Dressings and marinades: formulas to invent your own
The 3:1 ratio for any vinaigrette, how to make mayonnaise in 2 minutes and why it splits, when to dress a salad so the leaves don't wilt. How long to marinate chicken, pork, beef and fish, and why longer isn't better.
The 3:1 formula — the base of every dressing
A classic vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid. Everything else is a variation. Change the oil, the acid and the extras and you have dozens of dressings without opening a recipe.
If you like it sharper or your acid is mild (balsamic, cider vinegar), move towards 2:1. If the acid is harsh (9% white vinegar), move towards 4:1.
- Oil: olive, unrefined sunflower, sesame (only in part — it's very strong), nut oils.
- Acid: lemon or lime juice, wine, cider or rice vinegar, balsamic.
- Emulsifier: mustard, honey, egg yolk, tahini, yoghurt.
- Aroma: garlic, shallot, herbs, zest, spices.
The right mixing order
Salt doesn't dissolve in oil. So first mix the acid with salt, sugar or honey and mustard — then pour in the oil in a thin stream while whisking. Or put everything in a jar with a lid and shake hard for 20 seconds.
Mustard is the key to stability. 1 tsp per 100 ml of dressing holds oil and acid together, so the dressing coats the leaves instead of separating in the bowl.
Five dressings for every occasion
All amounts are for 4 servings of salad.
- Honey mustard: 3 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard.
- Balsamic: 3 tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tbsp balsamic, 1 tsp honey, ½ garlic clove.
- Asian: 2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp grated ginger.
- Yoghurt: 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, dill, garlic, salt.
- Caesar: 1 yolk (or 2 tbsp mayonnaise), 1 tsp mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 2 anchovies or 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 30 g grated parmesan, 4 tbsp olive oil.
Homemade mayonnaise in 2 minutes
The main rule: everything at room temperature. A cold yolk emulsifies poorly and the mayonnaise splits.
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt, a pinch of sugar
- 200–250 ml neutral oil
When to dress a salad
Acid and salt draw water out of leaves, and within 5–10 minutes the salad wilts. So leafy salads are dressed right before serving. The leaves must be completely dry — water droplets stop the dressing clinging and dilute it. Use a salad spinner or pat them dry with a towel.
Less dressing is better than more: 1 tbsp per large handful of leaves. Toss with your hands in a big bowl — it spreads evenly and the leaves don't bruise.
The exception is sturdy vegetables: cabbage, beetroot, carrot, Korean-style cucumbers, potato salad. They benefit from sitting in the dressing for 20–30 minutes to soak it up.
What a marinade is made of
Any marinade has three jobs: add flavour, make the meat juicier and soften the fibres a little. It takes four elements.
- Salt — the most important: it's what penetrates and holds in the juices. Use 1–1.5% of the meat's weight: 10–15 g (2–2.5 tsp) per 1 kg. Soy sauce is salt too: 1 tbsp ≈ 3 g salt.
- Oil — carries the flavour of spices and protects the surface from drying.
- Acid — lemon juice, vinegar, wine, kefir, yoghurt. Softens the surface but in excess makes it mushy.
- Aroma — garlic, onion, herbs, spices, honey, mustard.
How long to marinate
The time depends on the food and the acid. Acidic marinades work fast and ruin the texture if overdone: meat turns mealy, fish falls apart. Yoghurt, kefir and soy marinades are gentler and can go longer.
- Fish and shrimp: 15–30 minutes in an acidic marinade, up to 2 hours in an oil-based one.
- Chicken: 2–12 hours; breast fillet 1–4 hours.
- Pork: 4–12 hours.
- Beef and lamb: 6–24 hours.
- Vegetables for the grill: 30–60 minutes.
How to marinate properly
Use a zip-lock bag: squeeze out the air and the marinade coats every piece evenly — you need two to three times less than in a bowl. Always marinate in the fridge.
Avoid metal for acidic marinades: aluminium and uncoated steel react with acid. Glass, ceramic and food-safe plastic are fine.
Before cooking, wipe off excess marinade and pat the meat dry: a wet surface stews instead of browning. If the marinade had honey or sugar, cook over moderate heat — sugar burns faster than the meat cooks.
Three everyday marinades
Per 1 kg of meat or poultry.
- Honey-soy for chicken: 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp grated ginger. No salt needed — the soy provides it.
- Kefir for kebabs: 500 ml kefir, 2 onions in rings, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp dried basil or coriander.
- Mustard and herb for pork: 2 tbsp mustard, 3 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp salt, garlic, thyme or rosemary, pepper.
Questions and answers
My mayonnaise split — can I save it?＋
Yes. In a clean bowl put a fresh yolk and 1 tsp mustard, then whisk in the split mixture a spoonful at a time. The emulsion will come back together.
How long does homemade dressing keep?＋
A vinaigrette without garlic or fresh herbs keeps up to a week in a jar in the fridge. With garlic, herbs or yoghurt — 2–3 days. Homemade mayonnaise with raw yolk — no more than 2–3 days.
Why does my dressing separate?＋
Not enough emulsifier, or the oil went in all at once. Add ½ tsp mustard or honey and whisk again.
Should a marinade contain salt?＋
Definitely — without salt a marinade only works on the surface. The exception is when it contains plenty of soy sauce.
Can I freeze meat in its marinade?＋
Yes: freeze it straight in the marinade and it will do its job while thawing in the fridge. A handy way to prep ahead.
Try it in practice
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