For Americans, the salad dressing known as house dressing is what is typically served with side salads unless you request something different. The standard house dressing is a combination of vinegar, oil, garlic, herbs, and a touch of sugar, but each restaurant has its own method, proportions, and add-ons. Our basic recipe makes a tasty preparation that you can make ahead for the week, keep refrigerated, and mix well before each use. Amazing on fresh greens, this savory mixture also works well as a seasoning for root vegetables before they go into the oven. Delicious to season pasta and potato salads, this dressing isn't just for leafy greens. A spoonful or two added into a cup of cream cheese, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt can make a tasty dip for chips or a mouthwatering topping for baked potatoes. This dressing is ready in just 5 minutes, but it's best when refrigerated overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Make on Sunday night and use all week!
Our recipe uses a store-bought oil and vinegar mixture, but if you'd rather make it from scratch you'll need three-quarters of a cup of oil and one-quarter of a cup of white vinegar. The 3:1 ratio is a cooking standard of fat to oil when making a vinaigrette, the classic dressing for vegetables. We use dried herbs because they keep better when refrigerated. Fresh herbs discolor faster and can turn brown in no time, giving your dressing an odd coloration. If you, however, want to use fresh herbs, simply use the totality of your dressing within a day, or halve the recipe to make just enough for one meal. If making the dressing using your own oil and vinegar, taste test and add salt after mixing. You can use any oil of your liking, but we recommend extra virgin olive oil. For a milder flavor and great texture, go for flaxseed oil.
For a tasty twist, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of finely minced red onions or shallots. Use this dressing on any salad, drizzle on top of roasted potatoes, use it as a marinade for chicken breast, fish, or steak, or add a spoonful into your pot of rice or quinoa when steaming them for a touch of herby flavor.
1 cup Paul Newman's Vinegar and Oil Dressing
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
Gather the ingredients.
Place the vinegar and oil dressing, garlic, herbs, and sugar into a bottle of dressing or Mason jar and shake well. If using your own oil and vinegar, shake those 2 ingredients first, and then add the rest and shake again.
Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before using.
Enjoy!
- The dressing is best made a day in advance.
Recipe Variation
- Feel free to vary the herbs in the dressing. For longer storage, use 1 scant teaspoon of garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) |
|---|
| 140 | Calories |
| 13g | Fat |
| 4g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts |
|---|
| Servings: 8 |
|---|
| Amount per serving |
| Calories | 140 |
| % Daily Value* |
| Total Fat 13g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 9% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 4mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 4g |
| Protein 0g |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
| Calcium 8mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 2% |
| Potassium 22mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
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FAQs
Here's my master salad dressing that I use as a base for every salad! You just need 1 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp mustard. Finish with salt and pepper, or choose from any number of flavourings – garlic, fresh or dried herbs, pinch of spice, touch of honey.
What is house dressing made of? ›
The standard house dressing is a combination of vinegar, oil, garlic, herbs, and a touch of sugar, but each restaurant has its own method, proportions, and add-ons.
What is the simplest form of dressing? ›
This is equally true for even something as simple as a salad dressing, which a vinaigrette is as simple as it gets. Vinaigrettes are an emulsion of 3 parts vegetable oil (usually olive oil) and 1 part acid (usually vinegar or acidic fruit juice), seasoning, and sometimes other flavourings.
What is the best vinegar for salad dressing? ›
Balsamic vinegar: Makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches. Red wine vinegar: Packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, cabbage and more (think Greek salads).
What is the most common salad dressing? ›
Ranch dressing takes the number one spot as America's most popular salad dressing. It's so popular that it's used beyond enhancing a salad. Ranch is a favorite dipping sauce for vegetables, chips, French fries, chicken wings, onion rings, chicken fingers, pizza, and pretty much anything else that's edible.
What are the two main ingredients of most standard salad dressings? ›
ACID: Traditionally, vinaigrettes are made with vinegar, often one derived from wine. But any kind of acidic ingredient can fill in, including citrus juice, tomato puree or soy sauce. OIL: The oil in a vinaigrette can be neutral, such as grapeseed, or nutty, such as walnut.
What is in Portillo's house dressing? ›
For the dressing: the AK “house” vinaigrette is made with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, a little maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, salt & pepper.
What is the difference between Caesar dressing and house dressing? ›
The main differences lie in the type of lettuce used, key components, and dressing. House salads offer a broader range of ingredients and dressings, while Caesar salads have specific components like romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and a distinct Caesar dressing.
What is house Italian dressing made of? ›
Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients
Lemon juice and white wine vinegar – They make the dressing zesty and bright. Dijon mustard – For extra tang. Garlic – It adds sharp, savory depth of flavor. Honey – Don't skip it!
What is the golden rule of dressing? ›
Whether you're choosing a suit or a casual hoodie, applying the Golden Ratio by proportioning your outfit into one-third top and two-thirds bottom, or vice versa, can significantly elevate your look.
Fashion is also a visual medium, and while we don't divide our outfits in 9 equal sections, applying the Rule of Thirds requires diving our outfit in three equal parts to visually create a ratio of 2:1. This ratio is basically the Golden Mean, simplified.
What is the healthiest dressing to put on your salad? ›
6 healthy salad dressings you can make in less than 3 minutes
- Classic lemon and olive oil. This is a very easy dressing that is good with strong-flavoured leaf salads, such as rocket or kale. ...
- Lime and chilli dressing. ...
- Simple balsamic vinaigrette. ...
- Raspberry vinaigrette. ...
- Creamy cucumber dressing. ...
- Creamy mint dressing.
Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a quick homemade dressing. Splash approximately equal parts extra virgin olive oil and good balsamic vinegar onto your salad. Toss the salad with tongs or salad utensils to coat the ingredients in the oil and vinegar.
What vinegar do chefs use? ›
Sherry vinegar is a Spanish and Basque staple made by fermenting fortified wine in oak barrels. This gives it a well-rounded, complex flavor profile. Although it is by no means as popular as balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar has gained quite the following among devoted chefs.
What is the most basic formula for making a salad vinaigrette? ›
The Basic Vinaigrette Formula
The most basic ratio for making a salad vinaigrette is: one part vinegar (or other acid) three parts oil.
What is the main ingredients in salad dressing? ›
Salad dressings are vegetable-oil-in-water emulsions containing vinegar, sugar, an emulsifier, and flavors.
What is the primary ingredient in salad dressings? ›
Salad dressing typically consists of a combination of ingredients, but the primary ingredient that forms the base of most salad dressings is oil.
What are the three basic types of salad dressing? ›
In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...
What is the standard recipe for a basic vinaigrette group of answer choices? ›
The Basic Vinaigrette Formula
The most basic ratio for making a salad vinaigrette is: one part vinegar (or other acid) three parts oil.
