The loveFOOD guide to... salad dressings

Salad dressings are a quick way of invigorating your ingredients – and not just your green leaves.

There are three main types of salad dressing: vinaigrette, creamy dressing and cooked dressing.

Vinaigrette is the most popular, and at its most basic consists of an emulsion of oil and vinegar: olive oil and balsamic vinegar is one example that is always in demand.

To this mixture, many other flavours can be added, such as citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange), spices (chilli, pepper, mustard), or herbs (tarragon, chives, etc).

Creamy dressings are usually made with mayonnaise, which is itself an emulsion of egg yolks and oil. Additional flavours can include herbs, blue cheese, garlic, etc.

Finally there are cooked salad dressings, sometimes used in pasta and potato salads, and occasionally sandwiches.

Always dress your ingredients at the last minute, particularly salad leaves, so that they don’t get soggy. Remember to toss your ingredients before serving so that everything gets coated evenly. 

Salad dressing recipes

Tiger prawns with mango dressing recipe
Tiger prawns have a delicate flavour but with a great meaty texture.
Mango is the perfect accompaniment, along with a little lime, chill and coriander. Add extra chilli if you want more heat, and serve with your barbecue prawns.

Griddled prawn Thai salad with a peanut dressing recipe
A fresh and fragrant Thai salad packed full of prawns and crunchy veg, then drizzled in an unusual but tasty coconut peanut dressing.
The dressing is made from Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter and cider vinegar, making it quite a unique combination.

Crispy cod with rye and lingonberry dressing recipe
Patting the cod fillets lightly with rye flour before frying is a very typical way of frying fish in Finland. The Lingonberry dressing adds colour and tanginess to the dish as well as another Scandinavian touch. If you cannot find lingonberry cordial, try using cranberry cordial or pulped fresh cranberries instead.

Mackerel with English salad and citrus mustard dressing recipe
Mustard and citrus cut through the fat of the mackerel, and the whole plate is garnished with sticks of crisp Granny Smith apple.
You want the mackerel to be as fresh as possible, bearing in mind that it doesn’t freeze very well. Catch your own if you can!

Jean Christophe Novelli's Niçoise salad recipe
A classic summer salad from the South of France, enlivened by a traditional French dressing or vinaigrette.
This version uses tuna steaks (check the sustainability of these before you buy – look for albacore tuna) but the original version calls for canned fish, and also includes potatoes.

Cheese salad recipe
This recipe works equally well as a starter or cheese course. The honeyed sweetness of the membrillo dressing complete with walnuts complements both the cheeses and the bitter winter leaves. Recipe author Jose Pizarro likes to use a mixture of sheep’s, soft goat’s and semi-cured cow’s cheeses to give a variety of textures.

Griddled courgette carpaccio with chickpea salsa recipe
For the vegetarians among us. Nuts are again used in this dressing, only this time they’re pistachio nuts. You’ll want to break them up a bit first, and you can use roasted nuts if you prefer the flavour.
The chickpeas and cumin add a Persian feel to the dish, and fancy presentation makes this recipe very attractive.

Power salad recipe
One of all you health nuts, this salad is fully loaded with 'good stuff', including eggs, beetroot, peppers, sprouted beans, lentils, and walnuts, all dressed with a fresh dill dressing.
Serve it with avocado-topped rye toast for an extra flavour boost and you can add extra nuts like cashews if you like.

Chicken and avocado Caesar salad recipe
Smooth chunks of avocado work well with classic Caesar salad ingredients. Drizzle your cos lettuce and chicken chunks with a creamy dressing made with anchovies, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar and fresh garlic.
Finally, top it all off with freshly shaved parmesan and crispy croutons.

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