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I Make Batch After Batch of My Mom’s 4-Ingredient Salad Dressing (No Other Recipe Tops It)

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head on shot of italian dressing being spooned out of a small jar.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

My mom was a single working mom of three daughters who managed to get five square meals on the table for us every single night. I don’t know how she did, but it was as if dinner magically appeared on the table; she was a superwoman in my eyes, and she still is. Dinners ranged from lasagna, to lentil soup, to salmon patties, but regardless of the main, there was almost always a simple side salad, and it had the most amazing dill-Parmesan dressing. 

Flash forward to this incredibly hot summer, where all I’ve been craving are crisp, refreshing salads. I usually pack them with romaine or iceberg (the most underrated lettuce, in my opinion), tomatoes, shredded carrots, red onions, olives, Parmesan cheese, and some sort of protein on top. But I had been in a dressing rut. While I love a good premade dressing from Trader Joe’s, even that hadn’t been doing the trick. I had completely forgotten about my mom’s dressing until I saw my sister. Thankfully she reminded me of the herby, tangy delightful goodness that it was. It hits every note, and now I’m making it all the time. 

What Makes My Mom’s Dressing So Good

With vinegar, olive oil, and Parmesan, the base of this vinaigrette is not too dissimilar to a basic Italian dressing. But dill makes things 100 times more fun and delicious than parsley. The flavor combo makes everything taste fresher. My mom’s vinaigrette is also less fussy than a lot of recipes. It seriously takes two minutes to make. It’s the perfect complement to any salad, truly, and has been making my weekday lunches so much better. 

How to Make Mom’s Famous Dill-Parmesan Vinaigrette

  1. Finely chop fresh dill. Eyeball it depending on your love for dill. You can use as little as a teaspoon or up to a tablespoon! (If using dried dill, start with less.) 
  2. Grate 1/4 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese, and add to the mixing bowl, measuring cup, or Mason jar. My mom used pre-grated Parmesan cheese, but I prefer fresh here too. 
  3. Add 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup good-tasting red wine vinegar. Whisk together or, if using a jar, twist on the lid and shake until emulsified.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: I Make Batch After Batch of My Mom’s 4-Ingredient Salad Dressing (No Other Recipe Tops It)