10+ Salad Dressing Recipes to Brighten Up Every Meal

Making your own salad dressing is a quick way to add fresh flavor to your meals. Homemade dressings let you control the ingredients and customize the taste to match your salad perfectly.

You don’t need fancy tools or hard-to-find ingredients to make a tasty dressing. With just a few basics, you can whip up different dressings that keep salads interesting.

---

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mustard (optional)
• Garlic or garlic powder (optional)
• Herbs like oregano or basil (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Measure out olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Whisk everything together until well combined.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning if you like.
5. Use right away or stash in the fridge for up to a week.

1) Classic Lemon Vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard

This lemon vinaigrette is super simple and fresh. It adds a bright, tangy flavor that doesn’t overpower your salad.

You’ll blend olive oil with fresh lemon juice for a light base. Dijon mustard helps everything mix and brings a little zing.

A touch of garlic makes it savory and tasty. Try it on leafy greens, roasted veggies, or even as a marinade.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a bowl.
2. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking to help it emulsify.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Taste and tweak the lemon or seasoning if you want.
5. Use right away or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For more details, check this lemon vinaigrette recipe.

2) Balsamic Honey Mustard Dressing with white balsamic, honey, Dijon, olive oil

This dressing is easy and tasty. You get a sweet hit from honey and a tang from white balsamic vinegar.

Dijon mustard gives it a little kick. Olive oil makes it smooth and rich.

Just shake everything in a jar and you’re set. Adjust the honey or mustard to your liking.

It stores well in the fridge for up to a week.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Add white balsamic vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to a jar.
2. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the olive oil.
4. Shake it all up until smooth.
5. Use right away or chill in the fridge.

3) Garlic Tahini Dressing blending tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil

This garlic tahini dressing is creamy and full of fresh flavor. You blend tahini with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil for a smooth, tangy sauce.

The garlic adds a punch, and lemon juice brings a bright, zesty taste. Olive oil makes it silky.

Adjust the garlic or lemon juice to your taste. It comes together fast and needs just a few minutes to mix.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup tahini
• 1 tablespoon garlic (fresh minced or garlic powder)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions:

1. Combine tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl or blender.
2. Mix or blend until it’s smooth and creamy.
3. Stir in the salt.
4. Taste and tweak the lemon or garlic if you want.
5. Serve right away or chill for later.

4) Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey

This apple cider vinegar dressing is quick and fresh. You get tang from the vinegar and sweetness from the honey, while olive oil makes it rich.

It’s great for green salads or drizzling on roasted veggies. Adjust the honey for more sweetness or tartness.

Just whisk everything together until it’s mixed. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons water (optional, to thin)

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Slowly add olive oil while whisking.
3. Add water if you want it thinner, and whisk again.
4. Taste and adjust salt or honey.
5. Store in a jar and shake before using.

More details at Food.com’s apple cider vinegar and honey vinaigrette recipe.

5) Cilantro Lime Dressing with fresh cilantro, lime juice, olive oil

This dressing is bright and fresh, perfect for salads or as a sauce for grilled veggies and meats. Fresh cilantro and lime juice give it a tangy, herbal flavor that wakes up any dish.

Olive oil balances the acidity and adds a smooth texture. You can blend it all in a blender or food processor.

Add a little honey if you want sweetness, or toss in garlic or jalapeño for more kick. It keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Shake it before each use since the oil and lime juice will separate.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (about 3/4 cup chopped)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic clove (optional)
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash and roughly chop cilantro.
2. Add cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, garlic (if using), and honey to a blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Taste and add salt if you need it.
5. Store in a jar in the fridge. Shake before using.

For more ideas, check this cilantro lime dressing recipe.

6) Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard

This balsamic vinaigrette is easy and adds a tangy, rich flavor to your salads. Just combine balsamic vinegar with olive oil and a bit of mustard for a smooth, balanced dressing.

The mustard helps everything blend, so your dressing stays mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a touch of honey if you want it sweeter.

Whisk it all together until it looks creamy. This vinaigrette works on greens, roasted veggies, or as a light marinade.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Pour balsamic vinegar into a small bowl.
2. Add Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Whisk in olive oil slowly until it’s smooth.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Serve right away or store in the fridge for up to a week.

For more, check this Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe.

7) Lemon Basil Vinaigrette combining fresh lemon juice, basil, olive oil

This lemon basil vinaigrette is fresh and simple. It combines bright lemon juice with fragrant basil leaves for a light, tasty dressing.

Olive oil adds smoothness and a healthy fat boost. You can toss this vinaigrette on mixed greens, pasta salads, or grilled vegetables.

It works as a marinade too. The flavor is bright and a little tangy, with a touch of herbiness.

Mix the lemon juice and chopped basil with olive oil. A bit of garlic and salt bring out the taste.

Adding Dijon mustard can help it blend and add mild flavor.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
2. Slowly add olive oil while whisking.
3. Stir in chopped basil, garlic, and salt.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Use right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

8) Creamy Caesar Dressing with anchovies, garlic, Parmesan, mayo

You can make a rich and creamy Caesar dressing with simple ingredients. Anchovies give it a salty, flavorful kick.

Garlic adds a nice bite, while Parmesan cheese brings cheesy depth. Mayonnaise makes a smooth, thick base for everything to blend.

A little lemon juice brightens the flavor. This dressing works great on salads or as a dip for veggies.

Whisk the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, and mustard first. Then mix in mayo and Parmesan until it’s smooth.

Add black pepper to taste.

Ingredients

• 2 anchovy fillets or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl.
2. Stir in mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese.
3. Add black pepper.
4. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

9) Maple Dijon Dressing with stone ground mustard, maple syrup, olive oil

Maple Dijon Dressing brings together the spicy bite of stone ground mustard and the mellow sweetness of maple syrup. It’s smooth, a little tangy, and honestly, it just makes salads more interesting.

Whisk everything until it comes together. Olive oil gives it that creamy feel and helps it cling to your greens.

This one’s great for green salads, roasted vegetables, or even grilled chicken if you’re feeling adventurous.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons stone ground mustard
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• Sea salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss mustard, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Pour in olive oil slowly while whisking—don’t rush it.
3. Add pepper and salt.
4. Keep whisking until it’s all smooth, then pour over your salad.

Want more ideas? Here’s a Maple Mustard Vinaigrette recipe.

10) Simple Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt

This one’s about as straightforward as it gets. Just three ingredients—nothing fancy.

Red wine vinegar gives it a sharp kick, and olive oil smooths things out. A little salt, and you’re good.

Drizzle it over any salad for a crisp, tangy flavor. Sometimes simple really is better.

You can whisk it up or just shake everything in a jar. Tweak the vinegar or oil if you want it more tart or mellow.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Pour red wine vinegar into a bowl and sprinkle in the salt.

2. Grab a whisk and slowly drizzle olive oil into the bowl as you mix.

3. Give it a taste. Add a little more salt if it needs it.

4. You can use the vinaigrette right away, or stash it in the fridge for up to a week.

For more tips, check out red wine vinaigrette.