Why it works: Olive and garlic are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 25,665 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓
Lavender and Honey Salad Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Whisk all ingredients together.
Stand for 30 minutes to allow flavours to infuse.
Whisk again and serve.
Store
Store in a screw-lid jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21g) | 64 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Lavender | not in our table | 0 |
| Flower | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Garlic + mustardtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,053 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Vinegar + mustardtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Olive + lemontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,922 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Olive + mustardtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,950 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Forms the base of the dressing and carries the fat-soluble flavours of the lavender and garlic.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Provides acidity and a sweet-tart depth that balances the oil and honey.
- Honey
- Adds sweetness and helps the dressing emulsify and cling to leaves.
- Coarse grain mustard
- Acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar stay combined.
- Dried lavender flowers
- Contributes a floral aroma that infuses into the oil during standing.
The step that matters
Stand for 30 minutes. Dried lavender needs time to release its aromatic compounds into the oil and vinegar. Without this rest the flavour stays weak and the dressing tastes unbalanced, so the infusion period matters.
Swap the lemon
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, vinegar, garlic, clove, mustard, honey, lavender):
- Limefits about as well
- Lemonthe original
- Figfits about as well
- Avocadofits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, vinegar, garlic, clove, mustard, honey, lavender. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Chicken Salad623 recipes
Salad Dressing491 recipes
Tomato Salad179 recipes
Cold Slaw160 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.