Easy Homemade Salad Dressings

Tired of the same old oil & vinegar? Wary of the strange ingredients in store-bought ranch? We at The Farm have some solutions for you!

1. Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

A favorite with the whole family, our Homemade Ranch recipe makes a creamy and zesty dressing.

Pro Tip: the amount of buttermilk you add determines the thickness. For example, this makes a great sandwich spread if less buttermilk is used.

2. Spicy Peanut Dressing

Our Spicy Peanut Dressing recipe awakens taste buds with fresh ginger and chili paste (like Sambal from Indonesia). This one is great for salads or grilled mixed veggies.

Spice-averse? Play with the quantities of chili paste to get it just how you like it.

3. Sesame Ginger Dressing

The Sesame Ginger Dressing recipe adds Asian flavor with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. We like this on a mixed greens salad OR on a slaw with ingredients like shredded carrots and cabbage, cooked edamame, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

4. Herbed Vinegar Infusions

Infusing your own vinegars with herb blossoms is a great way to add flavor (and color!) to standard vinegars. Our favorites include chive, sage and rosemary flowers.

Here's how you can get started:

1. Pick fresh herb flowers that are in full bloom.
2. Place them in a jar.
3. Cover with the vinegar of your choice (champagne vinegar is nice).
4. Put on a non-metal lid or wax paper with a rubber band.
5. Let steep for about two weeks.
6. Strain off vinegar and use.

Get creative with your dressings by adding or substituting your own ingredients and try them on almost everything. Happy eating!

Looking for more cooking and gardening tips? Check out the classes offered by The Farm at Trinity Health - Ann Arbor.

Add more local produce to your life by signing up for our Farm Share (offered at Trinity Ann Arbor and Oakland) or check out a CSA program from a farm near you.

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The Farm at Trinity Health

Empowering people through food, education, and relationships.

The Farm is a regional program serving communities around our Ann Arbor and Pontiac hospitals. The Farm embodies the belief that food is medicine and connects thousands of people annually to the healing power of cultivating and eating nutritious, local food.