PERFECT SALAD DRESSING FOR GREENS, CAULIFLOWER, OR CABBAGE

This versatile dressing pairs beautifully with green salads like lettuce, arugula, or baby spinach, as well as raw cauliflower or cabbage salads. I often add thin slices of leftover grilled or roasted meat and seeds to my salads and dress them with this delicious dressing.

Start by making the base recipe exactly as written, then adjust to your taste by experimenting with vinegar, mustard, and oil. You can enhance it further with optional ingredients like black pepper, sour cream, garlic, onion, or fresh herbs.

⚠️ Note: The full 200 ml dressing contains nearly 1400 calories. Use a tablespoon to portion it out—about 100 calories per tablespoon. For a 50 g salad serving, I use just 2 tablespoons.

🕒 Prep Time: 5 min

🍽️ Yield: ~200 ml

Ingredients

1 tbsp mustard (25 g)
25 ml cold water
1 tbsp vinegar (I prefer 9% Sherry vinegar)
1 tsp honey (5 g)
150 ml oil (usually half olive oil, half sunflower oil)
Salt, to taste

Optional:

Black pepper
Sour cream
Garlic or onion
Fresh herbs (tarragon, parsley, dill)

Instructions

In a tall container or blender cup, combine vinegar, mustard, honey, water, and a pinch of salt. Blend well. Optional: Add 1 crushed garlic clove or ½ tbsp chopped onion here if desired.
Slowly add oil while blending, moving the blender stick up and down to emulsify. The dressing should thicken to a smooth, creamy consistency similar to vanilla sauce.
If the dressing is too thick (which can happen if you increase vinegar), add a little water to reach your preferred pouring consistency. I prefer a dressing that lightly coats leaves without clumping.
Optional: At the end, add freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbsp sour cream, or finely chopped herbs. Blend briefly to combine.

💡 Tips

Adjust vinegar quantity for desired sharpness.
Experiment with different mustards (try horseradish mustard for a kick).
Use a blend of oils for balanced flavor.
Add optional ingredients gradually and taste as you go.

🍽️ Perfect For

Green salads (lettuce, arugula, baby spinach)
Raw vegetable salads (cauliflower, cabbage)
Salad with grilled meat and seeds

📝 Final Thoughts

This easy, customizable dressing delivers a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors, elevating your salads with minimal effort.