Emily Mariko’s 4-Ingredient Salad Dressing Is So Simple

If you’re ever looking for easy dinner inspiration, Emily Mariko is the content creator you should be following. From salmon rice bowls to gorgeous farmer’s market hauls, Mariko’s cooking lifestyle videos are nothing short of comforting.

And recently, the social media star shared a cozy dinner: reversed-seared medium-rare steak, caramelized onions and a chopped kale salad—yep, we’re drooling. The high-protein plate is ultra-satisfying, but we couldn’t help but fall in love with a key element of the dish. Mariko makes her own salad dressing for her side greens, and it takes minimal ingredients to shake up.

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Learn how to make the cook’s golden dressing that’s super quick and easy—plus salad recipes we think would be elevated by it.

You probably have all of the ingredients on hand already: lemon juice, salt, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and extra-virgin olive oil. In a small Mason jar, Mariko adds juice from half a lemon, a pinch of salt, a dollop of mustard and a drizzle of maple syrup and olive oil. No measurements necessary here—you can trust your instincts on the ratio of ingredients, just like Mariko does. Dressing is an easy thing to eyeball because you can always doctor it once you give it a taste. And it’s great to make dressing in a jar because once your ingredients are poured in, you can simply close the lid and shake the jar until it’s smooth and combined. 

She uses the dressing to spruce up her kale, cabbage and fennel salad, but we can see this lemony dressing brightening all sorts of veggie sides. This Radish, Celery & Cucumber Salad is a prime example, and this Kale & Quinoa Salad with Cranberries would be brought to the next level if topped with Mariko’s dressing.

We’ve been collecting all of the celebrity salad dressing and vinaigrette recipes to help us eat more salad in 2025, from Stanley Tucci’s mom’s four-ingredient vinaigrette to Julia Child’s Sauce Vinaigrette. These vibrant dressings make our mouths water for leafy greens, and Mariko’s dressing is going to be added to the rotation.