Preparing your own salad vinaigrette with certain herbs and spices can help you get lots of good anti-inflammatory compounds that support your well-being and ward off illnesses.

For today’s recipe, we’ll show you how to make a mighty ginger turmeric dressing to fight inflammation and boost overall health.

We picked the best anti-inflammatory foods and packed them into a sweet, tangy vinaigrette with spicy, peppery notes.

Here are the heroes of this homemade dressing:

1. Turmeric Powder
   Curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric root, has incredible anti-inflammatory properties, which get boosted by a pinch of black pepper.
   

2. Ginger Root
   This potent anti-inflammatory root is an amazing all-around health booster.
   We used freshly grated ginger for a sweeter, more pungent flavour, but ginger powder is just as good.
   

3. Fresh Garlic
   Not just great against colds and bad cholesterol, humble garlic is also an anti-inflammatory — even more potent when eaten raw!
   

4. Ground Rosemary
   This balsamic Mediterranean herb contains special plant compounds that help reduce inflammation.
   

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   Rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, olive oil also contains powerful antioxidants that fight inflammation.
   

6. Apple Cider Vinegar
   Made from fermented, pressed apples, apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which helps lower inflammation.

It takes just a minute to put it all together, and you can keep the dressing in the fridge for a full week, ready when you need an anti-inflammatory boost.

And what better way to use this ginger vinaigrette than in our ultimate anti-inflammatory salad recipe?

Or try it in one of our superfood salads like this peach and blueberry spinach salad, red rice salmon bowl, or roasted pumpkin quinoa salad.

For more healthy dressings to try next, check out this lime tahini dressing with apple cider vinegar or blueberry chia seed dressing.

Step 1

Peel the ginger root and grate it finely.

Mince the garlic cloves with a garlic crusher.

Add the ginger and garlic to a small bowl with all the other ingredients: ground turmeric, rosemary, mustard, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.

Step 2

Pour in 2 tbsp of hot water and mix well — hot water helps emulsify the ingredients.

Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 3

Your homemade anti-inflammatory salad dressing is ready!

You can use it right away or store it in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed jar or air-tight container.

Tips

• You can opt for freshly grated turmeric root and use the leftovers in this turmeric paste for curries and lattes.

• It’s much easier to grate ginger root when it’s frozen. So, keep a few peeled knobs in the freezer, ready for when you need it.

• Instead of mellow Dijon mustard, you can use spicy hot English mustard.

• You can replace freshly grated ginger with ground ginger powder, using 1/4 teaspoon of powder for 1 teaspoon of raw root.

• If fresh garlic is too strong for your taste, use garlic powder instead: replace 1 clove with 1/4 teaspoon of powder.

• You can use clear, filtered apple cider vinegar or cloudy, “raw” vinegar, which retains all the good fermenting bacteria for extra health benefits.

• Rosemary is a great anti-inflammatory herb, but you can also choose other healthy Mediterranean herbs like sage, basil, or thyme.

• For a twist, try this ginger vinaigrette with a pinch of sweet cinnamon or cardamom — also good against inflammation!