10 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

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Here are 10 of my favorite everyday salad dressing recipes. They’re perfect for tossing with all sorts of salads, andalso double as easysauces for dipping or drizzling.

10 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes (1)

After sharing dozens and dozens of salad recipes with you over the years, I thought it would be fun to do something different today and share the 10 saladdressing recipesthat have become my go-to favorites over the years.

You know, thosetried-and-true dressings that I’ve made zillionsof times and know by heart and can whip up in a snap.

The ones that never fail. ? ? ?

As you can see, this collectioncovers a pretty wide range of cuisines and flavor profiles. So I think there should be something here for just about any salad you might be craving. And — bonus! — I realized after taking this photo that each of these dressings also happen to benaturally gluten-free. Mostly, though, I love each of these recipes becausethey don’t include any of those pesky additives in many store-bought dressings, they’re all totally quick and easy to make, and they’re alltotally delicious.

Here they are!

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:First up is this simple pomegranate vinaigrette. I know that raspberry vinaigrettes are traditionally more popular, but to save the step of pureeing fresh (or frozen) berries, I’ve come to lovethis simpler tangy fruity vinaigrette that’s made with a quick pour of pomegranate juice instead. Feel free to sweeten it up a bit more if you’d like (I prefer mine pretty tangy). And if you don’t have pom juice on hand, cranberry juice also works well as a substitute.

Italian Red Wine Vinaigrette:As evidenced by so many of the salad recipes here on this blog, this classic vinaigrette is probably the #1 dressing that I use in my kitchen. It’s quick and easy to make, easy to customize for different flavor profiles, and it has a way of magically complimenting just about any salad.

Chipotle Honey Dressing:Inspired by the famous dressing atthe burrito chain itself, this yummy dressing is packed with all kinds of savory andtangy and slightly-smoky flavors that will compliment just about any Mexican-themed salad.

Ginger Carrot Dressing:Barclay and I have a tradition of going out for sushi every Monday night. And after having ordered a side salad with this ginger carrot dressingat least 100 times, I finally decided it was time to learn how to make it myself last year. So for anyone else who loves this Japanese favorite,you’ve gotta try it!

4-Ingredient Honey Mustard Dressing:Did you know that all you need are 4 basic ingredients to make this classic dressing? (Or honey mustard sauce, if you want a dipper?) There are all sorts of extra ways you can customize it, but the base recipe issupersimple.

Avocado Cilantro Dressing:Or, as I like to call it, “guacamole dressing”. This easy creamy dressingis basically my excuse to have a little guac with my salad. Although if you’d like to give it a more all-purpose flavorprofile, it also tastes delicious using fresh parsley +lemon juice instead of cilantro +lime juice.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:Every salad lover needs a good balsamic vinaigrette recipe in their back pocket, and this is my go-to favorite. It’s slightly sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar, made with extra amounts of tangy balsamic, and always hits the spot.

Thai Peanut Dressing:I’ve improvised all sorts of peanut dressings over the years, some more spicy, some more sesame-y, some more lime-y, etc. etc. But when I want a well-balanced Thai peanut dressing, this recipe is my favorite. It’s easy to make in the blender or food processor, although you can also just whisk it by hand if you’d like.

Dreamy Tahini Dressing:I’ve been a fan of lemon-tahini dressings ever since I firsttried and the magicalkale salad dressing at The Westside Local in Kansas City years ago. I’ve played around with random variations of this dressingover the years, but really, you can never go wrong with this base recipe.

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing:This recipe has been on the blog for a few years now, and always gets great reviews. It’s rich and creamy and everything you love about a good Caesar…just lightened up with Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Always a win.

Also, for anyone who may ask, I used these mini mason jarsin the top photo, and these small Weck juice jars for the individual recipephotos. (<– affiliate links?)

Happy dressing, everyone!

10 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes (12)

posted on August 28, 2017 by Ali

Salad Dressings, Salads

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10 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

FAQs

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 are the 3 types of salad dressing? ›

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 is the most popular salad dressing in 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.

What is the basic formula for salad dressing? ›

Here's my master salad dressing that I use as a base for every salad! You just need 1 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp mustard. Finish with salt and pepper, or choose from any number of flavourings – garlic, fresh or dried herbs, pinch of spice, touch of honey.

What is the number 1 salad dressing? ›

Ranch 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 oldest 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.

What is the second most popular salad dressing? ›

Italian dressing is the second most popular salad dressing, preferred by 10% of the US population. 8% of Americans prefer Caesar salad dressing. The global salad dressing market was reportedly worth $10.2 billion USD in 2020. The global salad dressing market is expected to reach $11 billion by 2023.

What was the dressing for 1970? ›

Early 1970s fashion

Popular styles included bell bottom pants, frayed jeans, midi skirts, maxi dresses, tie-dye, peasant blouses, and ponchos.

What was the dressing for the 1950s? ›

It wasn't until this decade that the age between child and adult was acknowledged and a fashion more suited to this age developed. Full skirts, tight tops, capris and flat shoes – well suited to jive dancing become iconic for this age. This influenced casual fashions across the age range in both men and women.

What is 1890 salad dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Dextrose, Salt, Paprika, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Natural Flavor, Apocarotenal and Beta Carotene (Color), Calcium Disodium EDTA (Maintain Freshness). Shake well before using.

What is the simplest form of dressing? ›

Lets start with a vinaigrette. These are the lightest of all dressings. On the simplest level they're merely any kind of acid (think lemon, lime, vinegar etc.) whisked together with oil salt and pepper.

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 most popular type of dressing? ›

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 4 primary dressing types used on salads? ›

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 are the most of the basic salad dressings used today? ›

Most of the basic salad dressings used today can be divided into three categories: Oil and vinegar dressings; Mayonnaise-based dressings; Cooked dressings.

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