Herbed Pumpkin Seed Dressing

I’ve managed to keep a lovely herb garden alive this summer and absolutely delight in harvesting twice a week to make up a luscious dressing for salads. I eat a large raw salad daily, rotating ingredients with the season.  You will find that this dressing is equally delicious on a raw broccoli salad, a cabbage slaw, or, as pictured above, with a mess of freshly picked salad greens. 

Full disclosure:  I never measure ingredients for my dressings but felt it would be kind to share a model to work with if a homemade dressing is a new territory. I’ve shared a few options so that you can make it your own. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of olive oil, or if you prefer oil-free, use a plant-based unsweetened milk
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin or hemp seeds ( the seeds will make it thick and creamy)
  • One green scallion or peeled and chopped shallot 
  • 2-3 handfuls of fresh herbs, any combination such as basil, mint, parsley, cilantro, or dill 
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or citrus juice
  • 2 TBL Nutritional Yeast
  • A splash or two of maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard or 1 TBL of miso paste
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

I prefer to mix this in my food processor, but a blender or immersion blender works equally well.

If using pumpkin seeds, blend them first, creating a fine powder to create a smoother dressing. Once you have achieved that then add all ingredients and process or blend until smooth, tasting, and adjusting to your preference.  Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.