It was always a challenge to find decent salad dressing. I finally settled on Newman’s Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette, but at 3+ dollars bottle the price of brand name salad dressing still always rankled me.
About a year ago I started using a dash of olive oil, a few shakes of some balsamic vinegar, fresh cracked pepper and sprinkling of Kraft Parmesan-Asiago-Romano cheese combo. It tastes far better than any of the old dressings I used to use and the ratios can be tweaked to taste. The cost is much lower as well.
Re the olive oil and balsamic vinegar I just get what’s on sale.
I was raised on basic Thousand Island: mayo, ketchup, and relish. I may vary it (dill relish or some watery salsa that is NOT from New York City) but I keep it from her because she doesn’t like “pink dressing.”
ETA: No matter who makes it, “salad dressing” is NOT “mayo.”
My sister-in-law’s version uses a little bit of dijon mustard, and an even smaller amount of pomegranate molasses. They emulsify the balsamic and olive oil together, and add flavor.
Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I’ve bought a bottled salad dressing. Actually, I don’t know if I ever personally have bought salad dressing. I like a nice vinaigrette with a decent olive oil (like Frantoia or Colavita), vinegar (doesn’t have to be balsamic–could be wine, cider, whatever), a bit of mustard, maybe some herbs if I’m feeling like it, salt, pepper, and that’s all. I’ve never tasted a commercial salad dressing that’s to my liking (none of it has that good olive oil flavor), but it’s not like I’ve gone out and sampled anything other than what I get at other people’s houses or at restaurants. My problem with most bottled dressing is most do not use olive oil, the ones that do barely taste like olive oil, and, in general, most commercial dressings I’ve had have a good bit of sweetness to them, which I don’t like.
The type of olive oil does make a significant difference for me, though.
Take the next step. Ditch salad dressings and eat just the salad. Your taste buds will appreciate your trust in their ability to sense the fine nuances of the salad.
(Assuming, of course, you avoid bland stuff like iceberg lettuce.)
Plus you can eat a lot more salad and take in fewer calories, especially fats.
I can’t remember the last time I had store bought dressing, either. Minced shallot, good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little mustard, salt and pepper.
Or nothing, like **ftg **said, with arugula or spring greens.
Yeah, you don’t have to drench the salad in the stuff (which is, judging by how people apply their salad dressing at buffets or family style dinners, the way most people use salad dressing). Just judicious drizzle will do you good. For a side salad, about a teaspoon (if that) is usually enough.
This is what the majority of people do in Italy, (or so an ex explained to me). I do the same thing. I don’t need to pay Kraft $2.50 to mix oil and vinegar for me.
Also, many of the nutrients in the vegetables require some fat to be absorbed into system.
My wife still buys processed food dressings (mainly Kraft) from time to time, but they don’t really get used for salad much.
I don’t understand why there’s such a market for the bottled stuff, to be honest. Most of the time, you’re going to have everything you need on hand, and preparing a dressing takes a fraction of the time that preparing the rest of the ingredients for a salad does.
A vinaigrette takes no time at all - and even a “complicated” dressing (like a Caesar) is unlikely to require ingredient that aren’t stock items in almost everyone’s household or more than five minutes to put together - and the result is so much better.
Want a cheat? Use premixed dry herbs for times when you’re in a hurry. (eg; I have a big ol’ reclaimed spice jar filled with dried tarragon, parsley, chives, and onion powder - labeled “green goddess.” Before starting a weeknight dinner, I can take crushed garlic, a little lemon juice and white wine vinegar add a couple measures of Green Goddess Cheat and, some yogurt, and have a better dressing than you’d get off the shelf.
Not as good as starting with fresh, but you’re still getting a better dressing for a fraction of the price of a bottle of god-knows-what.
I bought some Wishbone Italian for myself not too long ago after a long salad drought (uhm, long story) and found it to be waaaaay too sweet. I used to think it was the best salad dressing ever!
After that I switched to Good Seasons. But I found that to be bitter, the default recipe at least.
Now I use Good Seasons Zesty Italian using their “Greek Salad Dressing” recipe and it’s just tits!
Something I learned from my wife is that salad dressing is easy and inexpensive and way better. We have recipes but I mostly just throw stuff in a mason jar and shake it.
Are there people who find it pretentious? Pretending to what? “Gee, I wish I were plain folk.”