If you’ve been wanting to make your own healthy homemade salad dressings but weren’t sure where to start then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve searched the internet for the best homemade salad dressings, using healthy and wholesome ingredients.
I always prefer a healthy homemade salad dressing over store-bought. Why? Because healthy salad dressings are so easy to make at home, using simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand. Sure, store-bought dressings might be convenient. However, they are often higher in sugar and use oils that aren’t ideal for your health. Making salads dressings at home means you can choose what ingredients go in, making them healthier and even more delicious.
Salad Dressing Basics
A salad dressing or vinaigrette needs 3 main ingredients – an acid (like lemon juice or vinegar), an oil (like olive oil or avocado oil) and a sweetener (I love using honey or maple syrup). Even just with these 3 elements, you can have a delicious salad dressing. I tend to use a ratio of approximately 3:2 oil:acid. For example, I use 60mL olive oil to 40mL lemon juice. In this case, I usually add around a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. Here are some of my favourite healthy ingredients to use for each element.
Acid
- lemon juice
- lime juice
- balsamic vinegar
- white wine vinegar
- apple cider vinegar
- red wine vinegar
Oil
- extra virgin olive oil
- avocado oil
- flaxseed oil (also known as linseed oil)
- macadamia oil
Sweetener
- pure maple syrup
- honey
- coconut sugar
- agave syrup
- date syrup
How to Make a Salad Dressing
Now that you have selected your ingredients, here’s how to make a basic salad dressing. There are two different ways that I like to make a dressing. Either in a jar or in a bowl with a whisk.
Jar
Add the oil, acid, sweetener and any additional ingredients for flavour to a jar, fix the lid firmly on and shake vigorously to combine.
Bowl
Add the acid and sweetener (if you’re using additional ingredients to flavour the dressing, add them at this point) to the bowl and whisk to combine. While whisking, slowly start pouring in the oil. Continue whisking until the dressing is well combined and smooth and the oil has emulsified with the acid and sweetener.
Additional Ingredients for Salad Dressings
This is where you get to get creative. Choose some additional ingredients to add some extra flavour to your dressing.
- minced garlic or garlic powder
- dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard
- Greek yoghurt
- cracked black pepper
- fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, chives, oregano, mint, dill or thyme.
- sesame seed oil
- toasted sesame seeds
- onion powder
- finely diced French shallot
- finely diced red onion
- dried herbs
- chilli or red pepper flakes
- lemon, lime or orange zest
Storage
Most salad dressings store well in the fridge for up to a week or more, depending on what ingredients you have used. If you have used fresh ingredients like fresh herbs, lemon juice or lime juice then I wouldn’t keep for longer than a week. Without fresh ingredients they can keep for longer.
Because of the nature of many healthier oils, they may start to solidify in the fridge. Simply stand the jar or airtight container of dressing in a small bowl with some warm-hot water and then oil will return to liquid. Give the dressing a good shake before using.
Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes
If you’re not feeling confident to make up your own salad dressing, then here are 30 homemade salad dressing recipes for you to choose from. From Honey Mustard Dressing to a Greek dressing to a balsamic vinaigrette, I have it all here for you.
5 Minute Greek Yogurt Dressing
My creamy Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing is a flavor-filled salad dressing made from fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic and plain Greek yogurt. Use this delicious creamy dressing to level up your favorite salads, vegetables, grain bowls or anything that would taste amazing dipped in this delicious creamy dressing!
Easy Avocado Oil Salad Dressing
Avocado Oil Salad Dressing is filled with healthy fats and Vitamin E. With a delicate lemon flavor and slight sweetness from honey, this salad dressing is perfect for drizzling over your favorite salads.
Mouthwatering Wholegrain Mustard Dressing
A delicious and well balanced salad dressing has the power to take vegetables from boring to amazing in seconds and my Wholegrain Mustard Dressing does just that. Made using a base of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and wholegrain mustard, this dressing is perfect drizzled over light and refreshing or hearty salads, roasted vegetables or used to marinate chicken.
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Miso Tahini Dressing
If you’re looking for a homemade salad dressing that is so good you could almost drink it from the bottle, then you need to make my Miso Tahini Dressing! This creamy dressing is the perfect balance of savoury, nutty and umami flavors.
Pesto Salad Dressing
If you want to add some serious flavour to your next salad then I highly recommend making this Pesto Salad Dressing. Made using all of the traditional ingredients for pesto as well as fresh lemon juice and white wine vinegar for some zesty tang.
Creamy Garlic Dressing
This creamy garlic salad dressing is 100% worth the hype. Filled with flavour, you can use this homemade dressing to dress potato salad, pasta salad or chopped salad. Or use as a delicious dipping sauce for homemade fries. This sauce is for all of the garlic lovers.
Asian Salad Dressing
This quick and easy Asian Salad Dressing is filled with flavours of tamari, sweet honey, garlic and fresh ginger. Our Asian sesame dressing is the perfect salad dressing for our Asian Slaw recipe, leafy green salads, noodle salads, to drizzle over rice bowls or marinate your favourite protein in.
Ginger Citrus Dressing
This vibrant and zesty Ginger Citrus Dressing is made using fresh orange and lemon juice, zest, ginger and honey. It is full of flavour and perfect for any fresh and crunchy salad.
Chili Lime Dressing
My Chili Lime Dressing is the perfect balance of sweet, salty and umami. Made using fresh lime juice and avocado oil, this healthy homemade dressing is perfect to marinade chicken breasts, drizzle over simple green salads or dress Asian style rice bowls with.
Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing
My apple cider vinegar salad dressing is perfectly balanced and full of punchy flavour. This dressing is versatile and can be used on a range of different salads. Making your own salad dressing is so easy and has a range of health benefits.
The Best Honey Lime Dressing
This honey lime dressing is so full of flavour and so light and refreshing, you’ll want to use it on everything! Thrown together in less than ten minutes, this healthy, homemade dressing is perfect to drizzle over fresh salads.
Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
This avocado green goddess salad dressing recipe is a fresh and creamy dressing, perfect for any salad! Made using avocado, fresh herbs and lemon, this dressing is filled with a heap of nutrients including healthy fats and is made in less then 10 minutes!
Lemon Dijon Dressing
This Lemon Dijon Dressing is a delicious homemade salad dressing using extra virgin olive oil, honey, lemon juice and dijon mustard. I love using extra virgin olive oil for dressing salads with as it is a minimally processed oil, high in polyphenols. Plus learn the best oil and vinegar dressing ratio (or in this case, lemon juice!).
Honey Balsamic Dressing
This homemade honey balsamic dressing is quick and easy to make and a delicious way to dress up a salad (even rice salad!), roasted veggies or steamed veggies. You likely already have the 5 ingredients you need in the pantry!
Lemon Herb Dressing
The perfect lemon herb dressing to drizzle over salads, steamed vegetables, fish or chicken! This homemade salad dressing takes 5 minutes to make, using just 6 ingredients and has a delicate, bright flavor.
Dairy Free Lemon Tahini Dressing
This lemon tahini dressing recipes is perfectly balanced with a creamy texture. This dairy free, homemade dressing is delicious drizzled over grain bowls, roasted vegetables, nourish bowls and hearty salads.
Best Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
This delicious maple Dijon vinaigrette is made using simple ingredients, whisked together to create a creamy and smooth dressing. With the perfect balance of sweet maple syrup, olive oil, Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar, this dressing is versatile and elevates even the most boring of vegetables.
Creamy Dill Salad Dressing
A creamy, herby and tangy dressing that will boost the flavour of your favourite salads, vegetables, fish or chicken. This Creamy Dill Salad Dressing is made in under 5 minutes and can be easily made dairy free.
Sumac Salad Dressing
This zest Sumac Dressing recipe has a sweet tangy flavour and pairs perfectly with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. It boosts the nutritional content of any dish by adding healthy fats from the extra virgin olive oil as well as antioxidants and other nutrients.
Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
Ditch store-bought dressings and enjoy the healthy goodness of homemade!
Orange Ginger Dressing can be used almost anywhere you’d use a regular, classic vinaigrette but want to add a touch of bright, citrusy sunshine. It’s the perfect thing for adding sweetness to springtime salads, adding brightness to grilled veggies, or as a zesty marinade for chicken or seafood.
Recipe: Life Around the Table
Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
A perfectly tangy and herbaceous homemade ranch dressing, thanks to one secret ingredient: Greek yogurt! My go-to 5-Minute Greek Yogurt Ranch is made with garlic, chives, and fresh dill to create an extra-creamy sauce with signature ranch flavor.
Recipe: Plays Well with Butter
Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
This Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing recipe is made with a handful of ingredients for a creamy consistency and bold, tangy flavor! Use it as a dip, dressing, or spread with all your favorite recipes.
Recipe: All The Healthy Things
Fresh Herb Italian Dressing
Learn how to make homemade Italian Dressing from scratch- a healthier alternative to store-bought dressing that tastes way better. A simple easy recipe!
Recipe: Feasting at Home
Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
Sweet and delicious homemade honey poppy seed dressing pairs so well with kale salad, spinach salad, and so many summer salad combinations. Made with 7 simple fresh ingredients, it’s better tasting, and better for you than store dressings.
Recipe: Fit Mama Real Food
Thousand Island Dressing
This homemade Thousand Island dressing recipe is perfect on any type of salad that you throw together! This dressing is simple to whip up and tastes so good!
Recipe: A Couple Cooks
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing only takes a few minutes to make and is so much better than store bought salad dressing! It is great on salads, chicken, fish, steak, vegetables, tacos, and more!
Recipe: Two Peas and Their Pod
Homemade Caesar Dressing
This easy to make homemade Caesar dressing is creamy, sharp, tangy and so flavorful! It’s made without raw eggs and anchovies, but that classic Caesar salad dressing flavor still comes through!
Recipe: Recipe Runner
Healthy Thai Peanut Dressing
Deliciously addicting, healthy Thai peanut dressing made with simple ingredients and creamy, peanut butter flavor. You’re going to love this easy, 5-ingredient Thai peanut dressing recipe as a go-to for salads or as a flavorful sauce!
Recipe: Ambitious Kitchen
Yuzu Vinaigrette Salad Dressing with Ginger
This simple DIY vinaigrette is bursting with citrusy flavor, all thanks to yuzu. Yuzu is a small citrus fruit similar to lemons but with a complex, floral flavor. It pairs well with the base ingredients of a simple vinaigrette salad dressing!
Recipe: Street Smart Nutrition
Creamy Turmeric Mango Vinaigrette
You’re going to want a batch of this bright, naturally sweet turmeric mango vinaigrette around! Grab your blender and 9 ingredients (mostly pantry staples) and let’s do this! Mango is the sweet creamy base, a mix of white wine vinegar and lime juice give it bright + tropical notes, and avocado oil adds a flavor-neutral richness.
Recipe: Minimalist Baker
Chili Almond Dressing
A copycat recipe for the Chili Almond Dressing found on the Whole Foods salad bar. It’s made with creamy almond butter so it’s loaded with healthy fat and low in sugar. Oil-free, vegan, low-carb and gluten-free.
Recipe: Eating Bird Food
Horseradish Dressing
This zippy horseradish dressing is a simple vinaigrette made with prepared horseradish, vinegar, garlic and olive oil.
Recipe: Eating Bird Food
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