Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

Here are 6 easy homemade salad dressing recipes you can easily make at home. From a super tasty ranch dressing, to homemade thousand island to a light Italian vinaigrette, these are the best dressings you’ve ever tasted! My husband Mike had to edit to add this after a recent taste test on our show!! These homemade salad dressings are quick and easy to make and cost a lot less than store bought!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (1)

6 Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

One of the comments we hear over and over again is about how much money people are saving using the homemade salad dressing recipes from Volume 1 of our Dining on a Dime Cookbook.And you wouldn’t believe how delicious they are if you haven’t tried them! These easy salad dressing recipes are quick and easy and the best part is they are much less than half the cost of dressing from the store!

We get complimented over and over again about our homemade salad dressing recipes from people who say, “My family refuses to even eat store bought salad dressing now and they homemade dressings are so fast to make!”

This post includes some of our favorite homemade salad dressing recipes for you to try!

This homemade ranch dressing recipe is quick and easy to make and is versatile for salads, vegetables and many other foods. It is so delicious and fresh, you’ll wonder why you ever bought store bought! It also makes an easy party dip!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2)

Ranch Dressing Recipe (Ranch Dip)

1 cup mayonnaise (low-fat may be used)
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. green onions, minced (tops only or chives)
1/4 tsp. onion powder or 1 Tbsp. fresh onions, minced
2 tsp. parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1/2 to 1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine ingredients in a container with a lid and refrigerate before serving. Makes 2 cups. For Ranch Dip, use sour cream or yogurt in place of buttermilk.

This thousand island dressing recipe is an easy homemade version of the classic salad dressing that you can make at home for pennies. It’s good not only on salads and vegetables, but also on sandwiches and hamburgers. It’s similar to the Big Mac sauce at McDonalds and is great on hamburgers. Mike tested this homemade salad dressing a recent taste test on our show and loved it!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (3)

Thousand Island Dressing Recipe

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish or sweet pickle, minced
2 Tbsp. chili sauce or ketchup
2 Tbsp. green bell peppers, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh or 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. onion powder or 2 Tbsp. onion, minced
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1
hard-boiled egg, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except egg. Mix well. Stir in the egg. Refrigerate. Makes 1 1/3 cups.

This homemade blue cheese dressing recipe makes a thick and chunky blue cheese dressing that is super delicious! It’s super fresh and tastes even better than restaurant quality blue cheese, but for only a fraction of the cost!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (4)

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice

Salad

1 head Iceberg lettuce, rinsed, cut into 6 wedges
6 slices bacon, cookedandcrumbled
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 cup chives or green onions, chopped

Directions:

Mix the first 6 ingredients for the dressing the day before servingand chill.

Put a wedge of lettuce onto each plate. Top with dressingandsprinkle with mixture of bacon, Parmesan and chives (mixed together).

This Italian vinaigrette salad dressing recipe makes a tasty and full flavored vinaigrette dressing that is lighter than the creamy dressings. It is a restaurant quality vinaigrette salad dressing that you can easily make at home for a fraction of the price of the store bought kind!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (5)

Italian Vinaigrette Recipe

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil, or a combination
2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped, or 1/4 tsp. onion powder
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. parsley, minced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. dried basil or oregano
1 tsp. sugar

Combine ingredients in a large jar with tight lid. Shake well. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

For Creamy Italian Dressing beat 1/2 cup mayonnaise into Italian Vinaigrette.

For Low-Calorie Vinaigrette substitute apple juice for the oil and reduce vinegar to 1/3 cup.

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (6)

Old Fashioned Salad Dressing Recipe

2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
mayonnaise

In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt and mustard. Stir in eggs. Gradually stir in vinegar and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, combine desired amount of dressing base with mayonnaise. Refrigerate leftovers. Tastes great on potato salad, coleslaw or salad greens. Makes 4 cups.

This creamy homemade cucumber buttermilk dressing recipe makes a yummy creamy salad dressing you’re sure to love! The cucumber and buttermilk, along with the dill give it an especially tasty and light flavor. Try it today and you’ll definitely be satisfied!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (7)

Homemade Cucumber Buttermilk Dressing

1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup cucumber, peeled and grated
1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
2 Tbsp. green onions, white and green parts, or chives, minced
2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced or 1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dill, dried
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. Shake well. Refrigerate. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

3 Ingredient Salad Dressing Recipe

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss and refrigerate 1 hour.

Crunchy Veggie Salad Recipe

2-3 cups broccoli
2-3 cups cauliflower
1 cup (4 oz.) grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup raisins
3 Ingredient Salad Dressing

Just before serving pour dressing over salad and add:
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Serves 4-6.

Most of these easy homemade salad dressing recipes are from Volume 1 of our cookbook:

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest dressing for salad? ›

8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
  1. Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
  2. Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  3. Avocado lime. ...
  4. Lemon vinaigrette. ...
  5. Honey mustard. ...
  6. Greek yogurt ranch. ...
  7. Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
  8. Ginger turmeric.
Jul 27, 2023

What is the basic formula for salad dressing? ›

Here's my master salad dressing that I use as a base for every salad! You just need 1 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp mustard. Finish with salt and pepper, or choose from any number of flavourings – garlic, fresh or dried herbs, pinch of spice, touch of honey.

What can I use if I don't have salad dressing? ›

How can you add flavor to your salad without adding mayo or ranch dressing? Try a little lemon juice, lime juice, or a light vinaigrette. I have a bottle of walnut oil in my pantry which is very nice on salads, along with white wine vinegar and a little salt and pepper.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams). Same goes for tortilla strips or wontons.

Which is healthier balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette? ›

A balsamic vinaigrette typically involves adding oil, sugar, and/or mustard to balsamic vinegar, along with seasonings like garlic, salt, and pepper. While it can be made in a way that makes it healthier than several other salad dressing options, it can't compare to simply using the vinegar and oil.

Is it better to eat salad with dressing or no salad at all? ›

Adding dressing, condiments, or cheese will not remove vegetable nutrients. Adding those extra ingredients to your vegetables will not give them less fiber or less vitamins. By adding cheese to your vegetables, you'll add some protein to it, which will help make them more satisfying.

What is the best vinegar for salads? ›

White wine vinegar

This vinegar has a much mellower flavor than red wine vinegar and lacks the sharp tang of its sister vinegar. White wine vinegar is best used with more delicate salads and any situation where you want to add a hint of vinegar, but do not want that flavor to overwhelm the dish.

What primary ingredient is used in most salad dressing? ›

Salad dressings represent one of the typical oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions composed of vegetable oil, vinegar, egg yolk, and starch, which can be categorized into three groups based on the oil content: (1) mayonnaise, (2) spoonable, and (3) French-type dressings.

What is zesty Italian dressing made of? ›

Distilled Vinegar, Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/Or Canola), Water, Sugar, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Garlic,* Garlic, Red Bell Pepper,* Onion,* Onion, Spice, Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Natural Flavor, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor), Annatto Extract (Color).

What are the 3 types of salad dressing? ›

In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...

Does homemade salad dressing keep? ›

Homemade salad dressing usually is supposed to be kept only a very few days, unlike commercial salad dressing, which keeps refrigerated for weeks.

What are the top 3 salad dressings? ›

Based on a survey conducted by The Food Channel, the top three salad dressings are Ranch Dressing (creamy), Caesar Dressing (vinaigrette), and Buttermilk Dressing (creamy).

What are the 4 primary dressing types used on salads? ›

The four main salad dressings are vinaigrette, emulsified vinaigrette, mayonnaise-based, and mayonnaise. An emulsion is the permanent blending of unlike ingredients, such as oil and vinegar. Vinaigrettes are lighter dressings used on more delicate ingredients, like salad greens.

What is the oldest salad dressing? ›

French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.

What are the most of the basic salad dressings used today? ›

Most of the basic salad dressings used today can be divided into three categories: Oil and vinegar dressings; Mayonnaise-based dressings; Cooked dressings.

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