As the weather gets warmer, it’s a great time of year for salads and grilling. Both can make for light and easy meals. But they can be boring, too.
Enter the perfect dressing. It can make a world of difference.
The right sauce or dressing can turn a blah meal into something beautiful. My sister recently tossed chicken in oil and salt and threw it on the grill. I thought it sounded kind of meh — fine, but not exciting. I ate my words and licked my plate. She served it with a chimichurri sauce (recipe follows). It was so good.
Keep these recipes — especially as get-togethers are trending up. Whether you’re making salad for one or cooking for a crowd, these sauces can make a simple meal shine.
Chimichurri
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon red chili, seeds removed and finely chopped — optional
Gently stir to combine all ingredients in a bowl. Set on the counter for at least 5 minutes; a few hours is better!
This is delicious with grilled meat, empanadas, and basically everything.
Pasta salad dressing
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar (I sometimes skip this)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Add lemon juice and garlic to a small bowl. Whisk in the oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Toss this dressing with pasta or grain mix of choice (orzo, tortellini, spirals, quinoa, etc.). Add cheese, vegetables, whatever you like. Ideally, one add-in should be something salty for this to really hit — feta cheese, olives, or a meat. You could also add 1-2 tablespoons of an herb to the dressing.
Salad dressing
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
9 tablespoons water
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
I like this dressing with any combo of chopped veggies.