You’re already confident about your salad-making prowess and you throw down 3, 4, 5 salads a week, always with your own dressing, never store-bought. These ideas are just for you, oh wise one.

  • Two words: Diced Shallot. You probably already know this, but adding diced shallot to your basic vinaigrette transforms it from simple delicious to spectacular.
  • Rustle up that Ranch taste! Want the pleasure of Ranch dressing flavor without the heavy? Add some buttermilk powder to a simple vinaigrette makes it tangier, creamier, and dreamier. This works great with many vinaigrettes – especially those with some herbs and onion or garlic powder. It also works great – but different – with a maple-dijon vinaigrette. How much? Add a little at a time till you get to the ranch level you love.
  • A touch of…Vanilla? We’re not talking desserts here, we’re talking vinaigrette. A little vanilla softens acidity, accentuates sweetness, and just makes things taste better in a way that’s not necessarily for the sweet. Vanilla can be savory. A dressing with a hint of vanilla works best with salads that have some sweet-ish ingredients, like fresh or dried fruit or roasted vegetables, super salty ingredients, or a strong cheese. As with the buttermilk powder, add a little at a time till you hit the flavor profile you like.

You can check out our foundations of salad dressing here.

More Inspiration:

Helpful Resources: Click to Download