Bright and colourful, these homemade salad dressing recipes will help you create delicious salads. Make them over the weekend and store them in the fridge. Enjoy a variety of salads throughout the week.
Eating healthy salads every day is a big challenge. And a larger challenge is how to make a variety of tasty salad dressings at home from scratch.
We have got for you the best tried and tested salad dressing recipes that you can use in a million creative ways including these 20+ Best Salad Recipes .
Here are the REASONS TO LOVE Homemade Dressing:
- easy to make in small batches
- made with quality ingredients
- gluten and preservative-free
- no artificial flavour or colour
- highly customizable
- meal-prep friendly
I think homemade salad dressings are better any day than store-bought ones.
The Essentials For Salad Dressing
- Clean and dry jars with a tight-fitting lid. I try to use glass jars that are easy to carry and can be stored in the fridge.
- A good quality extra virgin olive oil . Do not compromise on the olive oil’s quality while dressing at home.
- Loads of fresh herbs. If you are looking for a flavoursome salad dressing, keep fresh herbs handy while making them.
- Freshly crushed pepper . The powdered black pepper is a big NO for salad dressings. Try to use crushed pepper for a better taste and texture.
- Measuring cups and spoons . You need to be accurate with the quantity of the ingredients. It is best to measure each ingredient precisely for the best salad dressing.
My Best Salad Dressing Recipes
- Classic Vinaigrette – It is one of the basic salad dressing recipes. So simple to prepare, perfect for light and hearty salads. Good quality olive oil and vinegar are the key ingredients for a perfect vinaigrette.
Add the precise olive oil and vinegar for the right texture and balanced flavour.
The classic vinaigrette is naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
Use Classic Vinaigrette:
- Fruit Salad
- Lentil Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Fattoush Salad
- Mixed Beans Salad
- Herbed Potato Salad
- Tropical Pineapple Salad
Ingredients
- ▢ ¾ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ▢ ¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
- ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix, optional
- ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed/grated
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and garlic cloves.
- Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
- Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk the dressing until emulsified nicely.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Shake well before using the dressing.
Recipe Notes:
- If Dijon mustard is not available you can use either yellow mustard or the honey mustard paste for the recipe.
Nutrition
- Italian Dressing: We all need a good Italian dressing recipe. Because it makes any salad so delicious, the creamy texture of the dressing comes from the parmesan cheese.
This is quite a versatile dressing that can be used for pasta salads, Caesar salads, or a simple BLT kind of salad.
I must tell you, this one is not an authentic Italian dressing but a tweaked version of the classic dressing.
You can customize its taste as per your preference by adding fresh herbs, minced shallots, or dried seasoning.
Italian Salad Dressing
Use Italian Dressing:
- Caesar Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ▢ ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- ▢ 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ▢ 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic crushed/grated
- ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix
Instructions
- Whisk mayo, cheese, garlic, and vinegar in a bowl.
- Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
- Add the olive oil and whisk the dressing once again to mix nicely.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Recipe Notes:
- The recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of Italian dressing.
Nutrition
- Asian Dressing: Craving sweet, savoury, and spicy salad. This Asian dressing will satisfy all your umami cravings.
What is so unique about my signature Asian salad dressing? I have added peanut butter to it. And trust me; it takes the flavour of the sauce to another level.
The only tipping point while making this dressing is the amount of salt added. The peanut butter and soy sauce have some tone of saltiness. So add the salt cautiously.
Use Asian Peanut Butter Dressing:
- Crispy Noodle Salad
- Noodle Salad
- Mango Salad
- Thai Salad
Ingredients
- ▢ ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
- ▢ 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ▢ 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 1 clove of garlic crushed/grated
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined and smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Shake the dressing well before pouring over the salad.
Recipe Notes:
- You can add finely chopped red chillies as well in this dressing. This recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of salad dressing.
Nutrition
- Honey Mustard Dressing: Over the years I have been obsessed with honey mustard dressing.
I love to add it to my salads, sandwich filling, and technically anything, that requires the punch of mustard with a dash of sweetness. On many occasions, I serve it with deep-fried snacks as a dipping sauce.
Finally, I am so glad that I have a foolproof honey mustard salad dressing recipe.
Try to use a good quality mustard paste and honey to make this dressing. The quality of ingredients really matters for the taste and texture of the dressing.
Use Honey Mustard Dressing: Dipping Sauce , Meat Marination, Sandwich Dressing
Ingredients
- ▢ ¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
- ▢ ¼ Cup Honey
- ▢ ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ▢ ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ▢ a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
- Pulse until smooth and nicely mixed.
- Transfer to a clean and dry jar.
- Shake well before using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – Ditch the store-bought over-sweetened balsamic vinaigrette and try this super awesome dressing recipe.
It is bold, distinct, and just perfect for robust salads. The better the quality of the balsamic vinegar more flavorsome is the dressing.
All I would suggest, the balsamic vinaigrette flavor gets better with time. Prepare the vinaigrette for at least a few hours before using it. I usually prepare it over the weekend and use it over the next few days.
Use It: Fresh Strawberry Salad, Fruit Salad, Meat Marination, BBQ Marination
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed or grated
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined.
- Keep in the fridge and let flavors mature for atleast 30 minutes.
- Shake well once again before using the dressing.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition
- Green Goddess Dressing: It is one of the coolest, refreshing, and creamiest salad dressing recipes.
My green dressing recipe is loaded with plenty of fresh herbs. Any kind of green herb – mint, kale, parsley, basil, or tarragon can be used to make this vibrant dressing.
My version of green goddess dressing is without any anchovy paste. That makes it a pure vegetarian salad dressing.
Use Green Godess Dressing:
- Dipping Sauce
- Healthy Chana Salad
- Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 Cup fresh coriander leaves
- ▢ ¼ Cup mint leaves
- ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
- ▢ ¾ cup eggless mayonnaise
- ▢ Juice of one lemon
- ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
- ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until you get an evenly smooth dressing, about 30-45 seconds.
- Serve as a dip, or toss with salad greens for a dressing.
- The dressing should last about a week in the fridge.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Classic Vinaigrette Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- wire whisk
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix, optional
- 1 clove garlic crushed/grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and garlic cloves.
- Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
- Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk the dressing until emulsified nicely.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Shake well before using the dressing.
Notes
- If Dijon mustard is not available you can use either yellow mustard or the honey mustard paste for the recipe.
Nutrition
Italian Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic crushed/grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix
Instructions
- Whisk mayo, cheese, garlic, and vinegar in a bowl.
- Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
- Add the olive oil and whisk the dressing once again to mix nicely.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Notes
- The recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of Italian dressing.
Nutrition
Asian Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt to taste
- 1 clove of garlic crushed/grated
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined and smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Shake the dressing well before pouring over the salad.
Notes
- You can add finely chopped red chillies as well in this dressing. This recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of salad dressing.
Nutrition
Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
- ¼ Cup Honey
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
- Pulse until smooth and nicely mixed.
- Transfer to a clean and dry jar.
- Shake well before using.
Notes
Nutrition
Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic crushed or grated
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined.
- Keep in the fridge and let flavors mature for atleast 30 minutes.
- Shake well once again before using the dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
Green Goddess Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cup fresh coriander leaves
- ¼ Cup mint leaves
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¾ cup eggless mayonnaise
- Juice of one lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until you get an evenly smooth dressing, about 30-45 seconds.
- Serve as a dip, or toss with salad greens for a dressing.
- The dressing should last about a week in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Badi Ki Sabji is a Kumaoni-style vegetarian main course dish from Uttarakhand made with dal vadi. I am sharing a family heirloom badi bhaat recipe without onion and tomato.
What is Pahadi Badi?
Badi is a sun-dried, vegetarian lentil nugget. It is known as dal vadi or vadiyan in other Indian local dialects. Vadi is usually pronounced as Badi in the pahadi dialect, and the whole dish, when served with rice, is called Badi – Bhaat (Rice) or Badi Ki Sabji.
The making process of Pahadi badi is very similar to Punjabi vadiyan but with minimal spices and ingredients. Pahadi Badi is more like a sattvic ingredient.
When I asked my mom the reason behind making these lentil nuggets and storing them, she explained during earlier days, life was not so easy in the foothill of the Himalayas.
The natural produce was limited due to harsh weather and confined resources, during the season when lentils are in abundance Pahadi ladies make lentil nuggets, sundry them in the soft winter sun and store it for the coming bad days, that is how making and storing of badi got so popular over the entire Kumaun region.
Over the years it has become a Kumaoni tradition , and every household follows it like a yearly ritual by making a small batch of dal badi every year. Sadly the art is slowly dying. This post is my ode to all the Pahadi ladies who been making badi from years just to keep this tradition alive.
How To Get Pahadi Badi
I have grown up in the era where I have seen my mother and aunts grinding lentil for the badi in stone mortar and pestle for hours and my great grandmother sitting close by to provide her experienced guidance to do it perfectly.
In those days without any food processor my mother used to grind 3 – 4 kgs of lentil, shape them manually into equal size nuggets and then arrange them neatly in giant sized trays. Our only contribution as a kid was to take those giant trays to the terrace for sun drying.
Today I have capitulated to this metro life and do not even dare to make my own batch of Pahadi badi at home. I get my yearly supply of it from my mother. Nowadys, few online portals from Uttarakhand sell them, or you can buy them from local shops during your visit to the region.
Ingredients Required
Pahadi Badi or dried lentil nuggets are the key ingredient of this badi ki sabji. It is vegan, and gluten free. You can make this curry with any other dal vadi also.
Flour: Whole Wheat Flour thickens the curry and gives it a delicious nutty, roasted taste without using onion, ginger, or tomato.
My Special Ingredients : Finely chopped coriander stalks and garlic are my two star ingredients of this badi ki sabji recipe. However, you can skip adding them as the authentic Pahadi badi has non of these two ingredients.
Seasoning: Salt, Cumin Seeds, Chilli Powder, Turmeric
Oil: I prefer the robust taste of mustard oil. You can use either flavourless refined oil or ghee to make badi ki sabji
Water and Coriander Leaves
How To Make
Step 1) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadhai. Fry badi (vadi) over low heat till they become deep brown from all sides. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Step 2) In the same kadhai heat remaining mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, chopped garlic, and coriander stalks. Fry them for 30 – 40 seconds or till garlic is nicely roasted.
Step 3) Add flour, and start roasting it over low heat until it turns light golden and a nutty, roasted aroma is released. Add spices, salt, and stir to combine.
Step 4) Now, slowly add water and from the other hand continuously stir the curry in circular clockwise motion to avoid lump formation.
Step 5) Add fried badi into the curry. Bring the badi ki sabji to a boil over high heat, now let it simmer over low heat for the next 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals. You will notice after sometime the curry is thick, luscious, reduced to half, and a thick layer starts forming on top. That is the signal badi ki sabji is ready.
Add chopped coriander leaves and a tablespoon of ghee (optional). Serve badi bhaat warm.
Serving Suggestion
Badi Ki Sabji is a Kumaoni style main course dish mainly served with plain white rice (bhaat). If you are planning to make a Kumaoni thali, then serve Pahadi Badi Ki Sabji with rice, arhar dal fry , local radish salad and loads of ghee on the side.
Store leftover badi curry in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. While reheating add little water as with time the consistency of the curry thickens.
More Pahadi Kumaoni Recipes
- Mooli Ki Jholi
- Aloo Ke Gutke
- Kheere Ka Raita
- Kumaoni Dal Bada
- Pahadi Aloo Paani
- Pahadi Gahat Ki Dal
- Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
- ▢ 8 dried Pahadi badi (vadi)
- ▢ 6 tablespoon mustard oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (optional)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander stalks
- ▢ 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour (gehun atta)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ 3 Cup water
- ▢ 2 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadhai. Fry badi (vadi) over low heat till they become deep brown from all sides. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- In the same kadhai heat remaining mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, chopped garlic, and coriander stalks. Fry them for 30 – 40 seconds or till garlic is nicely roasted.
- Add flour, and start roasting it over low heat until it turns light golden and a nutty, roasted aroma is released. Add spices, salt, and stir to combine.
- Now, slowly add water and from the other hand continuously stir the curry in circular clockwise motion to avoid lump formation.
- Add fried badi into the curry.
- Bring the badi ki sabji to a boil over high heat, now let it simmer over low heat for the next 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals. You will notice after sometime the curry is thick, luscious, reduced to half, and a thick layer starts forming on top. That is the signal badi ki sabji is ready.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and a tablespoon of ghee (optional).
- Serve badi bhaat warm for lunch.
Recipe Notes:
- Do not fry badi over high heat. They will turn golden from outside and remain uncooked from inside.
- Do not rush the process of frying flour. It is a key step of the recipe. Fry over low heat, and stir it continuously to avoid burning of the flour.
- Adding garlic is optional. In the original recipe of my family, there is no garlic. But I like the taste of it in my badi ki sabji.
Nutrition
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