We finally enjoyed our first homegrown salad this week. Normally we’d have been feasting on greens much sooner, but an unseasonably hard cold snap decimated our first plantings of lettuce a few weeks back and we had to replant. This cherished first salad was simply dressed with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, good olive oil and a light shower of salt and coarse pepper. Like most garden goodies, it won’t take long for the slow trickle of greens coming from the garden to morph into a deluge. At this time of year, when salad is king of the table, I like to make up several dressings to keep in the fridge for easy access.
Salad dressings generally fall into two categories: creamy dressings and oil-vinegar based dressings. Both are simple to prepare and significantly healthier and cheaper when made from scratch at home. Young, delicate salad greens are often best paired with a light vinaigrette rather than creamy style dressing, which can weigh the leaves down. Most vinaigrettes are a variation on the same proportion: one part vinegar to roughly three parts oil, emulsified with mustard, salt, pepper and minced onion. Emulsification is the process of forcing two immiscible liquids, such as oil and vinegar, into a stable suspension, and in the case of salad dressing is done by slowly drizzling the oil into the acid mixture while whisking vigorously by hand or with the help of a food processor or blender. Mustard is a fabulous natural emulsifier thanks to its high levels of plant-based polysaccharides and proteins in mustard seeds. When the oil is whisked in slowly and vigorously, the emulsifying molecules in the mustard form a coating around the oil droplets that prevents them from coming together and separating from the acid.
Creamy dressings are often emulsifications also, often with raw egg or egg yolk. While we frequently eat raw egg type dressings at home, when I’m catering or serving large groups of people I avoid serving raw egg for safety reasons. This Caesar dressing is adapted from a recipe by the iconic Italian Chef Lidia Bastianich and uses hardboiled egg yolks, which blend up beautifully into a smooth, practically failproof dressing. And I couldn’t talk about dressings without featuring my household’s favorite yogurt ranch. I’m not sure what it is about this recipe but kids just can’t get enough of it. Thankfully, it’s incredibly simple to make and loaded with protein and probiotics. It can be served as a dip with cut veggies or thinned with water to drizzle over a classic crunchy iceberg salad.
Yogurt ranch
Ingredients:
¼ cup good quality mayonnaise such as Duke’s or Hellman’s
¾ cup Greek-style yogurt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the above ingredients and thin with water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Cooked egg Caesar dressing
Ingredients:
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4-6 cloves garlic
4-6 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper, to taste
Combine the lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, mustard, egg yolks, salt, Worcestershire sauce and grated Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor or blender along with a tablespoon of water and blend into a smooth paste. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with black pepper.
Ginger carrot dressing
Delicious on a spinach salad or tossed with soba noodles and chopped veggies.
Ingredients:
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup neutral oil such as avocado or canola
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a blender along with a tablespoon of cold water. Blend until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Rhubarb vinaigrette
Ingredients:
¼ cup rhubarb mostarda (recipe below)
2 tablespoons sherry or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the mostarda, vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a small mixing bowl or jar. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional honey if desired.
Rhubarb mostarda
A must for spring cheeseboards, it can also be used to elevate grilled meat or salad dressing
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
¼ cup minced shallot or onion
2 cups diced rhubarb
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Heat the butter in a small, non-reactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot or onion and sauté briefly until slightly softened and fragrant, about two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients along with ¼ cup water and bring to a simmer. Cook until the rhubarb is soft and broken down, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a jar and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating. This keeps well in the fridge for a couple weeks or can be frozen for longer storage.
Ashley Meyer is a chef and freelance writer based in Springfield.
This article appears in Summerguide 2026.
