I get so tired of vinaigrette. My standby is just olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a little mustard for creaminess. It’s boring, but we all know we are supposed to eat salad so I just keep making it. I came across this recipe in Lydia Bastianich’s book Lydia’s Italian American Kitchen. This is a great book by the way. One great recipe after another. She toasts sliced almonds and adds them into the blender with the vinaigrette. Out comes a thick, rich, creamy dressing that could almost double as a dip for crudite. It’s even vegan. Try this, it is really, really good.
- 1/4 C. sliced almonds
- 6 T. olive oil
- 2 T. red wine vinegar
- 1 t. honey
- salt and pepper
- salad greens
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and toast the almonds. It just takes a moment for them to begin to brown, so be careful not to burn them. Let them cool for a minute or two. Put the almonds, oil, vinegar, and honey in the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over salad greens.
swellkid 
I feel the same way about salad.
I made this last night and it was on the too-thick side even thought I kept adding water. I used the food processor instead of the blender, do you think it made it seize up? Or maybe I skimped on the oil a little too much. But very tasty!
Thanks for trying it! I used my blender for this, so I don’t know about the food processor, but mine was thick as well. I think it would be great to try it as a dip for veggies.