Recipe Round Up: 15 Amazing Salad Dressings To Make At Home

Using store-bought, plastic-bottled dressings and vinaigrettes is out. Fresh, healthy and homemade is in! Don’t let ratios and emersion blenders intimidate you. Making your own salad dressings with fresh, healthy and high quality ingredients will forever change your salad game! This recipe round up is a compilation of some of my own favorite recipes, and amazing salad dressings from other blogs and chefs that you can easily make at home.

People pretty much assume that as a nutrition and fitness coach, I eat salads all day long, every day. And I’ll be honest with you, I do LOVE salad. But it can’t be just any old salad. For me, the perfect salad is pretty hefty.

It starts with greens, but things can get crazy from there. I pile on veggies – raw, pickled, roasted and grilled. And of course there’s always some sort of protein (if I talk the talk, I have to walk the walk!). But it doesn’t stop there. I throw on what I call “flavor boosters” – like seeds, fresh herbs, olives, candied jalapenos (the list goes on) – for color, texture, taste and fun.

But the most important ingredient, the one that ties it all together…is always the dressing.

Good salad dressings make daily salads tolerable.

AMAZING salad dressings make daily salads a can’t miss.

Homemade Dressing vs. Store Bought: What’s The Difference?

What you dress your salad with can make or break it’s actual “good for you”-ness. You can take the healthiest salad on the planet and then dump shelf-stable Thousand Island dressing on it and just like that *poof* your salad ain’t so healthy any more.

Bottled dressing that you find at the store are convenient, right? And some of them taste pretty good so what’s the big deal?

Well to start, the reason those bottles can sit on the shelf unrefrigerated for so long is because they have preservatives and chemicals added to preserve them. They also typically contain an excess of sodium, added sugars and altered fats – none of which should be going into your body. And honestly, no matter how tasty a store-bought dressing is, it’s no match for one you make at home with high quality ingredients and yes, love.

Full disclosure: giant manufacturing companies often use low-quality ingredients to keep costs down. You know what’s really not good for you? Crappy oils, refined sugars and artificial flavorings.

Ditch the store bought stuff. I’m about to give you some amazing salad dressings that will make you wish you’d been whisking up your own concoctions sooner!

Dressing 101: The Basic Ingredients

There are, of course, thousands of flavor combinations you could put together to make a dressing. I can’t list all of those ingredients. What I can do is give you the main ingredients that most dressing recipes require. And honestly, you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry and fridge already.

That said, quality is important! Don’t skimp and buy the cheapest olive oil or balsamic. A little goes a long way so be picky and show your palette some love.

For most salad dressings you’ll make at home you’ll need:

• Oil. Any vinaigrette-style dressing you make is going to require oil. It’s a good idea to have a cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil on hand and/or avocado oil, as they are mildly flavored and will let your other ingredients shine through. Some recipes will call for what I call “fancy oils”, like walnut or sesame. These oils are bolder in flavor and can truly be used sparingly.
  
• Acid. Lemon or lime juice and vinegars like balsamic, red wine, and cider are great choices and oft-used vinaigrette ingredients.
  
• Sweetener. Homemade dressing is all about balance so to offset the fatty, richness of your oil and the acidity of say, balsamic vinegar, you need some sort of sweetener. My favorites are maple syrup, honey and agave.
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If I could give you one piece of basic kitchen advice that will change your home-cooked meals forever it’s this: invest in a pepper grinder and throw out the ground pepper in your kitchen cabinet. Freshly ground black pepper is a game changer – and it’s cheap! For the same reasons you need a sweetener in most dressings, you need salt and pepper. These two simple spices go a long way in elevating dressings and vinaigrettes to that “wow” level.

No doubt you’re going to find a lot of other ingredients in the recipes below. Fresh and dried herbs, mustards, hot sauces, capers, etc. But, the above ingredients can easily suffice for a quick, simple vinaigrette any day of the week.

What Tools Do You Need to Make Amazing Salad Dressings at Home?

You can really make great dressings in your own kitchen with a bowl, a whisk and some measuring spoons and cups. You could even do what I do sometimes, and throw a shaker ball into a mason jar and go to town. That said, there are some kitchen utensils and appliances that can take it up a notch:

A blender. Stick blender, KitchenAid or NutriBullet, a high speed blender is a great tool to have in your kitchen. They emulsify oil into vinegar and blend ingredients in a way that a whisk or fork just can’t manage. I love my KitchenAid but I’ll be honest, I use a handheld stick blender for most of my dressings.

Sharp knives. I can’t stress this enough: if you knives are dull or chipped in any way, they are far less useful and far more dangerous than an extremely sharp knife. Invest in a good set and take care of them. Don’t put them in the dishwasher. Don’t place them in the sink and pile dishes on top. Hand wash our knives, wipe them dry and put them away. They will last longer, and sharper that way.

Vegetable peeler. I realize you probably already have one but if not, get one.

Salad spinner. For choppable greens like iceberg and Romaine you’re going to want an easy way to not only wash them, but dry them. Quick tip: drying your greens before tossing them into the salad bowl goes a long way in keeping them fresh and crisp!

Food scrapper. A food scrapper is a short, flat rectangle of metal or plastic with a handle on one end. It’s quite useful for scraping up smaller or messier ingredients such as diced veggies, minced garlic or chopped herbs.

Recipe Round Up: 15 Amazing Salad Dressings To Make At Home

We’ll start with the basics.

For these basic vinaigrettes, add all of your non-oil ingredients first and mix to combine. Then slowly add in your oil while whisking vigorously or using an emersion blender to emulsify.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

This is one of those recipes where you can substitute in whatever oil or acid you want if you are in a pinch. Memorize this one, and you’ve got a foundation on which to build endless recipes!

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

There is always a jar of this vinaigrette in my fridge. I live in Vermont, what can I say?

Ingredients
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup avocado oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

This is a great dressing for salads but it also works wonders for marinating veggies or protein before grilling!

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup avocado oil

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

I like to make this when serving a charcuterie or cheese board. That sweet-with-a-kick richness is the perfect accompaniment!

Ingredients
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Basil Vinaigrette

Think pesto, but easier. Basil vinaigrette is delicious equally delicious on Caprese salad as it is on grilled fish or chicken.

Ingredients
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chili Lime Vinaigrette

Toss your salad, marinate your chicken, use as pasta sauce. However you use this vinaigrette, you win.

Ingredients
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Italian Dressing

This recipe is classic – but made with better ingredients than you’ll find in a bottled version!

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp white onion, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette

Full of spice and bright flavor, this vinaigrette is perfect on salads, burrito bowls, or even huevos rancheros!

Ingredients
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp lime zest
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup avocado oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Now to get a bit more complex! The following amazing salad dressings tend to be thicker as most of them use Greek yogurt as the healthy base.

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette

This dressing is so vibrant in flavor and color. Try using it on taco salads, or just the tacos themselves!

Ingredients
1 whole avocado
4 tbsp lime juice (roughly 2 limes)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or a tall jar/bowl and use a stick blender until fully combined.

Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2″ ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp miso paste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup avocado or peanut oil

In a small saucepan, boil the carrot juice about 10 minutes until it has reduced by about half. Transfer to a blender and let cool slightly. Add the chopped carrot, ginger, lime juice, soy sauce and miso and blend completely. With the machine on, add the oil in a thin, steady stream. Season with cayenne to taste.

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

I use this as dressing, dip, as a spread for sandwiches and a topper on grain bowls. It’s that good!

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fresh chive, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, at least 5% fat
1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a tall jar or bowland blend with an emersion blender. Start with just 1/4 cup buttermilk and then slowly add more until you get the consistency you like.

Healthier Caesar Salad Dressing

Before you say “ew” to anchovies, I’ve made this recipe for my mom – someone who can sniff out fish that was cooked 3 days ago – and she loved it. So there.

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 anchovy fillets
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp olive oil

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or a tall jar/bowl and use a stick blender until fully combined.

Healthier Blue Cheese Dressing

I’ll be honest, I usually make this dressing when we’re having chicken wings! We have a great baked chicken wing recipe that is sooooo crispy you wouldn’t believe it’s not fried. This blue cheese dressing is too classic to go without.

Ingredients
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp buttermilk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or a tall jar/bowl and use a stick blender until fully combined.

Creamy Sesame Garlic Dressing

If you’ve never tried to use tofu as a silky smooth sauce base, now is the time! Silken tofu adds a creamy base upon which the rest of the flavors shine through. Plus, there’s the bonus of added protein.

Ingredients
1 small garlic clove, minced
8 ounces silken tofu, drained
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup avocado oil

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or a tall jar/bowl and use a stick blender until fully combined.

Green Goddess Dressing

The best part about this recipe is that you can substitute any fresh herbs that you want for what I have listed here. This is the perfect recipe for summertime!

Ingredients
1 garlic clover, chopped
1 cup fresh herbs: chive, dill, tarragon, basil, parsley
juice from 1 lemon
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or a tall jar/bowl and use a stick blender until fully combined.

It’s obvious, now, that amazing salad dressings come in all flavors, textures and colors. Have fun with it. You can always go back and adjust your seasonings as needed!