15 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes to Spice up Your Veggies
Find your new homemade vinaigrette with just a few ingredients!
Healthy salad dressings can make a huge difference when it comes to enjoying your veggies. Sure, we love a sweet, tender green leaf all on its own, but a drizzle of tangy vinaigrette makes everything pop. Just like a squeeze of lemon adds brightness to a piece of fish or a few drops of olive oil add richness to a soup, salad dressing offers both flavor and texture to an otherwise plain bowl of greens.
Made with fresh ingredients and zero added preservatives or artificial flavorings, homemade salad dressing will be healthier and taste fresher than bottles you'll find at the store. It can also be a cost-effective way to enjoy salads, utilizing inexpensive ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry (such as garlic and olive oil). Plus, back-pocket salad dressing recipes can improve the taste of your veggies year-round. Embrace spring produce with a light vinaigrette that won't overpower tender greens, use up an abundance of summer crops in a big salad (great for a summer BBQ!) and make a holiday-worthy salad in the winter by drizzling on a delicious dressing.
If you're used to serving or ordering dressing on the side because you're not sure what kind of oily liquid you're going to get, you're in for zesty treat. Introducing the best salad dressings for your salads, yes, but also for grain bowls, roasted veggies and beyond.
Creamy Berry Poppy Seed Dressing
This sweet and tangy dressing uses Greek yogurt for a protein-packed, creamy texture.
Get the Creamy Berry Poppy Seed Dressing recipe.
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Pesto Vinaigrette
Doctor up store-bought pesto with fresh lemon juice for a flavor-packed dressing. It's perfect on this simple escarole and scallop salad.
Get the Pesto Vinaigrette recipe.
Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette
Agave provides a touch of sweetness to balance the heat from the jalapeños — and keeps this recipe vegan.
Get the Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette recipe.
Italian Dressing
The oregano-flecked dressing does double duty here: Both as a marinade for the chicken and a seasoning for the greens.
Get the Italian Dressing recipe.
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Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
Avocado provides plenty of creamy richness in this dairy-free dressing. No mayo or sour cream required!
Get the Vegan Green Goddess Dressing recipe.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Without added oils or preservatives, ranch dressing is healthier when it's homemade. Use it up in a slaw or on a super-fresh shrimp roll.
Get the Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe.
Vegan Caesar Dressing
Nutritional yeast gives a salty, umami kick to vegan Caesar dressing (no Parm needed!).
Get the Vegan Caesar Dressing recipe.
Apricot Vinaigrette
If you love dried fruit in your salads, just wait 'til you try it in a dressing. The vinegar rehydrates the fruit and gives it a sweet-tangy bite.
Get the Apricot Vinaigrette recipe.
Ginger-Curry Yogurt Dressing
A pinch of curry powder goes a long way in flavoring this yogurt-based dressing. It works equally as well on grilled meats as it does on your favorite veg.
Get the Ginger-Curry Yogurt Dressing recipe.
Feta Vinaigrette
There are very few ingredients you can't put in a salad dressing. Throw in creamy, salty feta cheese for a texture and flavor boost.
Get the Feta Vinaigrette recipe.
RELATED: 56 Healthy Sides Dishes That Are Filled With Delicious Veggies
Homestyle Italian Dressing
Made with oil, vinegar, garlic and spices, this is a great house dressing to have on hand. Use your blender to quickly whip up a batch.
Get the Homestyle Italian Dressing recipe.
Horseradish Vinaigrette
Prepared horseradish provides a pungent, spicy flavor boost. Greens have never tasted so good!
Get the Horseradish Vinaigrette recipe.
Herbed Tomato Vinaigrette
Don't let tomatoes go to waste. Make them last longer (and create a delicious condiment) by tossing them with oil, vinegar and aromatics.
Get the Herbed Tomato Vinaigrette recipe.
Chorizo Vinaigrette
Deglaze the pan after cooking chorizo with sherry vinegar for a spoonable vinaigrette that stars the spicy sausage.
Get the Chorizo Vinaigrette recipe.
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Unlike store-bought berry dressings that can be full of sugar, this one is only sweetened with real, fresh raspberries.
Get the Raspberry Vinaigrette recipe.
Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
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