Growing up, I remember my parents (mother Cantonese, father Vietnamese Chinese) would always buy salad dressing on trips to Pathmark in Coney Island. Back then, and even more recently, I thought that making vinaigrettes must be incredibly difficult. Maybe it’s because the word itself is hard to spell, and vinaigrette sounds too fancy. So imagine my surprise when I discovered Anna Garten’s simple two-ingredient vinaigrette, made with ingredients I already had in my pantry: Lemon and olive oil.
I can’t get enough of Anna Garten’s 2-Ingredient Vinaigrette
Schools are closed and my 11-year-old son Phillip is stuck at home as a result of the bomb cyclone that passed through Seattle. He has always been a good eater, especially when it comes to vegetables and salads. Honestly, this has been one of my biggest challenges (and pain points) as a mom and a recipe developer.
I often make salads for lunch, which my husband and I love, and I decided to make Anna’s Easy Vinaigrette with Philip. I had him squeeze or at least squeeze the juice from 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 asked her to whisk the juice with 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. To season the vinaigrette, Anna suggests using a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. That’s what we did.
After stirring the mixture well until it thickened slightly, Philip dipped a small finger into the vinaigrette, gave it a taste, and his eyes lit up. “It tastes so good!” she said beaming.
My child was right. While the vinaigrette was creamy and rich, the bright tang of the lemon juice drowned out all that richness. The amount of spice felt just right.
“How else can we make it better?” I asked Philip. Knowing me, ever the chaotic and curious cookbook author and kitchen wizard, I had to add something else to the salad dressing: a dash of MSG. Philip tasted the vinaigrette again. “Mom, it’s delicious.”
That small dash of MSG (or, to be precise, 1/4 teaspoon) added umami to the vinaigrette, and the beautiful flavors of the dressing lingered on our tongues. Anna suggests adding the vinaigrette to the salad bowl before adding the vegetables. I forgot that tip, and we just generously drizzled the vinaigrette over a bed of baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil-poached tuna.
The simplicity of Anna’s vinaigrette allowed each ingredient in our salad to shine. The olive oil coated everything, making the greens and tuna silky. Tomatoes are rich in umami and MSG I added to the vinaigrette enhanced the fruit flavors. (Yes, tomatoes are fruit!) Each bite was the perfect, smooth harmony of peppery arugula, rich tuna, sweet, juicy tomatoes, and bright, tangy dressing. With my last bite, I found myself craving for more. My salad disappeared very quickly, leaving me tasting all the flavors and already thinking about making it again.
I glanced at Philip’s bowl, secretly hoping I could grab what he hadn’t finished. To my surprise and delight, all that was left were a few cherry tomatoes! He even kept going back for extra vinaigrettes, drizzling them enthusiastically over his salad.
Kudos to Anna for creating such a simple yet transformative salad dressing—one that even busy moms can share with their kids and become a family favorite.
Some additional tips when making Anna Garten’s vinaigrette
- Add minced garlic for an aromatic twist.
- Swap the lemon juice for orange juice to introduce a layer of sweetness.
- Add lemon zest for an even more vibrant citrus flavor.
- You can also try using the vinaigrette as a dip on bread!