Keep these 5 items in your kitchen for easy homemade vinaigrette’s any day of the week
1. Jar
Pick a mason jar or a container with a tight fitting lid and designate it for your vinaigrette’s. Store it in an easy to access place and make your vinaigrette’s right in this container.
2. Vinegar or Citrus Juice
There are a wide variety of vinegars available but my personal favourites are Balsamic and Red Wine. I always have these in my pantry and if you are new to vinegars they are a good place to start.
A fresh alternative to using vinegar is lemon or lime juice. Fresh is always best but I keep a bottle of both in my refrigerator as backup.
3. Honey or Mustard
For easy emulsification (fancy word for getting the oil and vinegar to blend) you can use either honey or mustard.
Make local honey a pantry staple and choose a couple of mustards to keep in the refrigerator. My favourite is grainy or old-fashioned Dijon mustard.
4. Garlic and Herbs
Fresh garlic is found in many vinaigrette recipes and an excellent flavour provider to have in your kitchen.
There is a huge selection of fresh herbs available year round at your grocery store and they can be easily grown during the summer months. My favourites are basil, oregano, dill, parsley, thyme and rosemary. You don’t need to have them all on hand, all the time but fresh herbs add a great punch of flavour.
Dried herbs and spices such as; cumin, coriander, chili flakes and pepper (to name a few) can also be used and are easy to keep on hand.
We have an herb flavour chart to help you pair your herbs to go with your meal and tips on how to use fresh vs. dried herbs.
5. Canola Oil
Choose canola oil for light vinaigrettes that allow for all your other ingredients to shine. Canola oil is lowest in saturated fat (7%) of all leading vegetable oils (It is even lower than olive oil, 15%). Making it a healthy choice for you and your family.
There’s no turning back
Once you start making your own salad dressings at home you won’t go back. The combinations are endless and you will also find over time that you have a signature salad dressing that you make over and over.
If you are new to making homemade salad dressings and vinaigrettes Judy can help in a Q & A: Can you explain how to make a homemade salad dressing?
I’ve chosen a selection of vinaigrette recipes to get you started. Enjoy!
Be Well…Jenn
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (30 mL)
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (7 mL)
1/4 cup canola oil (60 mL)
1/4 tsp salt and pepper (1 mL)
Directions:
In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake well.
Chili Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil (125 mL)
1 1/2 limes, juiced (1 1/2 )
1 Tbsp honey (15 mL)
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (15 mL)
1/4 tsp garlic, minced (1 mL)
1/4 tsp ground cumin (1 mL)
1/2 tsp red chilies, crushed (2 mL)
Directions:
In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake well.
French Herb Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil (125 mL)
2 Tbsp lemon juice (30 mL)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (30 mL)
1 garlic clove, minced (1 )
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped (15 mL)
1 Tbsp thyme, chopped (15 mL)
1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped (15 mL)
1 tsp sugar (5 mL)
Directions:
In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake well.
Lemon Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp canola oil (30 mL)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (15 mL)
1 Tbsp honey (15 mL)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (2 mL)
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
Directions:
In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake well.