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The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Salad Dressings: 15 Recipes from Quick Vinaigrettes to Creamy Favorites

Close-up of bright yellow homemade salad dressing seasoned with cracked black pepper in a white ramekin.
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Stop buying store-bought dressings. This guide gives you 15 tested and perfected homemade salad dressing recipes, ranging from quick 5-minute vinaigrettes to rich, creamy options. Make restaurant-style flavor at home using simple pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or red wine vinegar for vinaigrette)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional, for balance)

Instructions

  1. Gather all your ingredients for the base vinaigrette.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice (or vinegar), Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and optional sweetener until combined.
  3. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking vigorously. This process emulsifies the dressing, making it slightly thicker.
  4. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully combined and creamy in texture.
  5. Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning if needed, adding more salt, pepper, or acid to your preference.
  6. If you are not using the dressing immediately, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake or whisk well before serving as separation may occur.

Notes

  • For a creamy salad dressing texture, add 2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise to the base recipe and whisk well.
  • To make a Greek salad dressing, add 1 teaspoon dried oregano and a pinch of dried dill to the mixture.
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan if you omit the optional honey/maple syrup or use maple syrup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://frostedfancies.com/best-salad-dressing-recipes-from-scratch/