Fresh and flavorful, these healthy salad dressings are so easy to make with simple ingredients! From sweet to tangy, these homemade salad dressings only take a few minutes to whip up. Perfect for salads but also for grain bowls or drizzled over protein, you won’t want to buy store-bought dressing after giving these six healthy salad dressings a try!
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There’s nothing better than homemade salad dressing. I find them tastier, and I love how fresh and bright they taste from scratch. They amp up the flavor and take your salads to the next level. Even better, they’re not just for salads, you can drizzle them over grain bowls, pasta, proteins, and more. I especially love dressings over grilled chicken breasts.
While store-bought salad dressings are convenient, I find that I rarely ever finish a whole bottle, and then it just ends up at the back of the fridge until the end of time.
It’s always a little disappointing because salad dressings with high-quality ingredients tend to be on the pricier side. So it feels wasteful when I don’t use the entire bottle! That’s why I love making homemade salad dressings. You can make just enough for your meal or the next couple of meals instead of having to hold onto a giant bottle!
Have I convinced you yet? Are you asking yourself how to make healthy salad dressings at home? Well, these dressings come together so easily that you don’t have to be a pro in the kitchen to whip these up.
Ingredients to Make Healthy Salad Dressings
- oil — this is usually the base of the dressing and provides richness and texture as it’s the (healthy) fat source that is a must for dressings. Popular healthy choices include olive oil and avocado oil.
- acid — there are a few options for the acid in salad dressing. You can use balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or, my favorite, lemon juice.
- sweetener — my go-to sweetener for salad dressing is maple syrup but you can also use honey.
- add-ins — this is the part where you can get creative! From fresh to dried herbs, fruit, condiments such as mustard or mayonnaise, spices, and more!
Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings
With the perfect balance of sweetness and sharpness, this maple dijon vinaigrette comes together with just 5 ingredients.
- Dijon mustard
- maple syrup
- apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
- olive or avocado oil
You will love the bright, fresh flavors in this tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette! All you have to do is add everything in a food processor and you’ll have this dressing ready in no time.
- cilantro
- lime juice
- garlic
- maple syrup
- salt and pepper
- olive or avocado oil
The tartness of the lemon juice pairs so delightfully with the sharpness of Dijon in this lemon Dijon dressing. It’ll instantly brighten up any meal you add this dressing to.
- lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- honey
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- olive or avocado oil
Make Ahead Tips
- These homemade healthy salad dressings will keep in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’s normal for vinaigrettes to separate in the fridge. Simply give it a shake before you use it.
- If solidified in the fridge. Let the vinaigrette sit out at room temperature for around 30 minutes before using it so it comes back to room temperature, or place it in a warm water bath.
Frequently Asked Questions
A vinaigrette is a type of salad dressing that is made by mixing together oil and an acid such as vinegar or citrus juice.
Vinaigrettes are technically temporary emulsions, meaning while you can whisk them together, they’ll separate eventually. But not to worry, you can give them a good shake or whisk to mix them together again before using.
Standard store-bought salad dressings are usually made with some sort of additives or emulsifying agents to keep the vinaigrette from separating. These healthy homemade salad dressings don’t have these add-ins, so it’s normal for them to separate.
If you use high-quality olive oil, it will solidify in the fridge. This is completely normal, so don’t worry!
Salads To Try
Want some salad recipes to serve with these salad dressings? Try these ones:
Healthy Salad Dressings
Fresh and flavorful, these healthy salad dressings are so easy to make with simple ingredients! From sweet to tangy, these homemade salad dressings only take a few minutes to whip up. Perfect for salads but also for grain bowls or drizzled over protein, you won’t want to buy store-bought dressing after giving these six healthy salad dressings a try!
Servings: 8 tablespoons (approx)
Ingredients
To Make it Creamy (one of the other):
- 1 avocado
- 2 to 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Instructions
-
To a food processor, add the basil, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil. Blend it until well combined and smooth. Add either the avocado or Greek yogurt to the food processor if you’d like for a creamy healthy salad dressing.
-
Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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