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January 25, 2021 American

Three Salad Dressings You’ll Need In Your Kitchen

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A jar of homemade salad dressing will come in handy when you want to quickly whip up a salad or meat marinade. Here’s how to make salad dressings 3 ways, with ideas on what salads to make, and how to store them!

Don’t underestimate the good old salad dressing. Boring veggies SPRING to life when you drizzle some dressing on top! This post is about 3 of my favourite salad dressing recipes in the world. They are all made with fresh ingredients and literally come together in minutes. While there are a thousand brands out there that sell packaged salad dressing, I like to keep my cooking fresh and preservatives-free.

Watch How to Make Healthy Salad Dressings Recipe Video

Making a well-balanced dressing can be challenging when you’re dealing with ingredients like vinegars and olive oil. Too much or too less of any ingredient can make or break the salad. It’s so important to get the proportions right so the salad tastes like you want it to! And that’s why these trusty salad dressing recipes will come in handy. We did multiple trials of these recipes and zeroed in on the best ratios. So chill, we’ve got your back for those healthy salad days!

Herb Vinaigrette

Herb vinaigrette in a jar with a spoon being taken out

This herby vinaigrette is lush green in colour and so piquant. You’ll smell strong notes of basil and mint mixed with sharp pungency from the garlic and a familiar nuttiness from the walnuts. It’s almost kinda like a good pesto sauce for salads! The basil herb vinaigrette should be chunky and flavourful. It’s important to blend the ingredients well together. We’ve added the olive oil into the food processor in a steady trickle and that’s how the dressing emulsifies. 

This herb vinaigrette tastes great with:

  • Heirloom Tomato Salad
  • Pasta Salad with Tomato, Arugula and Pine Nuts
Herb vinaigrette in a jar with a spoon being taken out

Herb Vinaigrette

Herby, zesty and really fresh, this vinaigrette is super simple to make in a blender or food processor and goes well with whole grain or noodle salads
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Course: Dips, Dressings & Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: herb vinaigrette
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 103kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Herbs I used ¾ cup Basil and ¼ cup Mint
  • 5 – 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 – 3 Walnuts optional
  • 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Add everything except the oil to a blender and blend till smooth.
  • Add the oil in a trickle and while continuing to blend the ingredients. Turn off the blender once all the dressing has emulsified.

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 843IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Creamy Peanut Salad Dressing

Thai Peanut sauce in a jar with a spoon being taken out

Looking for an unconventional way to make boring veggies super yummy? Grab some peanut butter! We made an Asian-ish creamy peanut salad dressing with a rather unconventional mix of ingredients. And we promise it is DELISH. This is one of those rare salad dressings that’s simmered on the stove until all the ingredients come together. You’ll get a creamy, flavourful salad dressing in all it’s peanutty glory! We’ve used smooth peanut butter for this recipe, but you can use the chunky version if you want to. This peanut sauce gets its acidity from rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. We added honey and sriracha for contrasting notes of sweet and hot. The minced ginger will make you thank Mother Nature for her gifts. And the toasted sesame oil brings everything together. Whisk this mixture while it simmers to avoid any lumps!

Try this peanut salad dressing with:

  • Crunchy Thai salad
  • Quinoa Salad with Veggies
Thai Peanut sauce in a jar with a spoon being taken out

Peanut Sauce Salad Dressing

Thai style Peanut Sauce Salad Dressing is creamy with a ton of umami. This doubles up as a dip and you'll want to use it on everything!
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Course: Dips, Dressings & Sauces
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: peanut sauce salad dressing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 56kcal

Ingredients

  • ¼ Cup Peanut Butter Chunky or Smooth
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 2 Teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon Honey
  • 1 Teaspoon Sriracha
  • 1 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
  • ½ Teaspoon Ginger finely chopped
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Cup Water

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and stir to combine. Heat on medium heat till it comes to a boil while stirring occasionally.
  • Reduce the heat to low and then simmer for 2-3 minutes till the dressing thickens. Remove from flame and allow it to cool before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Honey Mustard Dressing

Honey mustard in a jar with a spoon being taken out

I did say simple salad dressing recipes, didn’t I? Okay, grab a jar. Throw in the ingredients for the honey mustard dressing. Close the lid. And…. Shake shake shake it! That’s literally all it takes to make honey mustard dressing. It’s recipes like these that make me fall in love with food all over again! Because of its colour, this salad dressing is also called the Sunshine Salad Dressing! Honey mustard is a classic combination and we love it too. We’ve used apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar in this recipe for a balance of sweet, tangy and acidic flavours. Follow the measurements given in the recipe so that the dressing is well-balanced. I make this in a jar and store it in the same jar. You could also use a bowl and whisk to bring this dressing together. If you choose to do that, drizzle the olive oil in a steady stream to help the dressing emulsify.

This honey mustard salad dressing goes well with:

  • Lettuce, tomatoes, and olive salad
  • Chicken salad with cucumber and Red peppers
Honey mustard in a jar with a spoon being taken out

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

With this Honey Mustard Salad Dressing recipe, you'll never go wrong! It's a delicious blend that has the perfect pairing of honey and mustard combined with apple cider and balsamic vinegar.
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Course: Dips, Dressings & Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: honey mustard salad dressing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 88kcal

Ingredients

  • ¼ Cup Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Teaspoons Honey
  • 2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ½ Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon Pepper

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a jar and tightly close the lid. Shake vigorously until all the ingredients have combined.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

How To Store A Salad Dressing

The best way to store a salad dressing is to put it in an airtight container in the refrigerator so it remains fresh. I usually make a batch enough for 2-3 batches of salad and finish it off within a week. But the honey mustard and peanut sauce dressing last a month in the fridge. The herb vinaigrette should be used within a week because the fresh herbs may start spoiling.

Loved these salad dressing recipes? Let us know in the comments below!

More Healthy Salad Recipes You Must Try:

  • Lemon Dill Potato Salad
  • Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
  • Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
  • Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad
  • Creamy Apple Broccoli Walnut Salad
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Comments

  1. How to Build a Healthier Salad - My Food Story says

    July 22, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    […] or balsamic vinaigrettes or even a squirt of lemon juice with some olive oil. I have three great salad dressings for […

    Reply
    • Indu Peter says

      April 23, 2019 at 6:06 pm

      Any substitute for balsemic vinegar??

      Reply
      • Richa says

        April 25, 2019 at 11:19 am

        Balsamic vinegar has a distinct flavour and texture. Unfortunately, it can’t be substituted with any other vinegar

        Reply
  2. Richa Gupta says

    April 17, 2015 at 1:50 pm

    Hey A. They’ve never lasted for more than a week in my refrigerator. But I think they should be good for two weeks or so if stored in a sealed jar.

    Reply
  3. A says

    April 17, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    Hi,
    All three dressings seem really yummy, especially the herb one. Was just wondering, how long would they keep for in the fridge?

    Reply

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Meet Richa

I’m Richa, the cook, writer and photographer behind this little blog. I’ve grown up in the kitchen along side my mum and grandmothers and conversations in my family are always about the next meal. I’ve picked up their love for food along the way, and with this blog, I share my food story with you. I live in Bangalore, India with my husband Denver, who looks after the tech behind the blog, and happily samples everything you see on it! Read More…

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