Salad dressings are also the only way some parents ever succeed in getting kids to eat vegetables. They certainly have their place, but the store bought ones are loaded with omega-6 oils and preservatives. Healthy salad dressings, on the other hand, can be a great way to get a good serving of healthy fats in.
Salad dressings were my former vice. I would eat ranch on anything. In fact, I will be forever grateful to it for getting me to love broccoli. Now that we eat real foods, I keep a recipe tab specifically for homemade dressings, and have come to love these. I can even whip one up at a restaurant by having them bring me all the ingredients “on the side.”
My current favorite homemade dressings recipes are:
Creamy Homemade Caesar Dressing
Ingredients:
- One room temperature egg yolk (it’s very important that it is not cold!)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp mustard or ground mustard
- 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp Worcestershire
- 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
- salt, pepper, and spices to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions:
- Whisk egg yolk with whisk or blender on low speed.
- Once creamy, add the vinegar and all other ingredients except the oil and blend until creamy.
- Slowly add the oil, stirring constantly until incorporated.
- If it doesn’t incorporate well, your egg might still have been too cold!
Great with: Dark lettuces, chicken dishes, or on asparagus.
Zesty Italian Dressing
Ingredients:
- 3 TBSP white wine vinegar
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp each of thyme, basil, and oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Pull all ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously.
Great with: any salad or as a marinade.
View or print the recipe here.
Tangy Greek Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp each of oregano and marjoram
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
- Put all ingredients in small jar with lid and shake until well mixed.
Great with: dark lettuces, feta cheese, olives, and cucumbers. Also a good marinade for a cucumber and onion salad.
Print this tangy Greek Salad Dressing recipe here.
Sweet Asian Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- 2 tsp honey
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated
- spices to taste
Instructions:
- Put all ingredients in small jar with lid and shake vigorously. You can also mix in blender or small food processor.
Great with: Sesame chicken (as a marinade and dipping sauce), on a spinach salad with cashews, on cauliflower fried rice.
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 2 tsp honey
Instructions:
- Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Great with: salad with feta and cashews, grilled chicken salad, marinade on pork.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 TBSP honey
- salt, pepper, and basil to taste
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients in small jar or blender.
Great with: any type of salad or as a marinade on beef, chicken or pork.
Print or save the recipe here.
Roasted Garlic Dressing
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup roasted garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions:
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Pureé until completely smooth.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
French Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 TBSP mustard
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 TBSP honey
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions:
- Put all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth.
Great with: any type of salad (I like it on chef salads), kids like to dip things in this dressing.
Other great things to throw on a salad:
- nuts: especially pecans, walnuts, and macadamia
- olives
- chopped veggies
- chopped apples
- sliced strawberries
- blueberries
- grilled or baked chicken
- sliced steak
- shrimp
- all of the above!
What is your favorite salad dressing? Do you have a healthy variation? Please share below!
I tried your Raspberry Vinaigrette and loved it! Great recipe.
Would you recommend not eating the Ceasar when you’re pregnant because of the raw egg?
That’s a call I think each person has to make. I personally eat raw eggs during pregnancy, but we either get them from our own chickens or from a farmer I trust… i wouldn’t eat store bought eggs raw.
Our Favorite dressing
Boil 2/3 c. Cider vinegar and 1 c. Sugar
Add: 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp celery seed, 1 whole onion minced, and 2 cups of your favorite salad oil. Blend in a blender until emulsified. Makes at least two bottles, so don’t let the amount of sugar scare you. You can always use less!
I saw all your recipes in the meal planner so forget I asked about ranch but do you have one for the thousand island dressing? Next to ranch that’s my favorite.
Maryalice
I do… I’ll try to get that up ASAP
How about ranch and thousand island?
Thousand island is just ketchup, sweet Relish, mayo, and garlic 🙂
yum! i’ll have to try these recipes this week!
I just tried something new for the first time yesterday… And it was delicious! Instead of “dressing” I put some pesto on my salad- I ended up adding a splash of balsamic vinegar for the bite, but very yummy. My greens were some spring mix & spinach with strawberries, red onion, mushroom, and boiled egg
I always love getting good salad dressings. Thanks.
Here are two ways I often dress my salad.
Coat the salad with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add about an equal amount of lemon juice, sprinkle salt and pepper and toss. I usually add tomatoes after the dressing.
Greek Dressing:
1/4 c vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1Tbsp oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Shake together in a covered jar.
I just made the Greek dressing with some alterations– it is absolutely delicious. Doubled the oregano and marjoram, used whole-grain mustard rather than Dijon, added 1 1/2 teaspoon raw honey and 2 tablespoons yogurt.
That sounds great! I’ll have to try it that way too!
Whats the ingredients you ask for at a restaurant to whip up your own dressing?
Just tried your Zesty Italian dressing & LOVED it!!! Can’t wait to try your other recipes 🙂 Thank you dearly…