Fresh Recipes | Smoky Paprika Vinaigrette

Happy Friday friends!

It’s been a busy week in our household, one that’s only going to get a lot busier as the school year gets in full swing, I’m afraid. Somehow, though, I look forward to the crazier schedule. Usually, the more things I have to do, the more I get done (and the less Kardashians I watch…), which might explain why I’ve been a bit lazy on the blogging front lately.

But yesterday morning, I actually got up at a decent hour and decided to put my extra time into making a nice vinaigrette. I love making salads, but unless I make dressing before hand, I usually just stick with basic olive oil + red wine or balsamic vinegar for a dressing which can get a bit boring after awhile.

I almost never buy bottled dressing either, except maybe when making pasta salad. One, I feel like it’s a waste of money, two, it’s almost impossible to control the crazy calorie and fat content, and three, A nnie’s is about the only salad dressing I trust not to have crazy additives, and again, it’s a bit expensive.

I had saved a screenshot of this sunset magazine recipe from the May edition, and while swiping through my saved recipes for a little blogging inspiration, I was compelled to create my own version of their smoky paprika dressing. I’ve definitely been obsessed with smoked paprika–it adds such an amazing flavor and aroma to soups, refried beans, rubs–so much richer than regular paprika.

I had a semi-difficult time even finding smoked paprika the first time I bought it (I think I only found it in 1/4 grocery stores I frequented in SLO), and sadly, I lost about half the container in the move, so I’ll be on the hunt yet again to find it in Blacksburg. It’s so worth the effort though–once you go smoked paprika, it’s hard to turn back.

The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard for a vinaigrette: good quality olive oil, white vinegar, salt, and pepper, with some garlic and a little fresh basil thrown in for good measure.