting a stronger sesame flavor)
1 lime- juice
Melt peanut butter and coconut oil. Mix together until creamy. Add all other ingredients in mason jar and shake until combined.
Recommended: As a dipping sauce for summer rolls.
Balsamic Maple Mustard:
Makes 1/2-3/4 cup dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. dijon mustard
1/2 tbs. maple syrup
1/3-1/2 cup canola oil (can use coconut or olive oil- I used 1/3 cup for extra tangy)
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in mason jar until combined- definitely the easiest one.
Recommended: Over a spinach + strawberry + red onion + feta/goat cheese salads!
Jalapeno Cilantro Lime:
Makes 1 cup dressing
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
2 limes- juiced
2 tbs. avocado oil*
1/2 cup olive oil (canola oil will work fine too)
1 garlic clove
1 jalapeno- deseeded; add seeds if wanting a spicier dressing
1 tsp. salt (I used Chef Daddy- Savory Salt Blend)
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
splash water
Blend all in food processor/blender until smooth.
Recommended: Over a Tex-Mex/Southwestern style salad or mixed with sour cream as a dip for tacos and burritos.
*Can sub for olive oil
If you're looking for a non-traditional Greek dressing,
this Greek Mint Pesto Dressing
is one of my favorites, also.
