Stories

Delicious salads are an easy way to get more veggies in your day. And what makes a salad yummy? A good salad dressing, of course!

We all know we should try to eat more vegetables. The recommended healthy intake for adults is five serves per day, but most Australians only eat around half that. 

Here are seven easy and delicious dressings to liven up your salad creations. Each of these recipes uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and each can be whipped up in just a few minutes.​​ Tip: one cup of leafy greens or one cup of raw salad vegetables is equivalent to one serve of vegetables.

1. Basic but beautiful

This macadamia salad dressing is easy to prepare and costs next to nothing. Made with macadamia oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard it delivers the perfect balance of flavours to bring out the best in your favourite salad.

Place 3 tablespoons macadamia oil, 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ¼ teaspoon sea salt into a jar, season with pepper and place the lid on. Give the jar a good shake until well combined.

2. Macadamia mayonnaise

For a zesty but creamy dressing, whip up your own preserved lemon macadamia mayonnaise dressing. 

Place the one egg, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Place the bowl on a damp cloth to stop it from moving when you are whisking. Whisk with a balloon whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour a few drops of the macadamia oil into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Continue adding the oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well in between each addition. Once all the oil has been incorporated (you’ll need 250ml in total), add a few drops of Tabasco, the zest of one lemon, one finely diced preserved lemon and ¼ cup of finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped. Mix well and season to taste. 

3. Ginger and soy macadamia salad dressing

This dressing is packed with flavour and super easy to prepare. The ginger, soy and macadamia flavours match perfectly. Mix ​​one tablespoon each of finely grated ginger, soy sauce, white wine vinegar and honey with 1/4 cup macadamia oil in a bowl with a wire whisk until well combined.

4. Macadamia and tamari salad dressing

The addition of macadamia butter in this dressing creates a creamy, rich texture, similar to a mayonnaise. Because no animal products are added, this dressing is a great option for vegans. 

Combine ¼ cup macadamia nut butter, 2 teaspoons tamari, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons macadamia oil, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon grated palm sugar, and the juice of ½ lime in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, adding more lime juice, tamari, or palm sugar if necessary. Serve tossed through any salad.

5. Tangy sesame and lime macadamia salad dressing

With its zingy Asian flavours, this tangy macadamia dressing is suited to crispy chopped salads – think green cabbage, cucumber, fresh mint, coriander leaves and chopped chilli.

Combine 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, ¼ cup macadamia oil and 2-3 drops sesame oil in a small bowl and mix to combine. Stir in five finely chopped macadamias when ready to serve.

6. Vegan and creamy fresh herb salad dressing

In this recipe we use fresh coriander leaves to create a pesto-like dressing however you could replace it with basil, parsley or a combination of all three herbs. If you want to spice this one up, add a small hot chilli (seeds removed) to the ingredients list.

Place 1 cup tightly-packed coriander leaves, juice of 1 lime, ½ cup roasted macadamias in a food processor, season to taste and process until pureed. Slowly add around ½ cup macadamia oil until the mixture is the consistency of a thick sauce. Adjust the flavour with salt.

7. Middle Eastern macadamia hummus dressing

Not just suited to Middle Eastern style salads this macadamia hummus dressing can be tossed through any salad, think grilled chicken or canned tuna with cucumber, tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs. 

Place ½ cup roasted macadamias, 2 cups cooked chickpeas, 2 tablespoons macadamia oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 10 medium basil leaves in a food processor and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Which ingredients go into your favourite macadamia salad dressing? Head over to our Facebook page to share your salad dressing tips.