A creamy salad dressing doesn’t have to contain cream, or any dairy product. In my salad dressing workshops, we create creamy dressings by simply shaking lemon juice and olive oil together in a sealed jar. Lemon’s fibrous pulp and pectin give oil body when you shake or whisk the two together until they become suspended and creamy.
This simple base has a strong lemon flavor but tastes fairly one-dimensional and separates quickly if it sits. So it’s best to build up the base to create a fully developed dressing. Start with an emulsifier, which helps to stabilize the acid and oil so that the dressing becomes thicker, stays creamy longer and recombines more smoothly if it does separate.
In this recipe, I offer several emulsifier options, each imparting a different flavor. Honey-mustard dressing pairs two emulsifiers for extra binding and a classic taste I enjoy on salads or as a salmon marinade. Miso or tahini works well for vegan dressings and Asian-influenced salads. Egg yolk, either raw or hard-boiled, kick-starts an emulsion when you blend in a little oil. I start with raw egg yolk, lemon juice and olive oil to make Caesar dressing.
You can still add milk-based ingredients, whose fats and proteins are natural emulsifiers. Yogurt or sour cream create a tangy dressing. Add buttermilk, garlic and chives for a fresh version of ranch dressing.
The dressing ingredients come together more smoothly if you start with your chosen emulsifier, add the acid and finally whisk in the oil. Blending olive oil at high speed can enhance its bitterness, so even if I use an immersion blender to combine the egg and sunflower oil, I switch to a hand whisk for olive oil.
Dairy-free dressings keep well, so I prefer them for front-country camping and sailing meals, adding and shaking the ingredients in succession in a well-sealed container until combined.
Creamy Salad Dressing Base and Variations
Makes 1/4-1/2 cup
Options for variations:
1 tablespoon prepared mustard plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon white miso paste or tahini
1 egg yolk, raw or hard-boiled, plus 2 tablespoons sunflower or other oil
1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream
1/3 cup Cultured Buttermilk plus 1 teaspoon each minced fresh garlic and chives
Dressing base:
1 tablespoon lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whip the ingredients for your chosen variation with a balloon whisk until thoroughly smooth. To more completely emulsify an egg yolk, use an immersion blender first to beat the egg and then while slowly pouring in the sunflower oil.
While whisking or blending, slowly pour in the lemon juice and sprinkle in the salt and pepper, until thoroughly combined. While whisking briskly with just a balloon whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified and creamy.
Drizzle immediately over salad, or transfer the finished dressing to a bottle or jar and shake just before serving.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s canning workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.