The Fundamentals to Making Perfect Vinaigrettes

Making a vinaigrette is one of the best ways to control the amount of calories added to your salad. From controlling your own salt, fat, sugar and flavor profiles, you can quickly make a delicious and healthy vinaigrette to your exact liking.

When making a vinaigrette, understanding the ratio of acid to oil is a key ingredient – pun intended – to a perfectly balanced vinaigrette. The amount of “zip” or “punch” in your vinaigrette is completely up to you but the general rule of thumb is 3:1. That is, 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.

Acid can come in many ways from traditional vinegar like balsamic, champagne (and all the fruit varieties like raspberry champagne vinegar) to lemon and lime juice, orange juice (freshly squeezed or store bought), and even lemonade. Your oil can include coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, cashew and avocado oil, or even walnut oil, my personal favorite.

Add-ins can include anything from fresh herbs to shallots, poppy seeds, cumin, cayenne, paprika, garlic, ginger, lemon or lime zest, or even goat cheese. Adding a creamy goat cheese to your salad dressing is a nice way to add a little texture and creaminess. Heck, you can even puree some strawberries for a little extravagance.

As you can see, your options are limitless so play around and have fun, after all it’s your salad and you should do as you please!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!