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This dressing recipe is inspired by Olive Wilde’s that went viral recently. Both mine and hers have a base of red wine vinegar and mustard, but I’ve naturally added some of my own finishing touches to make a dressing recipe that is perfect on a winter chopped salad like the one below.
Why you’ll love this dressing recipe:
- Easy: This dressing recipe is simple to make, and is made with easy-to-find ingredients you likely already have on hand
- Winter-Friendly: Most people don’t think of salads as a winter food but all you need to do is add more hearty, winter ingredients like kale, apples, and brussels sprouts to make it winter-friendly and comforting
- Versatile: Use this delicious dressing on any salad this winter
Ingredient Notes:
Pecans: For this winter salad, I used award-winning Sante Nuts Candied Pecans. They are crunchy, buttery, and sweet. Plus they’re made with only 4-ingredients. These can be a great addition to any salad, baking, or just to eat on their own.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Farro: Farro refers to the grains of three wheat species. You often buy it dried like quinoa and cook it up with water until it’s soft. It’s great for salads, soups, and other dishes. However, you can easily swap this for quinoa or other grains of choice.
How to make this dressing recipe & winter chopped salad:
- To prepare the croutons, preheat the oven to 375F. Cut 2 slices of sourdough bread into cubes, drizzle with olive oil and season with a big pinch of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes.
- To prepare the farro, cook as per your package instructions, cooking it to your preferred doneness. Set aside, cool slightly.
- To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- To prepare the kale, add a tablespoon of olive oil and massage with your hands for about a minute. (The point of massaging the kale is to break down some of the tough fibres, making for a more tender salad).
- Add your farro to a large serving plate or salad bowl. Add the chopped kale, brussels sprouts and croutons. Arrange the goat cheese, candied pecans and thinly sliced apples on top in a beautiful arrangement.
- Drizzle the dressing over, toss and serve.
Expert Tips & FAQ:
Serving: Enjoy this recipe as a main topped with your favorite protein (serves 4) OR serve as a side dish for up to 6 people.
Croutons: If you don’t have time to make croutons, use your favorite store-bought brand. Or, substitute with another 1/2 cup of Sante Nuts Candied Pecans.
Don’t want to use honey? Substitute with maple syrup in the dressing.
Other recipes you’ll love:
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Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- pinch salt, pepper and garlic powder
- 1 cup cooked farro , (1/2 cup dry farro)
- 2 small bunches black / lacinato kale, spines removed & chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup Sante Nuts Candied Pecans
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- 2 cups thinly sliced brussels sprouts
- 1 apple, thinly sliced, (we used a honeycrisp apple)
Olivia Wilde Salad Dressing
- 2 tbsp grainy or dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp liquid honey
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ tsp chili flakes
Instructions
Start Cooking- To prepare the croutons, preheat the oven to 375F. Cut 2 slices of sourdough bread into cubes, drizzle with olive oil and season with a big pinch of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes.
- To prepare the farro, cook as per your package instructions, cooking it to your preferred doneness. Set aside, cool slightly.
- To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- To prepare the kale, add a tablespoon of olive oil and massage with your hands for about a minute. (The point of massaging the kale is to break down some of the tough fibres, making for a more tender salad).
- Add your farro to a large serving plate or salad bowl. Add the chopped kale, brussels sprouts and croutons. Arrange the goat cheese, candied pecans and thinly sliced apples on top in a beautiful arrangement.
- Drizzle the dressing over, toss and serve.
3 people are discussing this recipe. Join in
Question. Is the nutrition information per serving or for the whole recipe?
per serving (4) it’s a very hearty and nutrient rich salad!
hi
i only see one dressing version. did you make any changes from the original?