This basic vinaigrette serves as an ideal multipurpose sauce.
Regardless of whether they’re stored in a recipe tin, glued in a book, or securely kept in one’s memories, family recipes play an essential role in making cooking such a cherished activity. Think of holiday hams, festive cocktails,
elegant layer cakes
, and traditional barbecue dishes populate the pages of Southern family recipe collections, but one of my favorite recipes is a straightforward vinaigrette passed down from my grandmother.
Why I Adore “Grandmamma’s Stuffing”
The simplicity of this recipe makes me never want to try another homemade salad dressing again. It lacks an official name—we’ve simply referred to it as “Grandmama Dressing.” The origin remains unclear—it could be something she invented or discovered elsewhere—but who cares? In my view, calling it “Grandmama Dressing” beats out names like “Simple Vinaigrette,” or “Speedy Salad Sauce.”
Related:
The Perfect Honey Vinaigrette: The Sole Salad Dressing Required for This Season
Homemade Salads Dressings Are Really Easy To Make
Homemade salad dressing is one of those little touches that can really impress dinner party guests. While serving store-bought dressing wouldn’t raise eyebrows, bringing out something made from scratch will likely elicit comments about how considerate it was to prepare it yourself. Similar to making custom place cards or selecting your buddy’s favorite craft brew as a gift, this simple gesture adds a touch of thoughtfulness with unexpected significance. Additionally, it serves as a great icebreaker at gatherings. Whenever I bring my Grandmama Dressing, people inevitably ask me for the recipe.
It Only Takes 4-Ingredients
Grandmama’s Homemade Vinaigrette requires just four components, all of which I typically keep stocked in my pantry.
-
Oil
(I typically go with whatever oil I have available; often it’s canola or vegetable due to their subtle flavor, though a bit of extra virgin olive oil would also be perfectly suitable). -
Tabasco (or your
hot sauce of choice
) - Red wine vinegar
- Sugar
That’s it.
If I have these four ingredients in my pantry as a young home cook in my twenties, chances are that most other people will likely have them too.
A Flexible Recipe That Goes Great With Various Dishes
Despite having minimal components, this vinaigrette delivers a substantial taste experience. Its sweetness comes from sugar, acidity from vinegar, and heat from hot sauce; complemented by neutral oil, this do-it-yourself dressing serves as an ideal versatile option for salads.
Our preferred method of serving it involves topping a mixed green salad with strawberries, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, and crumbled feta or goat cheese.
I’ve presented it attractively
main-dish salads
This could feature either grilled chicken or steak served over an enhanced bag-of-salad from the supermarket (as I mentioned, I am still a beginner). No matter which seasonal ingredients you add for your salad toppings, this dressing will complement them well.
How Does This Dressing Become Simpler?
The measurements. Just keep in mind 1/4, 1/4, twice, twice.
- ¼ cup of oil
- ¼ tsp hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sugar
It’s unforgettable, and even individuals like myself, who often use their iPhones to figure out gratuities, might consider doubling or tripling it when dealing with groups. The mixture can be combined easily in a bowl or shaken vigorously in a Tupperware container. In fact, I’ve also utilized a protein shake bottle for taking this to potluck gatherings, making it ideal for spill-free transport, mixing, and serving right from the bottle.
Grandmama Dressing may lack sophistication, yet it holds an indispensable place in my collection of recipes.
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Southern Living
