How to make my own salad dressing

Commercial salad dressings may be convenient, but they come with a flavor trade-off. Since they’re designed to last for months in your fridge, they’re loaded with preservatives. Another negative, because they’re mass produced in huge quantities, they can taste bland in comparison to a freshly made dressing. Whether you’re a fan of Italian or Greek, or find yourself looking for something a little out of the ordinary, like a citrus or tahini-based dressing, there are tons of favor combinations to suit your tastes. If you’re going to the trouble to assemble your own salad why not crown it with a homemade dressing? It will take you a few extra minutes, but translate into a big difference in flavor.

Making Mayonnaise-Based Dressings - As in Steps 1 and 2 of the previous section, determine your measuring unit and measure your ingredients in the proper proportion. For a mayonnaise-based dressing, I generally use two units of mayonnaise to one of sour cream. If you plan to add other liquid ingredients, you should stick with this ratio, but if you are adding cheese or other chopped or grated ingredients, you may want to use three units of mayonnaise to two of sour cream. Do consider adding SOME other flavorings, because basic mayonnaise-based dressing is not as flavorful as basic vinaigrette.

As in Step 4 of the first section, test for seasoning by dipping a lettuce leaf or other salad ingredient into your mixture. Add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste.