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These easy homemade Salad Dressing Recipes taste better than store-bought! From classic vinaigrette to creamy ranch, these fresh salad dressings use simple ingredients and take just minutes to make!
🥗 Love it tangy? Add more vinegar. Prefer it creamy? Increase the oil or add cheese. Making your own means you can adjust every flavor to match your preferences!
My 2 Best Tips For How To Make Salad Dressing
Dried vs Fresh: For herbs, garlic, and ginger, dry and fresh are interchangeable; just season to taste. You will need less of the dried versions than if the recipe calls for fresh.
Use Simple Tools: One of the reasons it’s so quick to make homemade salad dressing is because it can be made with 2 tools — a bowl and a whisk! I like to make it ahead for the week so I will double or even triple the recipes, but just using a whisk and a bowl will have it prepped in no time. (Or you can use a jar with a tight-fitting lid, like a mason jar, and shake it.)
🩷 Melissa
Say goodbye to expensive bottles of store-bought salad dressings filled with preservatives and hello to the fresh, vibrant flavor of homemade salad dressing!
Why I Love Making My Own Salad Dressings:
- Almost all ingredients for these dressings are shelf-stable and probably already in your kitchen.
- Homemade dressings are as simple to make as combining the ingredients in a mason jar and giving it a good mix.
- Fresh salad dressings are so much tastier than anything available at the grocery store. You’ll never go back to buying store-bought dressings.
- Each delicious dressing takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and stores beautifully in your refrigerator for whenever the craving strikes.
Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
These simple salad dressing recipes can all be made at any time by keeping these staples on hand! Seriously, you’ll never add the words “salad dressing” to your grocery list again.
Pro Tip: For herbs, garlic, and ginger, dry and fresh are interchangeable; just season to taste. You will need less of the dried versions than if the recipe calls for fresh. A quick and easy way to get a new flavor is to use fresh garlic or fresh herbs!
Herbs & Seasonings
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Parsley
- Chives
- Dill weed
- Italian seasoning
Vinegars & Juices
- Red wine vinegar
- White vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Rice vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
Oils & Emulsions
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
- Vegetable oil (or other neutral oil
- Peanut butter
- Dijon mustard
Other Flavorings
- Garlic
- Honey
- Poppy seeds
- Ginger
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce
Featured Review
Chris Wilson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 19, 2025
Just what I was looking for! Very good dressing recipes! I really appreciate they are all in one place I can print out and keep at hand, instead of having to go into each one separately.
9 Easy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
Video
Ingredients
Classic Ranch Salad Dressing
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
Homemade Creamy Italian Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon each sour cream and olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Roasted Garlic Dressing
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoons each of honey, Dijon mustard, white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
Asian Sesame Dressing
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Peanut-Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- juice of one lime
- 1 tablespoon each rice or white vinegar, chopped peeled ginger, soy sauce, and honey
Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup each buttermilk and sour cream
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2 a lemon
- and salt and hot sauce to taste
Instructions
Classic Ranch Salad Dressing
- Whisk 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. (You can sub 1 tablespoon each of dried parsley and chives for the fresh.) This is perfect for cobb salads, to dip fries in, over chicken salads, and most any other salads with romaine and other leaf lettuces as the base.1/3 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
Homemade Creamy Italian Salad Dressing
- Blend 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon each sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a blender. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon each sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- Whisk 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil.2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste, 1/3 cup olive oil
Roasted Garlic Dressing
- Slice the top off 1 head garlic; drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and roast at 400° until tender, about 35 minutes. Cool and then squeeze out the cloves. Blend the roasted garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste in a blender. Make a double batch and use part of it for a marinade for chicken breast. It’s also amazing on roasted vegetables.1 head garlic, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
- Whisk 2 tablespoons each of honey, Dijon mustard, and white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil.1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons each of honey, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil
Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
- Whisk 2 teaspoon black poppy seeds, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil. This is great on salads with berries and other sweet fruits in them; it compliments them nicely.2 teaspoon black poppy seeds, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/3 cup olive oil
Asian Sesame Dressing
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, pepper to taste, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. This dressing is also excellent on Asian-inspired noodle recipes and chicken salads.2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Peanut-Lime Dressing
- Blend 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons water, the juice of one lime, 1 tablespoon each rice or white vinegar, chopped peeled ginger, soy sauce, and honey in a blender. This dressing is awesome on “quinoa” bowls (roasted veggies/protein/quinoa), and it’s also excellent on fish.1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons water, juice of one lime, 1 tablespoon each rice or white vinegar, chopped peeled ginger, soy sauce, and honey, 1 tablespoon honey
Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
- Whisk 1/4 cup each buttermilk and sour cream, 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and salt and hot sauce to taste. Here’s a little secret: If blue cheese is too strong for you, you can make this with crumbled feta for a more mild dressing that is still wonderfully creamy and cheesy. Dip everything in this including hot wings.1/4 cup each buttermilk and sour cream, 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/2 a lemon, and salt and hot sauce to taste
Notes
- As you get comfortable with making basic salad dressings, you can start being creative with different types of vinegar or dairy products and new herbs for bold flavors. Try anything that sounds good to your taste buds!
- Have a bit left in a jam jar that you don’t want to waste? Mix your DIY dressing in the jar for a new flavor!
👉 Get all 9 of these salad dressing recipes sent to your email with this FREE 1-page cheatsheet!
Nutrition
👉 Get all 9 of these salad dressing recipes sent to your email with this FREE 1-page cheatsheet!
How to Make Salad Dressing
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a jar, bowl, or container for a blending device.
Step 2: Shake, whisk, or press the button to blend until well combined.
For dressings containing cheese, you can decide how smooth you’d like the final dressing consistency. Blend with the cheese in the mixture until it’s as thin as you’d like. For thicker, chunkier cheese dressings, blend all other ingredients together and then add the cheese; finish blending just a bit until it’s the consistency you like.
Expert Tips
- Start with Quality Ingredients: Your dressing is only as good as what goes into it. Invest in good extra-virgin olive oil, real aged balsamic vinegar, and fresh lemon juice (never bottled!) for the best results. Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme beat dried whenever possible, though a pinch of dried herbs works beautifully too.
- Master the Ratio: The classic vinaigrette formula is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid (vinegar or citrus). This creates perfect balance, but feel free to adjust based on your preference for tanginess. Add a garlic clove or minced shallots for extra depth.
- Emulsify Properly: Whisk vigorously or shake in a sealed jar to combine oil and vinegar into a smooth, creamy emulsion. Adding a bit of dijon mustard or honey helps stabilize the mixture and creates that delicious dressing consistency you’re after.
- Season Generously: Don’t be shy with salt and pepper! Dressings need more seasoning than you think because they’re coating bland lettuce. A pinch of onion powder or freshly ground pepper makes all the difference. Taste and adjust before serving.
- Store Smart Keep homemade dressings in airtight containers or mason jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. They’ll stay fresh and ready for good salads all week long. Bring to room temperature and shake well before using.
- Room Temperature Matters: Cold dressing straight from the fridge can shock delicate greens. Let it sit out for 10 minutes, or run the jar under warm water to bring it to room temperature before tossing with your salad.
- Experiment with Sweeteners: While honey is classic, maple syrup adds a sophisticated depth to vinaigrettes and pairs beautifully with fall salads and roasted vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
Store any extra dressing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Sometimes, the oil will firm up in the fridge. If this happens, just let it rest at room temperature for a few hours before serving (or give it a quick zap in the microwave). Always shake or whisk the dressing again before serving.
The Dijon mustard in these is a must because it acts as an emulsifier between the vinegar and the oils. Whisk up the mustard/vinegar/whatever else and then slowly add the oil while you are whisking. This will help the oil to not separate out of the dressing.
Most homemade dressings will keep for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Creamy dressings with dairy should be used within one week, while oil-based vinaigrettes can last up to two weeks or even longer. Always give it a sniff test before using!
Yes! Swap different vinegars (apple cider, balsamic vinegar, white wine), use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or replace fresh herbs like basil and oregano with dried (use 1/3 the amount). Try maple syrup instead of honey for a different flavor profile. Just maintain the oil-to-acid ratio for vinaigrettes.
Other Easy DIY Condiments To Try
Condiments, Marinades & Spreads
Easy Tartar Sauce Recipe
Seasoning Mixes
Garlic Parmesan Seasoning – Perfect for Breadsticks
Dip Recipes
Lemon Garlic Hummus Recipe Without Tahini
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Great recipes! THANK YOU. Chrissy
A question, please. Is it possible to can your own salad dressings in jars for long-term storage? I’m planning this year’s summer canning, and home made dressings are so much better. Your recipes are great!
I haven’t tried canning them! I would look up canning specific recipes because I bet these aren’t acidic enough.
Just what I was looking for! Very good dressing recipes! I really appreciate they are all in one place I can print out and keep at hand, instead of having to go into each one separately.
You’ve got to try the garlic one Chris!
very excited to try!
Thank you for these amazing recipes! I’ve tried a few & love them but I was wondering if anyone knows if I can can/preserve these? I would love to make them ahead of time & store them in my root cellar for later use. Thank you for any help you can offer. ❤️
Shana
I have better luck with the oil and vinegar based ones lasting a while but the mayo one I wouldn’t try to keep for too long…
How to you not end up with a bitter flavor after agitating the olive oil. Even using a whisk does this to me. Is it not better to use Avocado oil?
Your recipes look delicious though.
I haven’t found that simple shaking the jar is enough to cause the bitter flavor but avocado oil would work just great if you’d like.
These are so simple, quick, and amazing! Thank you <3
The bitter flavor most likely comes from the oil becoming rancid. Also less expensive olive oils can have an off taste.