Ina Garten's 2-Ingredient Salad Dressing Is the Best I've Ever Made

Growing up, I remember my parents (Mom is Cantonese, Dad was Vietnamese Chinese) always buying salad dressings during our trips to PathMark in Coney Island. Back then, and even up until recently, I thought making vinaigrettes must be incredibly difficult. Maybe it’s because the word itself is tricky to spell, and vinaigrette sounds so fancy. So imagine my surprise when I discovered Ina Garten’s simple two-ingredient vinaigrette, made with ingredients I already had in my pantry: lemons and olive oil.

I Can’t Get Enough of Ina Garten’s 2-Ingredient Vinaigrette

Thanks to the aftermath of a bomb cyclone passing through Seattle, schools are closed and my 11-year-old son, Philip, has been stuck at home. He has always been a picky eater, especially when it comes to vegetables and salads. Honestly, it’s been one of my biggest challenges (and pain points) as a mom and a recipe developer.

I frequently make salads for lunch, which my husband and I love, and I decided to make Ina’s easy vinaigrette with Philip. I had him squeeze, or at least try to squeeze, juice out of three lemons (and realized we might need to work on his hand strength) until we got about 1/4 cup of fresh juice. Then, I had him whisk the juice with 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil. To season the vinaigrette, Ina suggested using one teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. We did just that.

After giving the mixture a good whisk until it thickened slightly, Philip dipped a little finger into the vinaigrette, gave it a taste, and his eyes brightened. “This tastes great!” he said, beaming.

My kiddo was right. While the vinaigrette was creamy and rich, the bright tang of the lemon juice sliced through all that richness. The amount of seasoning felt just right.

“How else can we improve this?” I asked Philip. Knowing me, the ever-chaotic and curious cookbook author and kitchen wizard, I had to add a little something more to the salad dressing: a dash of MSG. Philip tasted the vinaigrette again. “Mom, this is delicious.”

That little dash of MSG (or to be precise, 1/4 teaspoon) added umami to the vinaigrette, and the dressing’s beautiful flavors lingered on our tongues. Ina recommends adding the vinaigrette to a salad bowl first before adding your greens. I forgot that tip, and we just drizzled the vinaigrette generously over a bed of salad made with baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, and olive-oil-soaked tuna.

Ina’s vinaigrette’s simplicity allowed each ingredient in our salad to shine. The olive oil coated everything, making the greens and the tuna silky. Tomatoes are umami-rich and the MSG I added to the vinaigrette further enhanced the fruit’s flavors. (Yes, tomatoes are fruits!) In each bite was the perfect, seamless harmony of peppery arugula, rich tuna, sweet, juicy tomatoes, and the bright, tangy dressing. With my last bite, I found myself craving for more. My salad disappeared far too quickly, leaving me savoring all the lingering flavors and already thinking about making it again.

I glanced over at Philip’s bowl, secretly hoping I could snag whatever he hadn’t finished. To my surprise and delight, all that remained were a few cherry tomatoes! He even kept going back for extra vinaigrette, drizzling it over his salad with gusto.

Kudos to Ina for creating such a simple yet transformative salad dressing—one that even busy moms can whip up with their kids and turn into a family favorite.

A Few Extra Tips When Making Ina Garten’s Vinaigrette

• Add minced shallots or garlic for an aromatic twist.

• Swap lemon juice for orange juice to introduce a layer of sweetness.

• Incorporate lemon zest for even more vibrant citrus flavor.

• You can also try using the vinaigrette as a dip for bread!
  

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