Dirty Martini Salad Dressing Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Quick and Easy

by: Emily Ziemski

March9,2023

4

15 Ratings

  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Welcome to Plus One, a column by Food Editor Emily Ziemski where those small-but-mighty additions that instantly upgrade whatever’s on the table—ingredients, sauces, toppings—are the star of the show. Today, a dressing made in homage to her favorite drink; shaken, not stirred.

As we predicted in our top cocktail trends of 2023, the gin martini is, and will continue to be, a star. Vodka martinis have always landed a tad flat for me, and I believe it's the lack of herbal aromatics—like juniper and coriander—that gin is known for. My go-to drink order lately is “an extra-dirty gin martini, and please can you give me a little extra cup of olive brine, and maybe a few more olives too.” My quest for this piquant saltiness is also top of mind for me when I’m cooking.

This dressing is my weeknight treat, my little “I deserve a dinner that’s so good right now” pick-me-up, a sparkling delight in these bleak winter months. Leaning heavily on olive brine, I add tangy smooth mustard to gin—oh yes, there’s a splash of that in there— plenty of herbs to highlight the spirit’s herbaceous qualities, plus minced garlic. These big, bold flavors are a dream for simple vegetables and leafy greens. My aim here was to make this dressing so unforgettable that it’d make you want to abandon your whole life to go make it for Harry Styles, à la Olivia Wilde.

My chosen pairing here is a bed of little gem lettuce. I love little gem for its tenderness and slight sweetness, along with its delightful crunch. That said, this dressing is all-purpose and can also be used on other veggies and even as a marinade, if you’d like.

Alternately, if you don’t want to drag out the food processor, you can put all ingredients in a jar and shake by hand until combined. Just be sure to finely chop your rosemary first as the food processor won’t be there to help you break down the herb further!Emily Ziemski

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cupolive brine (preferably from green olives)
  • 2 teaspoonssmooth Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 cupextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoonbotanical gin (I like Tommyrotter or The Botanist, or Seedlip for a NA version)
  • 3 sprigsrosemary, leaves de-stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoonground coriander
  • 1 teaspoonkosher salt, plus more to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. In a small food processor (or a medium bowl), combine the brine, mustard, and garlic. Pulse to combine (or whisk if using a bowl). Using the opening in the top of the food processor, slowly stream in the olive oil until thoroughly combined. If mixing by hand, slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking vigorously. Add the gin, rosemary, coriander, and salt. Pulse or whisk until thoroughly combined. Taste, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
  2. Serve over your favorite veggies or tossed with fresh, crunchy salad greens. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; whisk or shake to re-emulsify before serving.

Tags:

  • American
  • Olive Oil
  • Olive
  • Gin
  • Mustard
  • Quick and Easy
  • Weeknight Cooking
  • Entertaining
  • Cocktail Party
  • Weekend Cooking
  • Dinner Party
  • Plus One

Recipe by: Emily Ziemski

Food Editor @ Food52

Popular on Food52

15 Reviews

Carrie G. November 26, 2023

This was so yummy! I used this on top of a very simple salad of greens and fresh Parmesan. It has so much flavor that I would recommend going easy on the drizzle so you don’t overwhelm the salad. A little goes a long way.

FrugalCat November 19, 2023

Also good with pickle brine.

Linda D. May 30, 2023

Thought it was bland

zonne1-hovcez-tEqhun May 16, 2023

My husband and I love this (we love martinis and olives). It has become my only salad dressing,

Melissa Y. May 5, 2023

Not only is it a flavorful and fun salad dressing, it’s fantastic as a chicken breast marinade!

Ironwood C. April 10, 2023

I'm all in for a good martini. This dressing is very, very good. And with all of the artisanal gins appearing, you canchange its flavour profile and feature some of the herbs in your particular gin. Tonight I used Tanqueray Malacca, which has less juniper and more citrus and peppercorn, so I bolstered the black pepper element.

Emily Z. April 11, 2023

I love the idea of drawing out different flavor elements each time using a different gin. Brilliant!

earn.onliejobs.workers.dev/ March 29, 2023

I’m making a decent compensation from home $60k/week , which was astonishing under a year prior I was jobless in a horrendous economy. I was honored with these guidelines and presently it’s my obligation to show kindness and share it with Everyone,
𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲,

Joetta G. March 29, 2023

This is hands down my new favorite salad dressing. If you don’t like bold tastes you’ll hate it, as it’s chick-full of them! But as someone who really loves a punchy dressing I’m in heaven. Will be putting this on everything!!!

Joetta G. March 29, 2023

Oops, "chock-full."

Emily Z. April 11, 2023

Punchy is definitely the best word for this dressing!

spencer_pdx March 24, 2023

This is the worst recipe, by a long shot, I’ve made in a long time. This is for two key reasons: first, this was so salty it was nearly inedible. I had to add additional lemon juice to help, which it did, but it was still far too salty. I used castlevetrano olives from Fred Meyer/Kroger’s olive bar by their gourmet cheese.

Next, the taste of the gin was just gross. I used high quality gin—in fact, I made myself a martini with it as I was cooking. It was at this moment I realized booze does not belong in salad. Do not make this.

Lynda R. November 9, 2023

Being kind is free.
If, in your estimation, two key ingredients (salty olives and gin) are unappealing in a salad, perhaps just have a second martini to quell the snark factor. Cheers!🍸

Garlic March 21, 2023

This was great to go with the fried chicken my husband ordered for dinner

MissBecks March 21, 2023

Amazing!
I like my Martinis so dirty that I just say Filthy. I’d like a filthy, dirty gin Martini.

Dirty Martini Salad Dressing  Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for a dirty martini? ›

Dirty Martini

Calls for 3 ½ ounces gin or vodka, ½ ounce dry vermouth, and ½ ounce olive brine. Serve stirred, garnished with olives.

What makes a dirty martini dirty? ›

The term 'dirty' means that olive brine, usually from a jar of cocktail olives, has been added to the drink. An olive garnish is typically assumed, too. Most bars add equal parts vermouth and brine, though you can specify 'extra dirty' or 'filthy' if you prefer more brine.

Is dirty martini better with gin or vodka? ›

However, while many bartenders default to gin as the ideal option for a standard Martini, many find vodka to be the better choice for a Dirty Martini. This is because the spirit's more neutral profile allows the olive brine to shine more prominently, without getting muddled by gin's heavier botanicals.

What is the best vermouth for a dirty martini? ›

6 Best Vermouths for Your Next Martini
  • Dolin Dry Vermouth. Give your martini a taste of France with Dolin Dry Vermouth. ...
  • Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth. If dry martinis are your go-to, I'm sure you're already aware of Cinzao Extra Dry. ...
  • Martini & Rossi Fiero. ...
  • Padro & Co Vermouth Rojo Amargo. ...
  • Antica Torino Bianco Vermouth.

What is the best vodka for a dirty martini? ›

George Green Chile Vodka. “When I think Dirty Martini, I think savory,” says Phil Collins, beverage director for San Francisco-based restaurant group TableOne Hospitality. “I love bringing in more vegetal notes to really play up the salinity in the olive brine. My go-to has always been St George's Green Chile Vodka.”

What is the best ratio for a martini? ›

The gin-to-vermouth ratio of a Dry Martini can fluctuate greatly based on individual preferences. However, as a rule of thumb, a 5:1 ratio of gin to vermouth is the standard for a Dry Martini.

What does ordering a dirty martini say about you? ›

4. There is a fine line when it comes to brine, and this drink can go from delightful to disgusting really quickly. Customizable with gin or vodka, a touch of vermouth and defiled with olive juice, if you like your martini dirty, you're hip, swanky, stylish… hungry?

Why are dirty martinis so good? ›

At Fiorella, Marc Vetri's pasta restaurant in Philadelphia, the Dirty Pasta Water Martini has become a staple — the brine is made with a mixture that's equal parts olive brine and the salty, starchy water leftover from the pasta pot. The brine adds both flavor and a thicker body to the drink.

What is a martini without olives called? ›

A Gibson is simply a Martini garnished with a cocktail onion, rather than an olive or lemon twist. It will likely be made according to the same specs as a standard Martini, so if you'd like further tweaks, make sure to specify according to your preferred Martini ratios and style.

What olive juice to use for a dirty martini? ›

It may take some time to discover which bottled olive juice you like best, so keep trying. Dirty Sue is a favorite for many dirty martini devotees. You might also try the cocktail-worthy olive juices from Boscoli, Fee Brothers, Filthy, Fragata, or Stirrings.

What kind of martini has no vermouth? ›

Desert Martini or a Churchill Martini

No vermouth is used. This is essentially straight gin diluted with ice and garnished with either a lemon twist or olives.

What can I use instead of vermouth in a dirty martini? ›

In the case of vermouth, whether dry or sweet, it's a fortified wine, so you need to replace it with another fortified wine. If you're out of dry vermouth and craving a Martini, try dry sherry, or Lillet Blanc. Cocchi Americano also works.

What makes a martini dry vs dirty? ›

Dirty Martinis are often (but not always) made with vodka as the primary spirit, and shaken. A Dry Martini contains less dry vermouth than a standard Martini.

What is a dirty martini vs neat? ›

A dirty martini means that olive juice or olive brine is mixed in. This can be on its own, or in addition to “with a twist” for a lemon brine or “with an olive”. A clean martini refers to a martini served without a garnish.

What is a clean dirty martini? ›

A dirty martini is garnished with olives and includes olive juice. Select your blending process – Stirred, shaken or naked (unmixed) Choose your presentation – Straight up (mixed with ice but strained), neat (room temperature), on the rocks (poured over ice).

What is an extra dirty martini made of? ›

Directions: In a cocktail shaker combine vodka, dry vermouth, olive juice, pepperoncini juice, and ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with extra olives. Serve immediately.

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