With spring and summer around the corner (and all year long in my house!), a salad is the most delicious way to enjoy the harvest of the season. Homemade salad dressings are so easy to make and taste so much better than bottled.
To make the process of choosing the perfect dressing easier we have gathered some of our best salad dressing recipes for you.
Homemade Dressings are the Best
- Homemade dressings are by far healthier than their store-bought counterpart as they’re made with less sodium and fewer unpronounceable ingredients.
- They are quick and easy to make, most are less than 5 minutes.
- Most of these easy salad dressing recipes call for simple ingredients that you have on hand!
The following dressings are so tasty as a topper for salads, a dip for chicken wings, zucchini fries, or as a marinade for chicken.
Classic Salad Dressing Recipes
There are a few tried and true salad dressing recipes that have remained popular for a reason. Here are just a few of them.
Quick Caesar Salad Dressing is an easier version of the classic caesar salad dressing, but just as delicious and flavorful.
This Caesar Salad Dressing is creamy, tangy, and so easy to make!
Spinach Salad Dressing is made with a few easy-to-find ingredients like oil and vinegar. A little shake and this dressing’s done.
Sweet, creamy, and a little bit tangy, this Spinach Salad Dressing pairs perfectly with a crispy, fresh spinach salad!
Easy Coleslaw Dressing is a fabulous way to turn that cabbage into a creamy, tangy, and sweet summer dish.
This dressing is rich and creamy, It’s perfect on a salad for those backyard BBQs!
Homemade Ranch Dressing has a creamy tang that is better than anything bought in a bottle with fresh herbs and lots of dill.
This Ranch Dressing is a creamy, tangy dressing that is great for salad or fresh veggie sticks!
Balsamic Vinaigrette is a classic dressing that suits most greens. Simple, classy, and full of flavor.
Homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing is so quick to put together you’ll never need the bottled kind again!
Creamy Salad Dressing
There is something so comforting and versatile about a creamy salad dressing. Perfect for adding to greens, or using as a dip for vegetables or appetizers, a creamy salad dressing will always be a hit.
Avocado Ranch Dressing takes a healthy spin on the traditional ranch dressing, with the addition of some avocado.
Bright, tangy, & flavorful, this avocado ranch dressing can be used as a dressing, dip, sauce, or marinade!
Thousand Island Dressing is creamy, sweet, and tangy, and all rolled up in one quick and easy-to-make dressing.
The best Thousand Island Dressing has a few simple ingredients like mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is made with fresh herbs (like parsley & dill) and it’s one of my favorite salad dressings. This is also so good as a dip for chicken wings or your favorite veggies!
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is delicious and fresh! A simple base of mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, & a variety of seasonings & fresh herbs.
Blue Cheese Dressing is great for a wedge salad or for using as a dip.
This blue cheese dressing is the perfect dip or dressing for wings, veggies, or salad! The sharp flavor of delicious blue cheese is complemented perfectly with a silky, creamy dressing.
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing is great for a basic cold crisp salad of greens or as a dip for some vegetables.
This dressing is perfect over salads, used as a dip or even a marinade for your favorite meats!
Chipotle Ranch Dressing is a combination of sour cream, mayonnaise, and seasonings. So creamy and tart.
Creamy, flavorful, with a bit of a kick. This Chipotle Ranch Dressing is great on salads, with veggies, or in a wrap!
Poppyseed Dressing has bits of delicious poppy seed and is perfect for a spinach salad.
Spinach Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Vinaigrette – This Classic Spinach Salad recipe is topped with bacon, red onion, fresh mushrooms & boiled eggs. An easy homemade poppy seed dressing this is the perfect complement. This makes a delicious side or is great with grilled chicken for a complete meal.
Creamy Italian Dressing is a favorite creamy vinaigrette with lots of flavor and a pinch of Italian seasoning.
This creamy Italian dressing is made with mayo, sour cream and Parmesan, & pairs perfectly with pasta or garden salad. It can even be used as a marinade!
Creamy Garlic Dressing is so creamy and punched full of flavor.
This homemade dressing is creamy & garlicky. Use as a dip for veggies or as a dressing for salad!
Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
A little oil and vinegar with varying added ingredients like herbs, spices, or sugar, these healthy salad dressing recipes will brighten even the simplest bowl of greens!
Strawberry Salad Dressing is a colorful and bright dressing that will perk up any salad with fruit or nuts. Swap out the red wine vinegar for champagne vinegar if you have some.
Bright & flavorful, this Strawberry Salad Dressing is easy to make and only uses fresh ingredients!
Cilantro Lime Dressing is bursting with pizzaz and just the right amount of sweetness.
This fabulous recipe combines the flavors of cilantro, cumin, lime juice, garlic and olive oil into a dressing that’s bursting with zesty pizzazz.
Greek Salad Dressing can be used as a marinade, a dressing, or a glaze. So versatile and delicious.
Greek Dressing is a delicious combination of olive oil, lemon juice, feta cheese, herbs & spices!
Sesame Ginger Dressing is as the title suggests, a dressing with a bit of an Asian flair. It’s especially great on chicken salads.
Easy Dijon Vinaigrette is a slightly sweet, and tangy dressing that pairs nicely with almost any green salad and this one is also great on kale salads.
Sweet, Savory, and so easy to make, this Easy Dijon Vinaigrette pairs perfectly with any crisp, fresh salad!
Italian Vinaigrette Dressing is a classic dressing that is great for a salad but also superb for dipping bread.
This homemade Italian dressing recipe is as delicious as it gets. Italian seasoning is blended with dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and oil. Everything is better homemade!
Lemon Vinaigrette is a fresh and light salad with a little zing to it!
The possibilities are endless with this lemon vinaigrette! Mix up an extra big batch and pour over pasta salad, use as a dip or a marinade!
Peanut Dressing is a thick dressing with the perfect amount of nuttiness.
Peanut Sauce has an easy, savory sauce that goes with nearly anything!
Dressing Tips
- For a vinaigrette that doesn’t separate, whisk all ingredients except the oil. Add the oil in a very slow drizzle while whisking. Do not skip dijon mustard or honey if the recipe calls for them, they help emulsify the dressing (so it doesn’t separate).
- Most dressings can be stored in a mason jar or a jar with a lid for up to 1 week in the fridge (the exception is if the dressing has garlic in oil, this should only be kept for 2 days).
Variations
Oil: I find the best oil for salad dressings is mild in flavor (like light olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil). Use caution with extra virgin olive oil as the flavor can be a bit bitter and strong for dressings depending on the mixture.
Vinegar: In most dressings, the vinegar can be swapped and changed with other types of vinegar or lemon juice. Try any of the following:
- red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne or sherry vinegar
Flavorings: For the most part, flavorings can be altered based on what you have on hand. If using fresh herbs in place of dry, you’ll need 3x more (so instead of ½ teaspoon dry use 1 ½ teaspoons fresh). Add lemon or orange zest, parmesan cheese, or your favorite spices.
Emulsifiers: The use of dijon mustard and/or honey are added to emulsify the dressing. This helps keep the oil and vinegar parts of the dressing from separating.
Leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite Dressing recipe is!