Pioneer Woman Aunt Trishs Salad Dressing

Pioneer Woman Aunt Trish’s salad dressing is a quick homemade dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan, ready in just 5 minutes. And it’s an easy weeknight salad topper or make ahead potluck side, since the whole garlic clove infuses deep, savory flavor as it sits overnight.

Letting it chill for 24 hours is the step that makes or breaks it, because the garlic needs that time to mellow into the oil. If you skip the overnight rest, you end up with a flat dressing that tastes like plain olive oil and lemon.

Ree Drummond drops a whole garlic clove into the jar and pulls it out before serving, so you get garlic flavor without any raw bite. That trick, along with the parmesan and paprika, gives this dressing a warmth most vinaigrettes lack.

Pioneer Woman Aunt Trishs Salad Dressing

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

129

kcal

A tangy dressing shaken in a jar with parmesan, lemon and a whole garlic clove, then chilled overnight so the flavors settle and meld.

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. olive oil or canola oil
  

• Juice of 2 lemons
  

• 4 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  

• 1/4 tsp. salt, more to taste
  

• Freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1/4 tsp. sugar
  

• Dash of paprika
  

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole

Directions

• Combine the dressing: Place the olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan, salt, pepper, sugar, paprika and whole garlic clove into a jar.
• Shake and chill: Seal the lid tightly, then shake the jar well so everything blends before storing it in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
• Remove the garlic: Discard the whole garlic clove once you're ready to serve, since it has already released its flavor into the oil.
• Dress your salad: Shake the jar well again and drizzle about half over a green salad or pasta salad, then toss with extra salt and pepper if needed.

Tools for this recipe

• Zulay metal lemon squeezer, Pyrex 2-cup glass measuring cup, Ball regular mouth mason jars, 12 pack, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different oil instead of olive oil?

Canola oil works since Ree lists it as an option in the original recipe, but it runs milder than olive oil. So add an extra splash of lemon juice to keep the tang if you make the swap.

How long does this dressing keep in the fridge?

It stays good for about 7 to 10 days in a sealed jar, since the acid from the lemon juice helps preserve it. But give it a hard shake before each use, because the oil and juice will separate as it sits.

Can I double the batch for a party?

Doubling works well as long as your jar is big enough, and just use two garlic cloves instead of one so the flavor scales up. But pull both cloves out after 24 hours, because leaving them longer makes the dressing bitter.

Do I need a specific type of jar?

A mason jar with a tight-fitting lid works best since you need a strong seal for shaking. But any glass jar or bottle with a screw-top lid will do the job just as well.

Why does my dressing taste too sharp or garlicky?

Pulling the dressing out before the 24 hours are up is the most common cause, because raw garlic hasn’t had time to mellow. And if you left the clove in for 3 or 4 days, it can turn bitter, so always discard the garlic after day one.