11 Salad Dressing Recipes to Help You Kick the Bottled Stuff

Eleven classic (usually bottled) salad dressings get a homemade makeover.

By
Rabi Abonour
Rabi Abonour is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Rabi Abonour
Rabi Abonour is a planner specializing in transportation, but has also been a photojournalist, writer, and editor for several online and print publications.
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Updated October 05, 2018
J. Kenji López-Alt

Salads don't always get a lot of love. They often feel like a chore, something you force yourself to eat to feel less guilty about the more interesting food on your plate. But a salad can be just as exciting as any other part of a meal, and the easiest way to improve your salads is to lose the bottled dressings and make your own. Homemade salad dressings are fresher and tastier than anything you can buy in the supermarket, and once you've got the hang of making them they couldn't be easier. From classics like ranch and Caesar to a variety of vinaigrettes, we've rounded up 11 of our favorites to put you on the path toward better salads.

Of course, once you make a salad dressing you still have to know how to use it, so check out our guides to making the best mixed-green salad and properly dressing a salad. And if you're concerned about having to make a dressing every time you want a salad, here's a handy little trick for making sure your favorite, homemade dressings are little more than a quick shake away.

  • Simple Vinaigrette

    J. Kenji López-Alt

    If you only ever learn to make one salad dressing, it should be a basic vinaigrette. The most important thing to remember is the ratio of oil to vinegar—we find 3-to-1 does the trick. Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier to keep the dressing from breaking and minced shallots add a subtle sweetness.

    Get the recipe for Simple Vinaigrette

  • Soy-Balsamic Vinaigrette

    J. Kenji López-Alt

    You can make a vinaigrette with a whisk, but it's easier to just pour everything into a squeeze bottle and shake vigorously to combine. For this vinaigrette we use a mix of sherry and balsamic vinegars and shake them up with olive oil, adding some soy sauce to give the dressing a little umami punch.

    Get the recipe for Soy-Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • Tangerine and Fennel Vinaigrette

    Daniel Gritzer

    When I said vinaigrettes use a 3-to-1 oil to vinegar ratio I really should have said oil to acid—you don't have to use vinegar. Here we use citrus juice instead, with a combination of tangerine and lemon juices forming the acidic component of the dressing. We also mix in tangerine zest and ground fennel seed, which give the vinaigrette a suprising complexity.

    Get the recipe for Tangerine and Fennel Vinaigrette

  • Italian Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

    Jennifer Segal

    Forget bottled Italian dressings—if you want a vinaigrette that actually tastes like fresh herbs, you have to make it yourself. Our herb vinaigrette starts with olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and garlic, and the herbal flavor comes from tons of fresh parsley and basil and just a pinch of dried oregano.

    Get the recipe for Italian Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
    Continue to 5 of 11 below.

  • Caesar Salad Dressing

    J. Kenji López-Alt

    When it comes to creamy dressings, I don't think you can beat a classic Caesar. Caesar dressing is basically flavored mayonnaise—it starts just like our two-minute mayo, but with Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies thrown in. Anchovies are actually a modern addition to the Caesar (the original just had Worcestershire), but we think it's an essential part of the recipe.

    Get the recipe for Caesar Salad Dressing

  • Ranch Dressing

    Joshua Bousel

    Growing up in the Midwest, ranch dressing was a fact of life. It almost always came from a bottle, but you can make a much better version at home. Our rich ranch dressing gets a wonderfully fresh flavor from parsley, chives, and dill, and just enough tang from a little sour cream and lemon juice.

    Get the recipe for Ranch Dressing

  • Creamy French Dressing

    Joshua Bousel

    I don't think there's actually anything French about French dressing, but at the Midwestern salad bar it always made us feel just a little fancier than if we went for the standard ranch. To recreate it at home you'll need lots of ketchup, which gets mixed with mayo, vinegar, sugar, and chopped onion.

    Get the recipe for Creamy French Dressing

  • Franch Dressing

    Joshua Bousel

    Can't decide between French or ranch? Just mix equal parts of each to make a dressing with the sugary, ketchup-heavy flavor of French and the herbal notes of ranch. Both dressings are fairly tangy, so the combination definitely has a kick to it.

    Get the recipe for Franch Dressing
    Continue to 9 of 11 below.

  • Classic Green Goddess Dressing

    J. Kenji López-Alt

    Before ranch, the go-to creamy salad dressing was green goddess. I tend to prefer it because of its intensely herbal character (which comes from tarragon, chervil, and chives) and slight Caesar flavor (which comes from anchovies). We start the dressing with homemade mayo, but perk it up with Greek yogurt.

    Get the recipe for Classic Green Goddess Dressing

  • Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

    Vicky Wasik

    This dressing walks the line between a vinaigrette and a dairy-based dressing—we start with a base of lemon syrup and mix in oil, lemon juice, and just enough buttermilk to make it creamy without weighing it down. Look for good, minimally processed poppy seeds, which have much more flavor than the standard supermarket varieties.

    Get the recipe for Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

  • Blue Cheese Dressing

    20170822-blue-cheese-dressing-vicky-wasik.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    Ranch isn't the only buttermilk dressing around—for a steakhouse-style wedge salad, you can't forget blue cheese. Our recipe mixes the cheese with equal parts mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk. We love the combo of funky cheese and tangy buttermilk.

    Get the recipe for Blue Cheese Dressing

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