26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

A good dressing can elevate even the simplest of salads into a crave-worthy dish. Whether you want to incorporate bold flavors or add a subtle finishing touch to the most complex assortment of greens, homemade salad dressing is a simple and tasty way to finish off a bowl of your favorite lettuce mix. Our most delicious salad dress recipes are guaranteed to take your meal to the next level.

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Lighter Ranch Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (1)

This better-for-you version of a signature salad dressing only takes five minutes to make. Its lighter ingredients include low-fat buttermilk, light mayonnaise, and reduced-fat sour cream.

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Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2)

This is the ultimate blue cheese dressing, ideal for iceberg wedges and Cobb salads. Buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise make it creamy and tangy.

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Sesame-Soy Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (3)

Create this easy vinaigrette, which features flavors of sesame and soy, to dress an Asian-inspired bowl of greens.

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Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (4)

At its most basic, any vinaigrette is a balance of oil and acid—this recipe starts with extra-virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar. Dijon mustard, garlic, and a combination of herbs take it to the next level.

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Crème Fraiche and Lemon Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (5)

Try this creamy vinaigrette when you want to add richness to a salad or a counterpoint to bitter greens.

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Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (6)

Honey and Dijon mustard add sweetness and depth to basic balsamic vinaigrette. Use good-quality vinegar for extraordinary results.

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Carrot Miso Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (7)

With only 10 minutes of prep time and six ingredients, this creamy, sweet, and tangy creation is simply delicious. And it can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated for easy eating.

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Thousand Island Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (8)

Buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise make this dressing rich and creamy, while ketchup and sweet pickle relish give it that distinctive Thousand Island character. Serve it with seafood salads or even burgers.

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Red-Wine Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (9)

Whisk red wine vinegar, Dijon, and minced garlic with olive oil to make the perfect vinaigrette for any homemade salad. This recipe is easily multiplied, so you can keep a jar of it in the refrigerator to top a salad whenever the mood strikes.

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Green Goddess Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (10)

Parsley, tarragon, and scallion give this dressing its distinctive green hue. Anchovy and garlic give it depth.

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Martha's Favorite Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (11)

White wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil combine to make a perfectly balanced all-purpose vinaigrette. This homemade dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, so you can have a batch of it on hand for everyday use.

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Cucumber Ranch Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (12)

Grated cucumber adds a refreshing note to traditional ranch dressing. Buttermilk, parsley, and chives give the homemade mixture its trademark flavor.

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Eggless Caesar Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (13)

Lemon, anchovy, and Parmesan: All the traditional Caesar ingredients—minus the coddled egg—are here. Dry mustard powder and capers add an extra kick to this dressing.

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Spicy Asian Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (14)

Rice vinegar, ginger, jalapeño, and fish sauce make a light, spicy homemade salad dressing that's perfect for Asian chicken salad, slaw, and more. It's also a great marinade for tuna steaks or pork loin.

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Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (15)

Garlic becomes rich and sweet when roasted. A whole head of it goes into this creamy buttermilk dressing.

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French Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (16)

Paprika and ketchup are the defining flavors of this sweet-yet-tart dressing. Enjoy it on a shrimp salad or with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

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Curry-Yogurt Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (17)

Grind cumin, coriander, fennel, and mustard seeds to make your own curry powder for this tart and creamy homemade salad dressing. Use it to make an out-of-the-ordinary cabbage slaw, or drizzle it on baked fish.

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Cider Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (18)

A spoonful of sugar offsets the tartness of cider vinegar and grainy mustard in this easy vinaigrette. Try it on a salad of mixed greens with dried fruit and toasted nuts.

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Peppercorn-Parmesan Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (19)

Freshly ground pepper and grated Parmesan add just the right amount of bite to buttermilk-sour cream dressing. This is wonderful on a steak salad or sliced tomatoes.

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Creamy Lemon-Herb Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (20)

This dairy-free dressing gets its creamy texture from puréed silken tofu. Basil, dill, chives, tarragon, and lemon zest make it fresh and lively.

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White-Wine Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (21)

Minced shallot and parsley dial up the flavor in this mild white-wine vinaigrette. This is a great all-purpose dressing to keep on hand in the refrigerator for green salads, vegetable side dishes, fish, and more.

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Buttermilk Herb Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (22)

Use your choice of fresh herbs—tarragon, dill, chives, oregano, or thyme—in this tangy homemade salad dressing.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (23)

This tart and vibrant dressing uses the zest and juice of grapefruit, oranges, and lemons. It contains just a small amount of oil—a great choice when you want to keep things light.

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Shallot Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (24)

Anchovy fillets and shallot give this vinaigrette an extra-savory dimension. This salad dressing is a great match for dishes with boldly flavored ingredients such as steak or olives.

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Rose's Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (25)

Red wine vinegar and lemon juice provide the acidity in this homemade salad dressing, while brown sugar softens the flavors.

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Garden Salad with Herbs and Sour-Cherry Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (26)

It only takes 30 minutes to make the salad and dressing for this summery dish.

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26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the number one salad dressing in the world? ›

Ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the United States, with 40% of Americans naming it their favorite. The statistic states that 40% of Americans consider ranch dressing to be their favorite salad dressing, making it the most popular choice in the United States.

What are the three most important elements of a salad dressing? ›

“The most important thing about any dressing is to strike a proper balance of salt, fat and acid,” writes Samin Nosrat in her book on the elements of cooking, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.” Individually, those three components are the most basic of seasonings for all food, working to enhance flavor as it hits our tongue and ...

Which ingredient in salad dressing adds flavor to the salad? ›

Most commonly, citrus juices and vinegar are used for this purpose. White vinegar has a pure and sometimes overwhelming bite, but rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, champagne and balsamic vinegar all offer their own unique acid and flavors.

What is the formula for salad dressing? ›

As a matter of fact, I frequently just drizzle a little olive oil on my salad, followed by some vinegar and salt, and then toss the greens. It's delicious. The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

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.

Which type of salad stimulate one's appetite? ›

An appetizer salad should stimulate the appetite and have fresh, crisp ingredients such as cheese, ham, salami, shrimp, crabmeat, or vegetables lightly coated with a tangy, flavorful dressing (that will 'wake up the mouth'). Appetizer salads should be substantial, but not filling.

What is the most common salad dressing? ›

Ranch dressing takes the number one spot as America's most popular salad dressing. It's so popular that it's used beyond enhancing a salad. Ranch is a favorite dipping sauce for vegetables, chips, French fries, chicken wings, onion rings, chicken fingers, pizza, and pretty much anything else that's edible.

What primary ingredient is used in most salad dressing? ›

Salad dressings represent one of the typical oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions composed of vegetable oil, vinegar, egg yolk, and starch, which can be categorized into three groups based on the oil content: (1) mayonnaise, (2) spoonable, and (3) French-type dressings.

What is the best thickener for salad dressing? ›

Xanthan gum is ideal for thickening and emulsifying salad dressings and sauces. A dry free-flowing powder suitable for use in food preparations as a stabilizer, thickener or emulsifier. It is vegetarian and contains no meat, dairy or egg products.

What is a good thickener for salad dressing? ›

Use yogurt or sour cream: These dairy products have a similar texture to mayonnaise and can be used to thicken salad dressing. You can use plain yogurt or sour cream, or try flavored varieties for added flavor. Use avocado: Avocado is a creamy, rich fruit that can be used to thicken salad dressing.

Why does my homemade salad dressing taste bitter? ›

CD Kitchen explains that subpar vinegars can create bitter, harsh vinaigrettes. Adding too much vinegar (or lemon juice) can also muck up the acid-to-oil ratio, creating a dressing that's simply too strong for the greens. If this happens, add a pinch of baking soda to quell the bitterness (via Wonder How-To).

What is the best vinegar for salad dressing? ›

White wine vinegar

This vinegar has a much mellower flavor than red wine vinegar and lacks the sharp tang of its sister vinegar. White wine vinegar is best used with more delicate salads and any situation where you want to add a hint of vinegar, but do not want that flavor to overwhelm the dish.

What is the best oil for salad dressing? ›

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO):Best for Salad Dressings: Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality and is obtained from the first cold pressing of olives.

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 most popular salad dressing in the US 1992? ›

Ranch has been the best-selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992, when it overtook Italian. It is also popular in the United States and Canada as a dip, and as a flavoring for potato chips and other foods.

Who made the first salad dressing? ›

The Babylonians used oil and vinegar for dressing greens nearly 2,000 years ago. Egyptians favored a salad dressed with oil, vinegar and Asian spices. Mayonnaise is said to have made its debut at a French Nobleman's table over 200 years ago.

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