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Learn How to Make Salad Dressing with these 9 simple recipes perfect for salad lovers! Making homemade salad dressing is quick and easy with these small-batch recipes – each makes just one cup so you can try multiple flavors without waste.

Top view of nine jars of different salad dressings


 

🥗 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!

Table of Contents

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 in her kitchen smiling in front of the starting ingredients for the chicken the quinoa salad and skillet chicken on the wood block in front of her

🩷 Melissa

Making healthy salad dressing isn’t hard, and they’re made with very basic ingredients. You can have more variety when you make your own, and you’ll quickly learn what flavors you love together.

Why I Love Making My Own Salad Dressings:

  • Almost all ingredients for these dressings are shelf-stable and probably already located 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.
  • Learning how to make your own dressing will help convince you and your family to eat more salads—there’s a salad dressing flavor for every taste!

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
A promotional image for salad dressing recipes. Text reads Discover how to make salad dressing—get all recipes in one place. Free 1-page cheat sheet. Sign up here! with images of jarred dressings and a recipe list on the right. Branding says Bless This Mess.
4.91 from 11 votes

How to Make Salad Dressing – 9 Easy Recipes

By: Melissa Griffiths
Learn How to Make Salad Dressing with these 9 simple recipes perfect for salad lovers! Making homemade salad dressing is quick and easy with these small-batch recipes – each makes just one cup so you can try multiple flavors without waste.
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 (Eight 2-tablespoon servings per 1 cup dressing)
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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

  • 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

  • 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Video

Notes

Recipe Yield & Serving Size: Each recipe makes 1 cup of dressing. The nutrition numbers are calculated for the Basic Ranch Dressing, based on a serving size of 2 tablespoons, and there are 16 tablespoons in a cup. (You can use an app like MyFitnessPal to calculate for individual dressings as needed!)
Recipe Variations:
  • 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!
Make Ahead: All of these dressings are great to make ahead of time and will keep for at least a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Quick Prep: Using a food processor will make quick work of mixing up a homemade dressing. Pulse just a few times for a thicker consistency or more times for thinner.

👉 Get all 9 of these salad dressing recipes sent to your email with this FREE 1-page cheatsheet!

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 59g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 1146mg, Potassium: 200mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 913IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

👉 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.

Four photo collage of salad dressing recipes. The first photo is of a jar of poppy seeds. The second photo is of honey being poured into the jar of poppy seeds. The third photo is of Dijon mustard measured out above the jar of poppy seed and honey mixture. The last photo is of a hand on a white lid screwed onto the jar of salad dressing.

Recipe FAQs

How long does homemade salad dressing last?

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.

What does the Dijon mustard do in salad dressings?

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.

What do you store homemade salad dressing in?

The dressings store well in wide-mouth half-pint mason jars. These lids are also really nice to have on hand! Each recipe only makes about a cup, which is a great size to keep for a week. (I always make at least 2 kinds during my meal prep sessions over the weekend!)

Nine small glass jars with metal lids are stacked in three rows, each containing different colored sauces or dressings that inspire new ideas for how to make salad dressing, all set against a plain white background.

Other Easy DIY Condiments To Try

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About Melissa Griffiths

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4.91 from 11 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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76 Comments

  1. Penny says:

    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!

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I haven’t tried canning them! I would look up canning specific recipes because I bet these aren’t acidic enough.

  2. Chris Wilson says:

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      You’ve got to try the garlic one Chris!

  3. Vhella says:

    4 stars
    very excited to try!

    Reply
  4. Shana says:

    5 stars
    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

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      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…

  5. Ashlee says:

    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.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      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.

  6. T. LaPolla says:

    5 stars
    These are so simple, quick, and amazing! Thank you <3

    Reply
    1. Kathy S. says:

      The bitter flavor most likely comes from the oil becoming rancid. Also less expensive olive oils can have an off taste.