14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (2024)

Get ready to spring into salad season with these tasty homemade dressing recipes!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (1)

There are a really really ridiculous amount of salads in my near future. I took my comfort food cravings a bit too far these past few weeks (um, months? let’s not be modest here!) and it’s time to lighten things up!

I started pouring through my dressing database to make myself a little cheat sheet of my favorite homemade salad dressings and thought it might be fun to revisit my themhere as well!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game

As an added bonus, most of these links have a delicious salad recipe accompanying them. Awesome, right!?

1.Classic Greek Dressing Recipe

Since rabbit food is insanely boring all on it’s own, we’re going to sass up our salad game with this super simple, super tasty homemade Greek dressing.It’s easy, delicious, and many of us will already have all the ingredients on hand– woot! This crazy easy recipe includes both a vinaigrette and a creamy version.

It’s hands-down one of my favorite homemade dressing recipes of all time!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (3)

Easy Homemade Greek Dressing

4.86 from 27 votes

Ditch the sketchy processed bottled dressing and whip up this super quick, super easy homemade Greek dressing! Recipe yields approx. 7 TBSP or just under 1/2 a cup of dressing. Feel free to double or triple as needed.

View the Recipe

2. Creamy Avocado Dressing

This delightfully delicious dressing is downright dreamy, yo. (alliteration – whoo!)

I whipped it up to dress my super healthy chopped broccoli cauliflower saladand quickly decided it needed to be slathered on everything in sight.

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (5)

Creamy Avocado Dressing

5 from 3 votes

You’ll want to pour this creamy avocado dressing on everything in sight! Yields 2 cups of dressing

View the Recipe

3.Homemade Caesar Dressing

This homemade Caesar dressing is hands-down our favorite! It’s thick, creamy, and full of flavor, perfect for a rockin’ Caesar salad.

Another one of my favorite homemade dressing recipes, we especially love it atop myKale Caesar Salad with Crispy Garlic Chickpeas<– SO GOOD!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (7)

Homemade Caesar Dressing

5 from 9 votes

This homemade Caesar dressing is hands-down our favorite! It’s thick, creamy, and full of flavor, perfect for a rockin’ Caesar salad with all the fixin’s.

Recipe yields approx. 18 (2 TBSP) servings or about 1 + 1/4 cups of dressing. It’s also crazy easy to double or triple to serve a large group. Enjoy!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (8)

4.Simple + Speedy Italian Dressing

Salad dressings are so flipping easy to make that there’s very few reasons to ever buy a premade dressing ever again. Seriously so so easy!

This super speedy homemade Italian dressing is my go-to for pasta salads, cucumber salads, and you’re run of the mill empty-the-fridge-of-all-its-veggies salads. Let’s make some dressing!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (9)

Easy Homemade Italian Dressing

5 from 14 votes

This uber easy homemade Italian dressing is so fast and flavorful, you’ll never buy pre-made dressing again!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (10)

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

5 from 5 votes

Skip the store! This delicious homemade lemon poppy seed dressing is crazy easy to make with just a few tasty ingredients!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (11)

Honey Sriracha Lime Dressing

5 from 6 votes

Quick, easy, and full of flavor,this Thai-inspired Honey Sriracha Lime Dressingis sure to be your new favorite salad topper!

View the Recipe

6. Sriracha Lime Dressing

Quick, easy, and full of flavor,this Thai-inspired Honey Sriracha Lime Dressingis sure to be your new favorite salad topper!

Refreshing, crisp cucumbers are a perfect match for this dressing. Serve it on a simple sliced cucumber salad with a little chopped cilantro or dill, or simply empty the contents of your crisper drawer into a bowl and have at it!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (12)

Balsamic Blueberry Salad Dressing

5 from 3 votes

This recipe makes a bottle’s worth of dressing (approx. 1.5-2 cups) which will keep great in the fridge for a few days. Only want a little? Feel free to cut the recipe in half – it’s super easy to do!

View the Recipe

7. Balsamic Blueberry Dressing

This Balsamic Blueberry Salad Dressing is ready to shake up your Spring and Summer salad game! You’ll want to pour this fruity blueberry dressing on salads all season long.

8.Honey Harissa Vinaigrette

This homemade honey harissa dressing is a crazy easy and totally crave-worthy salad dressing! Full of sweet and savory flavor, this versatile vinaigrette compliments everything from plain green salads to veggie packed cucumber and quinoa bowls.

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (14)

Honey Harissa Vinaigrette

5 from 5 votes

Homemade Honey Harissa Vinaigrette is a crazy easy and totally crave-worthy salad dressing! This versatile vinaigrette compliments everything from plain green salads to veggie packed cucumber and quinoa bowls.

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (15)

Honey Chipotle Dressing

5 from 7 votes

A copycat of the deeeeelish dressing from Chipotle, this Honey Chipotle Dressing is fast, flavorful, and ready to rock any salad you pour it on!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (16)

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

4.56 from 9 votes

This is the ULTIMATE restaurant-style Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe that my family and friends go absolutely nuts over! We love this easy homemade ranch!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (17)

Creamy Greek Yogurt Feta Dressing

5 from 9 votes

This Creamy Greek Yogurt Feta Dressing is ready to rock your veggies! Uber easy and ready in just6 minutes, you’ll want to pour this dressing on everything from salads to sandwiches.

View the Recipe

9. Creamy Greek Yogurt Feta Dressing

This Creamy Greek Yogurt Feta Dressing is ready to rock your veggies! Uber easy and ready in just6 minutes, you’ll want to pour this dressing on everything from salads to sandwiches.

10. BLOOD ORANGE DRESSING

I’m head over heels in love with this blood orange salad dressing.Not only is it crazy easy to make, but the taste is oh so delicious!

The ingredients are simple, yet flavorful. After zesting some of your blood orange, you’ll combine the zested peel with freshly squeezed blood orange juice, lemon juice, a little healthy oil, garlic, dijon, and honey. Season with salt and pepper then blend it all together and Houston, we have a salad dressing!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (19)

Blood Orange Dressing

5 from 3 votes

Jazz up your Spring and Winter salads with this easy Blood Orange Dressing!

Feel free to double this recipe if needed! Dressing will keep for several days tightly sealed and refrigerated. Shake before serving.

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (20)

Maple Citrus Salad Dressing

5 from 5 votes

Whip up this super tasty homemade maple citrus dressing in less time than it takes to searchyour fridge for that probably-expired, semi-sketchy store-bought bottle of salad dressing.

View the Recipe

11.Fruity Citrus Vinaigrette

I whipped up this deliciousness to dress my Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnutsand promptly fell in love. During recipe testing,I stole a spoonful to taste test and found myself diving back in for seconds or thirds.

The combination of juicy lime and orange juice with the subtly fruity undertones of the olive oil and the punch of raw garlic? I just love it. You should probably go ahead and double the recipe so you can pour it on your veggies all week long.

12.Homemade Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Pair this delicious homemade honey mustard dressing with your favorite salad! We love ours over baby spinach with dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and crumbled feta.

This scrumptious honey dijon vinaigrette is fast and flavorful! It’s also super easy to customize so you can make it as mild or as bold as your heart desires. Anything goes when it comes to salad dressing!

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (22)

Homemade Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

5 from 8 votes

Pair this delicious Honey Dijon Vinaigrettewith your favorite salad!

Recipe yields enough for 3-4 side salads or two large salads. Feel free to double or triple as needed!

View the Recipe

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (23)

Paleo Ranch Dressing

5 from 3 votes

Ditch the sketchy processed bottled dressing and whip up this super quick, super easy, homemade paleo ranch dressing!

Recipe yields six 2 TBSP servings.

View the Recipe

13.Paleo Ranch Dressing

This paleo ranch dressing is crazy amazing and deliciously dairy-free thanks to the inclusion of dreamy, creamy coconut milk.

As with most dressings, this bad boy is gluten-free but it also as the added bonus of being keto-friendly, dairy-free, whole30 compliant and just overall awesome!I’ve been enjoying it on top of salads, lettuce wraps, and my buffalo shrimp spaghetti squash and totally love it!

14.Cilantro Lime Dressing

This zesty Cilantro Lime Dressing is fun and flavorful. We love it over myMexican Kale Salad,Edamame Salad, and taco salads galore!

BONUS SALAD DRESSING RECIPES

  • Homemade Balsamic Dressing
  • Creamy Curry Dressing
  • Sweet Chili Dressing
  • Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

I’m a total salad nerd, but going through the archives made me even more excited to put these bad boys back into rotation!

Of course this warm weather also means buckets of watermelon, pasta salad, sliced cucumber water, and oodles and oodles of veggie burgers. Sign me up!

What’s your all-time favorite salad dressing?

If you get a chance to try any of these healthy homemade dressing recipes, let me know!Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation! I can’t wait to see what you whip up!

Peas and Crayons is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to readers.

14 Homemade Dressing Recipes to Shake Up Your Salad Game! (2024)

FAQs

Why is it necessary to shake a salad dressing before adding it to a salad? ›

Thus, adding the two solutions two each other will cause layers to form and for the two solutions to separate. Therefore, it is necessary to shake oil and vinegar when added to physically mix the two to overcome their chemical aversion.

What are the top 10 salad dressings? ›

Whether tossed in a simple salad or used as a dipping sauce, it's no secret the world loves salad dressings.
  1. Ranch (U.S.) ...
  2. Avocado cilantro lime (Mexico) ...
  3. French vinaigrette (France) ...
  4. Tahini (Middle East) ...
  5. Louis dressing (U.S.) ...
  6. Oil and vinegar (Italy) ...
  7. Thousand island (Canada and Northeast U.S.) ...
  8. Wafu (Japan)
Jul 31, 2023

What is a primary ingredient of salad dressing that has a good clean sharp flavor and about 5 acidity? ›

Vinegar – should have a good, clean sharp flavor. Most salad vinegar are about 5% acidity, but some range from 7-8%.

How can I spice up my salad? ›

Add spices and flavours such as paprika, chilli flakes, curry powder, harissa or parmesan. Add acidity or sourness with vinegar, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses to transform your salad. Discover more salad recipes below, or check out these salad recipes for dinner, or the whole collection of salad recipes.

What is the oldest salad dressing? ›

French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.

Why do oil and balsamic vinegar not mix? ›

This happens because vinegar and oil are made of very different types of molecules that are attracted to their own kind. The electronegative oxygen in a water molecule pulls electrons away from the two hydrogens, creating an uneven distribution of charge within the molecule.

What is the number one healthiest salad dressing? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

What is the number one selling salad dressing? ›

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper. A creamier and richer version often features sour cream or yogurt for enhanced taste.

What is the number one salad dressing in the United States? ›

Ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the USA due to its creamy texture, tangy buttermilk base, and blend of herbs and spices like garlic, onion, dill, and parsley. Its versatility makes it a staple on dinner tables across America.

What are the 3 basic types of salad dressings? ›

In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...

What are the 4 basic types of salad dressings? ›

The four main salad dressings are vinaigrette, emulsified vinaigrette, mayonnaise-based, and mayonnaise. An emulsion is the permanent blending of unlike ingredients, such as oil and vinegar. Vinaigrettes are lighter dressings used on more delicate ingredients, like salad greens.

What is the most important seasoning in salad? ›

Salt and pepper!

Now for perhaps the most important part of a well-dressed salad: Salt and pepper. This is what that flaky salt in your cupboard is for. As you toss the salad with your hands or forks, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.

What can I put on salad instead of ranch? ›

  • The Top 9 Healthy Salad Dressing Alternatives. Oil and Vinegar. Green Goddess Dressing. Caesar Salad Dressing. Sesame Ginger Dressing. Creamy Avocado Dressing. Tahini Dressing. Stilton Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette. Ranch Dressing.
  • The Bottom Line.
Dec 31, 2022

How do you dress up a boring salad? ›

Keep It Crunchy

In a bowl of soft and tender ingredients, a little crunch goes a long way. A handful of nuts or seeds—raw or toasted—are effortless and add an extra hit of nutrition. Try adding chunks of grilled bread to make a Panzanella-style salad or go for crispy breadcrumbs if you want a lighter level of crunch.

What change is shaking up salad dressing? ›

The mixing of salad dressing is a physical change. The dressing is made up of several immiscible layers of ingredients, and shaking of the bottle causes a temporary emulsion and suspension.

Why does a bottle of vinaigrette have to be shaken before being used? ›

Emulsify Before Using

A vinaigrette doesn't stay a unified whole for long, but when shaken and stirred, the oil and vinegar create a temporary emulsion. An emulsion is when you mix two things together that don't normally mix, i.e. vinegar and oil.

Is shaking up salad dressing a change of state? ›

No, shaking up salad dressing is not considered a change of state. A change of state refers to a physical change in matter where the substance goes from one state (solid, liquid, gas) to another. For example, when water freezes, it changes from a liquid state to a solid state (ice).

Can you emulsify salad dressing by shaking? ›

Can You Emulsify With a Jar? You may be wondering about the old-fashioned "shaking it in a jar" method. This works best when using a very thick base. Keep in mind you'll have to shake like crazy to break the oil into microdroplets.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rob Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 6700

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rob Wisoky

Birthday: 1994-09-30

Address: 5789 Michel Vista, West Domenic, OR 80464-9452

Phone: +97313824072371

Job: Education Orchestrator

Hobby: Lockpicking, Crocheting, Baton twirling, Video gaming, Jogging, Whittling, Model building

Introduction: My name is Rob Wisoky, I am a smiling, helpful, encouraging, zealous, energetic, faithful, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.