26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

A good dressing can elevate even the simplest of salads into a crave-worthy dish. Whether you want to incorporate bold flavors or add a subtle finishing touch to the most complex assortment of greens, homemade salad dressing is a simple and tasty way to finish off a bowl of your favorite lettuce mix. Our most delicious salad dress recipes are guaranteed to take your meal to the next level.

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Lighter Ranch Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (1)

This better-for-you version of a signature salad dressing only takes five minutes to make. Its lighter ingredients include low-fat buttermilk, light mayonnaise, and reduced-fat sour cream.

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Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2)

This is the ultimate blue cheese dressing, ideal for iceberg wedges and Cobb salads. Buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise make it creamy and tangy.

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Sesame-Soy Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (3)

Create this easy vinaigrette, which features flavors of sesame and soy, to dress an Asian-inspired bowl of greens.

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Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (4)

At its most basic, any vinaigrette is a balance of oil and acid—this recipe starts with extra-virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar. Dijon mustard, garlic, and a combination of herbs take it to the next level.

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Crème Fraiche and Lemon Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (5)

Try this creamy vinaigrette when you want to add richness to a salad or a counterpoint to bitter greens.

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Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (6)

Honey and Dijon mustard add sweetness and depth to basic balsamic vinaigrette. Use good-quality vinegar for extraordinary results.

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Carrot Miso Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (7)

With only 10 minutes of prep time and six ingredients, this creamy, sweet, and tangy creation is simply delicious. And it can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated for easy eating.

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Thousand Island Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (8)

Buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise make this dressing rich and creamy, while ketchup and sweet pickle relish give it that distinctive Thousand Island character. Serve it with seafood salads or even burgers.

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Red-Wine Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (9)

Whisk red wine vinegar, Dijon, and minced garlic with olive oil to make the perfect vinaigrette for any homemade salad. This recipe is easily multiplied, so you can keep a jar of it in the refrigerator to top a salad whenever the mood strikes.

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Green Goddess Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (10)

Parsley, tarragon, and scallion give this dressing its distinctive green hue. Anchovy and garlic give it depth.

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Martha's Favorite Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (11)

White wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil combine to make a perfectly balanced all-purpose vinaigrette. This homemade dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, so you can have a batch of it on hand for everyday use.

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Cucumber Ranch Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (12)

Grated cucumber adds a refreshing note to traditional ranch dressing. Buttermilk, parsley, and chives give the homemade mixture its trademark flavor.

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Eggless Caesar Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (13)

Lemon, anchovy, and Parmesan: All the traditional Caesar ingredients—minus the coddled egg—are here. Dry mustard powder and capers add an extra kick to this dressing.

Spicy Asian Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (14)

Rice vinegar, ginger, jalapeño, and fish sauce make a light, spicy homemade salad dressing that's perfect for Asian chicken salad, slaw, and more. It's also a great marinade for tuna steaks or pork loin.

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Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (15)

Garlic becomes rich and sweet when roasted. A whole head of it goes into this creamy buttermilk dressing.

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French Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (16)

Paprika and ketchup are the defining flavors of this sweet-yet-tart dressing. Enjoy it on a shrimp salad or with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

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Curry-Yogurt Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (17)

Grind cumin, coriander, fennel, and mustard seeds to make your own curry powder for this tart and creamy homemade salad dressing. Use it to make an out-of-the-ordinary cabbage slaw, or drizzle it on baked fish.

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Cider Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (18)

A spoonful of sugar offsets the tartness of cider vinegar and grainy mustard in this easy vinaigrette. Try it on a salad of mixed greens with dried fruit and toasted nuts.

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Peppercorn-Parmesan Salad Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (19)

Freshly ground pepper and grated Parmesan add just the right amount of bite to buttermilk-sour cream dressing. This is wonderful on a steak salad or sliced tomatoes.

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Creamy Lemon-Herb Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (20)

This dairy-free dressing gets its creamy texture from puréed silken tofu. Basil, dill, chives, tarragon, and lemon zest make it fresh and lively.

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White-Wine Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (21)

Minced shallot and parsley dial up the flavor in this mild white-wine vinaigrette. This is a great all-purpose dressing to keep on hand in the refrigerator for green salads, vegetable side dishes, fish, and more.

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Buttermilk Herb Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (22)

Use your choice of fresh herbs—tarragon, dill, chives, oregano, or thyme—in this tangy homemade salad dressing.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (23)

This tart and vibrant dressing uses the zest and juice of grapefruit, oranges, and lemons. It contains just a small amount of oil—a great choice when you want to keep things light.

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Shallot Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (24)

Anchovy fillets and shallot give this vinaigrette an extra-savory dimension. This salad dressing is a great match for dishes with boldly flavored ingredients such as steak or olives.

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Rose's Vinaigrette

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (25)

Red wine vinegar and lemon juice provide the acidity in this homemade salad dressing, while brown sugar softens the flavors.

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Garden Salad with Herbs and Sour-Cherry Dressing

26 of Our Tastiest Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (26)

It only takes 30 minutes to make the salad and dressing for this summery dish.

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