How to Make Salad Dressing Recipes

I learned how to make salad dressing recipes as I tasted them throughout my life. This is one group in the food category which I relate to different time periods and events in my life. As a very young child I remember always having a jar of Miracle Whip Salad dressing in our refrigerator.


This was for salad topping in the summer, Mom mixed it in with her delicious wilted lettuce salad and we spread it on sandwiches. If you got hungry between meals Miracle Whip was spread on a slice of bread and eaten as a snack.


The first time I learned how to make salad dressing recipes was when I was about 8 to 10 years of age. This is when I first remember going to Sister Gloria’s house for dinners.


My favorite part of her dinners was the toss salad with all the vegetables and that delicious Italian salad dressing recipe. She tossed the dressing in with the vegetables and I still can remember the flavor.

HOW TO MAKE SALAD DRESSING RECIPES

ITALIAN DRESSING RECIPE

How to Make Salad Dressing RecipesHow to Make Italian Dressing Recipe
How to Make Italian Dressing RecipeHow to Make Italian Dressing Recipe
  • 1 1/3 Cups vegetable oil
  • ½ Cup tarragon vinegar
  • ¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 10 Pimento stuffed olives
  • 2 Chopped green onions
  • 4 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 Teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons anchovy paste ( 2 ounces can anchovies)
  • 1 Teaspoon sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or an electric blender container; process well.

Pour into bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

ingredients for Italian Dressing RecipeIngredients for Italian Dressing

My Favorite Chefs Salad Recipe

The next event on my food calendar came when I was sixteen years of age. I was working at the local supermarket. For those of you around Ohio will remember with fondness Woody’s Supermarket. What a neighborhood grocery store and a great place for social gathering. Upstairs there was a restaurant where we all could have lunch when we worked. It was here that I was introduced to the very best Chefs salad in the world. After all these years I can still say it was the best. It started with fresh crispy greens with carrots, cucumbers and fresh tomatoes. The ham and cheese slices were layered and then cut into strips which added to the presentation. A scoop of cottage cheese was in the center with a split boiled egg on the sides. It was suggested that I enjoy this salad with a thousand island salad dressing recipe. It was so delicious that I never tried another dressing with that salad. This is when I really began learning how to make salad dressing recipes; in our home you did not buy it you made it!

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING RECIPE

  • 1 Cup mayonnaise
  • ½ Cup chili sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped pimento stuffed olives
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon diced pimiento
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • ½ Teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¼ Teaspoon onion powder
  • 12 Capers

Combine mayonnaise and chili sauce; blend well.

Stir in remaining ingredients; cover and chill.

When I graduated from high school, I went to work at the National Cash Register Company in Dayton Ohio. This was a huge place back then and Sister Donna worked in the building next to where I worked. On Fridays (payday) everyone packed into the restaurant across the street for lunch. This was a time when everyone was watching their weight. Donna got me into having the vinegar and oil dressing on my salad. It was delicious, much more than vinegar and oil. Today it would be called a vinaigrette dressing, which I never heard in anyone’s vocabulary back then.

VINEGAR AND OIL DRESSING

  • 4 Tablespoons vinegar
  • ½ Cup oil
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Dash of Tabasco sauce OPTIONAL

Combine all ingredients and blend well.

Many different oils and vinegars can be combined to make a variety of vinaigrettes. Vinegars and oils vary in strength of flavor so it is important to taste to regulate the desired amounts. Variations can be made on the basic vinaigrette by adding different mustards, various chopped herbs or minced garlic. Some don’t remain emulsified for very long but they can be remixed to ensure distribution of flavors right before serving. Add a little mustard or mayonnaise helps to stabilize the emulsion and also gives added flavor and texture. 

BASIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING RECIPE

  • ¼ Cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ Cup olive oil or vegetable oil

Combine and whisk together in a small bowl.

Best Taco Salad recipe

When I was in my early twenties, most of our family was gathered at Mom’s and Dad’s. My dear sister-in-law was busy in the kitchen preparing food as usual. Janet (who we lost recently) had been my playmate, friend and then more of a sister than sister-in-law. She was also a very good cook. At this time she was making what turned out to be the best taco salad. She tossed all kinds of fresh greens and vegetables. She had browned some ground beef and added a jar of taco sauce in it. Janet added this hot mixture and tossed with the salad mixture. Then she added grated cheddar cheese, crumbled Doritos and a French salad dressing recipe. What a combination and so delicious.

FRENCH SALAD DRESSING

How to Make French Salad Dressing RecipeHow to Make French Salad Dressing Recipe
  • 1 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2   Cup cider vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar
  • Dash pepper
  • ½ Can tomato soup (Do not dilute)
  • ½ Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon grated onion

Combine dry ingredients; mix with vinegar.

Pour into jar; add oil, onion and soup; cover with secure lid and shake until blended.

Homemade French Salad Dressing on a Simple SaladHomemade French Salad Dressing on a Simple Salad

I once had my own small restaurants; lots of soups, salads, sandwiches and of course desserts. Some of the lady customers asked me to make a good sweet and sour dressing to go along with an Oriental salad that I offered. I made a celery seed dressing which I didn’t even think I would like the celery seeds. Amazing it worked well with the salad and was delicious. By now I really knew how to make salads and how to make salad dressing.

CELERY SEED DRESSING RECIPE

  • 2 Cups vegetable oil
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2/3 Cup sugar
  • ½ Cup vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon celery seeds

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

By now I was getting heavy into cooking and experimenting in making many different salad dressing recipes. I made the vinegar and oil dressing with different types of vinegar and different flavored vinegars. I came up with a delicious spinach salad recipe topped with a great hot bacon dressing recipe. My horizons were widening! I started making a good ranch dressing which was very good; I found a similar ranch dressing to be popular at every food establishment that I work at.

RANCH SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

  • 2 Cups mayonnaise
  • ½ Cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tablespoon onion powder
  • Black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Accent
  • 2 Teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 Teaspoons parsley

Combine all ingredients and blend well.

At one of the country clubs, the members raved about the Caesar salad dressing recipe. I could not understand this because I had no taste buds for anchovies. The urging went on for me to just taste it, telling me that this was the best Caesar salad dressing recipe. I refused over and over again. Finally I broke down and had a small sample of this salad. It was very delicious and is now one of my favorite salad recipes.

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

This is a large recipe if you love Caesar salad.

Base:

  • 1 Quart Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
  • 5 Ounces anchovies finely ground
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ Tablespoon garlic salt
  • ¾ Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¾ Teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and blend well; CAN MAKE AHEAD, COVER AND REFRIGERATE 


To Prepare Caesar Salad 

FOR EACH DINNER SIZE SALAD place about 3 tablespoons of the base in a salad bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, about 1 teaspoon lemon juice, dash of garlic powder and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; Blend this mixture well; add clean Romaine lettuce pieces and toss to coat. Dump salad on plate to serve.

FETA CHEESE SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

Feta Cheese Salad Dressing RecipeFeta Cheese Salad Dressing Recipe
  • ½ Cup feta cheese
  • ½ Cup mayonnaise
  • ½ Teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 Teaspoon black pepper
  • Milk

Combine feta cheese, mayonnaise, onion powder and black pepper.

Add milk slowly while stirring to get dressing consistency.

NOTE: If you let dressing set, you will need to add more milk. The cheese absorbs the liquid and makes it thick.

FRUIT SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

  • 1 Teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 Teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon onion juice
  • ½ Cup sugar
  • ¼ Cup cider vinegar
  • 1 Cup salad oil

Combine and mix dry ingredients well; stir in onion juice and vinegar.

Beat in oil on low speed; put in jar and refrigerate.

CELERY SEED DRESSING RECIPE

  • 1/3 Cup sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Teaspoon grated onion
  • 1 Teaspoon celery seed or more
  • 1 Teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1 Cup salad oil
  • 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine sugar, mustard, salt, paprika, onion, celery seed and 1 teaspoon cider vinegar in blender and mix well.

Combine oil and 3 tablespoons vinegar; slowly add to blender processing between each addition.

Process all ingredients until smooth; refrigerate and blend again before serving.

ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

  • ¾ Cup olive oil
  • 3 Cloves minced garlic
  • 6 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ Teaspoon dry mustard

Combine and mix all ingredients; put in glass jar and shake well.

Shake each time before serving.

ANCHOVY HOUSE SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

  • 1 Stalk of celery
  • 12 Cloves minced garlic
  • ½ Medium onion
  • 1 Can (2 ounces) anchovies
  • 1 Teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 Cups salad oil

Combine all ingredients in blender EXCEPT egg and oil; process well until smooth.

Add eggs and process until well blended; slowly add oil and process between each addition.

Refrigerate.