I'm kind of obsessed with the miso mustard combination, as evidenced by this salad, and previously, the miso-mustard dip for pretzels I shared. I never was into the idea of mustardy salad dressings, and never ordered honey mustard dressing on anything. Of course, mustard is an excellent emulsifier for dressings and is in far more of them than you'd ever suspect. But salad science aside, this dressing is just... so good. I especially like it with a salty side, like fries.
Salad and fries
And to that point, why isn't the concept of "salad frites" more of a thing? You've got steak frites, which is steak and fries on the side. But what if you don't want a steak, you want something lighter and that fulfills more of your daily vegetable requirements? And also, you want fries. With this, I have made salad frites a regular thing in this household, no matter what type of dressing is on the salad. If the salad dressing tastes just as good on the fries, then that's a really good kind of day.
That being said, make a double batch of this if you're the kind of person who enjoys dipping their fries in non-traditional dips, or someone who hates or is sick of ketchup.
Miso Mustard Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- ½ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a jar, twist the lid on tight, and shake til emulsified. Or whisk until emulsified if you don't have a jar with a tight fitting lid.
- Salt to taste. Add more oil if you like a thinner dressing.
- Use within one week.
My Favorite bagged salad
If you're curious about the type of salad I have underneath this dressing, it's pretty simple. I get the Champs Elysees salad mix from Trader Joe's, or any romaine mix with purple cabbage and shredded carrots added in (spring mixes can be too bitter with the mustard dressing, I think. Also spring mix salads go bad within 10 minutes of looking at them). Depending on what I have on hand, it's nice to add cherry tomatoes or bits of bell pepper, walnuts, and green onions and croutons to finish. The green onions and croutons are nearly non-negotiable.
This makes for a pretty simple yet craveable salad. I've found nothing made having a salad more unappealing than having to really work to get the salad made. That must be why we like complex salads from restaurants so much. Can you imagine making a California Dreamin' salad at home? Way too much effort but so delicious. This one, let me assure you, is so much less effort.
If you're making this, I recommend preheating the oven, putting your salad bowl in the fridge, and then start on the dressing. By the time it's done shaking together, the fries should be ready to pop in the oven for about 15 minutes on average, depending on your fry density. Bigger ones of course, will take longer, which is why I am okay with the thinner varieties in this case. Other times, crinkle fries are my favorite. As the fries bake, assemble the salad and chop any vegetables that will be added in. Bring the cold salad bowl from the fridge, put the salad together and dress it and ding! Your fries should be ready unless you move at superhuman speeds. It's 2020 here, there's nowhere to rush these days. And there you have it, salad frites.
So what do you think — are you on board for salad frites now?
Want more salad dressing recipes?
