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The Best Salad Dressing Recipes
Go ahead and commit some of these to memory so you’re a hosting hero.
by Samantha Darby
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Summer may be waning, but it’s still warm outside, the sun is still out past bedtime, and there are plenty of salads left to make. The great think about having an array of salad dressing recipes in your personal recipe box is that you can use them all year long —but there is something about late August that begs for a huge salad as a meal with homemade salad dressing poured from a mason jar.
Luckily, there is no shortage of salad dressings out there to try. While some salad dressing recipes, like ranch or thousand island, can be found just about anywhere (and can all taste wildly different), this list includes some unique options and some classics that every home chef should know how to whip up. Nearly all of these perfect salad dressings can be pulled together with pantry staples, and truly there’s nothing better than whisking up the perfect vinaigrette to go with grilled meats and veggies, to pour over pasta, or to drink from the bottom of your salad bowl when all the lettuce is gone. (Don’t even pretend like you haven’t done that.)
Look, if Harry Styles can be wooed with a very simple salad dressing, then maybe one of these salad dressing recipes can change yourl ife, too.
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
An absolute classic: the honey mustard dressing. Tangy, a fun texture with the stone ground mustard, and tons of flavor. This honey mustard salad dressing recipe from Yummly is just five ingredients and perfect for so many meals.
Southwestern Avocado Salad Dressing
I love a creamy avocado dressing and this southwestern avocado salad dressing from Yummly has it all. With ranch seasoning, lime, cilantro, and buttermilk whipped in with avocados, it’s less of just a pureed veggie flavor and has more of a punchy, tangy taste. Use it for any southwestern salad, but it would also be great for dipping quesadillas or to go over tacos!
Honey Chipotle Salad Dressing
Spicy and sweet are some of my favorite sauce combos, and this honey chipotle salad dressing from Gimme Some Oven is just so great. There are tons of flavors packed in here, including cumin, chilis in adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, and honey, but it all works beautifully and it looks so pretty in a container!
Lemon Parmesan Salad Dressing
Oh, I can’t wait to try this one. This lemon parmesan salad dressing featured on Yummly is a breeze to whip together with zero surprises, but I think it’s also one of the most versatile on the list. Imagine this over some orzo and grilled chicken with feta? Delish.
Japanese Restaurant-Style Ginger Salad Dressing
Hibachi is one of our family’s favorites, but I especially love it for the side salads. Featured on Yummly, this Japanese restaurant-style ginger salad dressing is just so very good. With carrots, onions, and ginger peeled and chopped to make the base of this dressing, you just can’t go wrong. Serve it over salad, as a dipping sauce for grilled meats, or try it over fried rice.
Creamy Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing
You absolutely need a creamy, easy salad dressing in your brain’s General Knowledge Compartment, and this cilantro lime salad dressing from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe is just perfection. Literally everything gets dumped into a blender and then refrigerated, but the real fancy part is that this recipe calls for tomatillos in it. So good.
Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing
I love a bright, zippy salad dressing and this strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette from Yummly does not disappoint. Any kind of grilled meat salad would appreciate this one, but I must warn you: it has a lot of ingredients. Break this one out for any kind of fancy party or when you really, really need a solid vinaigrette packed with flavor.
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Another call for the creamy dressings! I love this creamy balsamic dressing from Damn Delicious so much. It’s savory with a great kick, and is just creamy enough to enjoy as either a dip or a dressing.
Caesar Salad Dressing
Everyone needs a classic caesar salad dressing recipe in their repertoire, and this one from Two Peas and Their Pod is pretty perfect. They use mayo instead of raw eggs, but that’s a pretty good compromise to keep your food safe, especially if you’re saving it for a while!
Greek Salad Dressing
And everyone also needs a Greek salad dressing ready to go. I can smell this picture, and it’s making me hungry. This Greek salad dressing recipe from Yummly has a good bit of spices in it, but is pretty easy to whip together and perfect for any and all salads.
Creamy Southwest Salad Dressing
You need a creamy southwest salad dressing, OK? It’s just the way the world works. I’m obsessed with this one, especially for fajitas or any other meal where I can dip and drizzle this dressing at the same time. It only uses five ingredients (and it even cheats a bit by having one of those ingredients be pre-made ranch dressing) and it’s just perfect.
Honey Jalapeño Salad Dressing
Like the honey chipotle dressing, this honey jalapeño salad dressing is the perfect blend of cool creaminess and just enough spice. It only takes six ingredients, and with the bulk of the dressing being from sour cream, it’s a nice, light dressing and not too heavy.
Whether you’re making an enormous salad or just want a bunch of dressings to put out for a quesadilla spread or a big platter of grilled meats, these are all great salad dressing recipes to have on hand.
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