Everyday Salad Dressing

In our house I refer to this as Everyday Salad Dressing because we literally eat this almost Every-Single-Day! It seems like salad is a ubiquitous part of most dinners or lunches and this mustard vinaigrette is simple and easy going, like that friend you can hang out with all the time and never tire of…that’s what this dressing is like to me! And it’s ridiculously versatile! Need a chicken or pork marinade? Try Everyday Salad Dressing! Want an easy potato salad? Toss some cooked potatoes with some Everyday Salad Dressing! In fact toss any cooked veggies with a bit of Everyday Salad Dressing and you will be kicking their tastiness up to the next level!

This vinaigrette is made from about half a dozen pantry staples, but you can always make substitutions. It’s important to start with an olive oil that you really like. I normally use Kirkland’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), but this week I had Trader Joe’s and that was fine! I love to use Champagne Vinegar, it seems a bit mellower to me, but white wine vinegar will be great too! Again, I love the taste of Maille Dijon mustard, as it seems a little smoother to me, but any Dijon will do. I typically put basil in my dressing, but experiment with different herbs and create a dressing that suits your taste buds!

The key to creating a delicious vinaigrette is the oil to vinegar ratio, and honestly this depends on your preference. Many tout 3:1 as the perfect ratio, but for me sometimes that creates a vinaigrette that’s a little too vinegary and harsh, so I tend to back off a bit on the vinegar, especially when I have mustard in the recipe. However, if you prefer a little more zip to your dressing add a tablespoon or so of vinegar and you may have created just the right zip and zing for your liking!

Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients you can whisk them together, or simply put them in a glass jar (with a sealed lid!) and give it a good shaking! And if you have a handsome little jar to store your dressing all the better!