It’s salad time! If you’re like us, you love bringing fresh, vibrant bowlfuls of perfectly balanced ingredients to the table, finished off with drizzles of some zesty, homemade dressing. While dressings are an intrinsic part of all our salad recipes, sometimes it’s great to just wing it and create your own.

We’re recipe writers who don’t believe in being chained to a recipe – we’re all about sharpening your palate and learning to cook instinctively. Once you understand complementary flavours, crafting your own dressings becomes second nature; you just have to nail the basic oil-to-acid ratio for a dressing that’s easy to customize and scale. Here’s how to start.

The Essential Oil to Acid Ratio A classic vinaigrette-style dressing is generally constructed on a 3:1 ratio of oil to acid. This allows for a rich, smooth consistency and just enough tang. For a salad for four people, use:

• Oil: 60 ml (¼ cup)

• Acid: 20 ml (4 tsp)

This makes enough to lightly coat about 6 cups of greens, which is perfect for four people.

Scaling

To scale up for a larger salad, just maintain the 3:1 ratio. For instance, to double it for a salad for eight, use 120 ml of oil and 40 ml of acid. So easy! Even if you’re math-challenged, you can manage this.

Types of Acid: tweak these to fit the flavour profile of your salad

• Balsamic vinegar: For deep, rich notes; perfect for roasted or grilled vegetable salads, and salads featuring bitter leaves like radicchio.

• Cider vinegar: For a sharper, fruitier kick; ideal for salads loaded with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, or grains.

• Wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar tastes mellow and rich and is lovely with Mediterranean-style salads like Greek salad, Nicoise salad, dried bean, and lentil salads. White wine vinegar is a bit sharper and works particularly well with green veggies (like asparagus) and for fish or seafood salads.

The Right Oil for a Salad Dressing

• Extra virgin olive oil: For most Euro or Med-centric salads, full-bodied, fruity-tasting extra virgin olive oil is your go-to.

• Avocado Oil: Smooth and neutral tasting, great for creamy dressings.

• Sesame Oil: Nutty and full-on tasting, perfect for Asian-inspired salads.

• Walnut Oil: Subtle nutty taste, best paired with delicate leafy salads or ones incorporating fruit or cheese.

• Grapeseed Oil: A bi-product of winemaking, this oil is light and neutral-tasting, perfect for when the dressing is about highlighting other ingredients be sure to use cold-pressed oil and not a refined one as refined grapeseed oil has reduced antioxidant properties and is often bleached and deodorised to improve shelf life. Eeewww. 

The Add-Ins: Flavour Boosters
Once you’ve got the base ratio, it’s time for the fun stuff… adding flavours! Here are some ideas:

• Sweeteners: A touch of honey, pekmez, date molasses, or maple syrup can balance acidity and add complexity. Experiment with how much to add, depending on the sweetener (some are sweeter than others!) and your salad ingredients. Use about 1–2 teaspoons of sweetener per tablespoon of acid. For Asian-style salads, use shaved palm sugar.

• Mustard: Dijon or whole-grain mustard adds depth and also helps emulsify the dressing; we always add a good glug to our vinaigrette. Use 1–3 teaspoons per the standard 3:1 ratio, depending on how mustardy you like things.

• Citrus Zest and Chopped Flesh: Consider orange, lime, or lemon for a zingy boost, adding some finely grated zest and maybe even a little chopped flesh to your dressing too.

• Herbs: Chopped fresh herbs (like basil, dill, mint, and parsley) or dried (like oregano, mint, and thyme) can infuse a dressing with loads of flavour. Start with 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon of dried herbs per 3:1 ratio, then ramp up from there, to taste.

• Garlic, Shallot, and Other Aromatics: Finely minced garlic or shallot adds a savoury punch. 1–2 cloves of garlic or half a shallot is generally enough for a dressing for four, although we add way more when we really want a hit of it. For an Asian salad, don’t forget add-ins like very finely chopped or grated ginger, galangal, lemongrass, or fresh turmeric.

• Chili Flakes or Hot Sauce: If you like a kick, add a pinch or three of chili flakes or a splash of hot sauce.

• Creamy Elements: For creamier dressings, you can whisk in Greek yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, or even mayo. Start with 1 tablespoon per 3:1 ratio then add more, to taste.

• Spices: Coarsely ground toasted spices (cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds, for example) can work well, especially for Middle Eastern-inspired salad dressings. Smoked paprika works beautifully too, especially with lime, oregano, and cumin for a Mexican vibe, or with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sherry vinegar for more of a Spanish one.

• Pomegranate Molasses: Sharper than a sweetener, we use this liberally when we make dressing for Middle Eastern-style salads. Add 1 tablespoon per 3:1 ratio, or to taste.

• Other Possibilities: Add finely chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or chilies in adobo, depending on the flavour you want.

Matching the Dressing to the Salad

• Light Green Salads: Opt for a citrusy or light vinegar-based vinaigrette (lemon, lime, or rice vinegar with olive or avocado oil).

• Roasted or Grilled Veggie or Grain Salads: Use heartier dressings made using balsamic or red wine vinegar, with plenty of mustard, herbs, and garlic for extra depth.

• Hearty Salads with Proteins (like chicken, steak, or seafood): A dressing with a creamy element (yogurt or mayo) works great here, along with sharper acids like apple cider or red wine vinegar.

• Fruity Salads: Pair with delicate oils like walnut or grapeseed and a touch of honey to balance the fruit’s sweetness.

How to Properly Dress Your Salad

• Emulsify: Whisk your dressing well in a small bowl or shake it in a screw-top jar. If you want it extra smooth, blend it in a food processor; this really makes emulsification easy.

• Toss Lightly: Start with a small amount of dressing (a couple of tablespoons) and toss the salad gently. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away once it’s over-dressed.

• Pro Tip: For hearty salads like kale or cabbage, dress them in advance to soften; you can also use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale or cabbage. For delicate greens like spinach, rocket, or mesclun, wait until right before serving before dressing, or they will go soggy.

The Dressing Table