20 essential salad dressings – from my back pocket into yours!
Clockwise from top left: Pea Cabbage Mint and Parmesan Salad, Asian Vermicelli Noodle Salad, Green Goddess Dressing (recipe below), Coleslaw dressing (recipe below), Mrs Brodie’s Potato Salad, French Vinaigrette (recipe below)
This is a handy quick reference for 20 Essential Salad Dressings – all simple ones. Unless otherwise indicated, simply combine the ingredients in a jar and shake well, or mix in a small bowl. Hope you find it handy!
Classic Vinaigrettes
1. Simple Lemon
Makes 1/2 cup
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper
2. Classic Balsamic Vinegar
Makes 1/2 cup
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper
3. Zesty Sherry Vinaigrette
Makes 1/2 cup
1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
Zest of half a lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp caster sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and pepper
4. Alton Brown’s Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing
Makes 2/3 cup
5 tbsp honey
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar*
*Make sure you use rice wine vinegar, not rice vinegar
5. Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes 1/3 cup
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
6. Red Wine Vinaigrette
Makes 1/3 cup
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar (or honey)
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Around the World
7. French Vinaigrette
Makes 1/2 cup
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp white wine, sherry or red wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
Black pepper
8. Greek Salad Dressing
Makes 1/2 cup
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper
9. Italian Dressing
Makes 1/2 cup
1/3 cup olive oil
3 1/2 tbsp vinegar (any)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp fresh or dried herbs: oregano, parsley, basil*
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (or other hard cheese)*
*Optional
10. Asian Style Dressing
Makes 1/3 cup
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar^
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any other neutral oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 birds eye chilli, finely minced*
*Optional
^Make sure you use rice wine vinegar, or rice vinegar NOT rice wine (which has alcohol in it!)
11. Thai
Makes 3/4 cup
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
6 tbsp lime juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 fresh red birds eye chilli, seeded and finely minced
Creamy Dressings
12. Green Goddess Dressing
Makes about 3/4 cup.
1/4 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (loosely packed)
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 anchovy fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend until smooth. Optional: strain to make it ultra smooth.
13. Classic Coleslaw
Makes 1/2 cup
1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably whole egg
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yoghurt
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
14. Classic Potato Salad
Makes 2/3 cups
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tbsp horseradish cream* (or horseradish relish)
Salt and pepper
*Optional
15. Caesar Salad
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1 garlic clove, minced
2 anchovy fillets, very finely minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably whole egg
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Milk, to adjust consistency
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper
Blend until smooth.
16. Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
Makes 1/3 cup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
17. Ranch Dressing
Makes 2 cups
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk*
1 tbsp lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 small garlic clove (or half of 1 large clove), minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives, mint, and/or Italian parsley
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
* If you don’t have buttermilk just add 1/2 tsp to 2 tbsp milk
18. Thousand Island Dressing
Makes 3/4 cup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp white onion, finely minced
1/8 tsp salt
Black pepper
19. Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes 1 cup
100g/3.5oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper
20. Feta Dressing
Makes 3/4 cups
100g/3.5oz feta cheese
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup milk (or water)
1 tsp finely-chopped fresh oregano (or thyme)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mash feta with olive oil and lemon juice until fairly smooth. Add other ingredients and mix until smooth. Season to taste – different types of feta have different saltiness. Adjust consistency as required with milk or water.
Simple delicious and healthy too.Great contribution
for food lovers.
Keep it up!
Mane Kancor
Since I started cooking from your site I stopped buying salad dressings- no need. Your salad dressing recipes are so delicious and easy!
I’ve just made your blue cheese sauce and wow!! It is so delicious, I’m never buying from a bottle again. Thank you Nagi.
Simple delicious and healthy too.Great contribution
for food lovers.
Keep it up!
Mane Kancor
Hi Nagi, love your dressings and all recipes in general!
What is the shelf life for the vinaigrettes?
Hi Navi,
I love your recipes I have made in the past week. Singapore Crab OMG
Roast duck Yummmm
Roast chicken so juicy
And today going for the Asian Crispy Pork Belly
Thank you love your site so well put together and no recipe fails 🌟
Cheers
Ruth
Great to have all this deliciousness in the one place 🙂 so I can try to get my family to eat salads
(17. Think lemon is the missing word)
Thanks Julie! N x
I have made several of these dressings. All were easy, tasty and pretty much pantry and fridge pulls.
Because of you I have bought the large Dijon mustard jar (used to keep only a small jar on hand), a brick of parmesan that I grate as needed (yes I used to buy the packaged pre grated stuff) and did some research on good quality olive oil. Nothing has gone to waste.
Nagi, do you (or anyone who sees my comment!) have a favorite storage container for these homemade salad dressings? So far I’ve made your caesar, blue cheese and thousand island…delicious!!
Hi Janell – I usually just keep the in the jar I’ve mixed them in. Perfect solution! – Nx
Just made the yogurt potato salad dressing. Recipe made 2 cups. ohoh. Can I freeze it. Just me living on my own. Going to taste now and later 🙂 tyvm
Hi Darlene, yes you can freeze 🙂 N x
I made the Caramel Slice today, totally scrumptious!
Thanks Nagi.
I’m so glad you loved it Liz 🙂
Nagi. Great list. I’ve made several and all were good. I think one of my favorites which you don’t have listed is the dressing for the Mexican grilled chicken salad. Lime? So yum.
*Head smack!* Gosh this list needs a major update, thanks for the reminder Steven! N xx
Made a lovely roast veg salad with 2 types sweet potato, normal potato, carrots then added baby spinach and chopped toasted walnuts and dressed with the creamy honey mustard dressing. Yummy!
That sounds amazing! YUM!
Dressing really makes a salad, doesn’t it? 😀 Thanks for the ideas.
Absolutely!!!
New to this site and I can’t wait to try some of these recipes.
Hi Toni! Welcome to my blog, I do hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for all these great dressings in one place. I cannot get enough of the Ceasar dressing. I’ve been searching for meals to use it with; leftover steak becomes steak ceasar salad for lunch, chicken the same, etc. I use the Thousand Island without the relish added to top burgers. I really have no knife skills so I immersion blend everything. Oh, and I double the amount of garlic, because…. garlic! Thanks again.
I’m so glad you that find this useful! I am in love with Ceasar dressing too….oh boy, I can use it on everything too!! And same as Thousand Island…I use it as a dip for veggie sticks!
I love the idea of all different dressings to try. I noticed there was a free book offer but I accidentally hit the delete button. Can I still get a copy?
Hi there! Of course you can! Just join my mail list (on the sidebar) and when you confirm your sign up you’ll get the free cookbook. 🙂
What a list! We will be trying all of the dressings. I appreciate your work! What an enjoyable Website!
Thank you Denise! That’s so kind of you!!
I’m TOTALLY saving this! I like how all these dressings are VERY simple to make. It’s a very good page to bookmark, Nagi!
Thanks Nami! I’m glad you find this useful! No Japanese ones on there 🙁 Come to think of it, I don’t know any “go to” Japanese salad dressings! they’re all pretty much recipe specific.