6 Staple Summer Salad Dressings

Once the warmer temperatures hit all I want is fresh fruit and summer salads…and even fresh fruit on my summer salads!

Homemade salads dressings deserve some attention. Many people think they are time consuming or hard to get the ratios down to make the perfect dressing but I’ll let you in on my tips and tricks.

The formula for a delicious vinaigrette salad dressing every single time.

Now if you’re anything like me and hate math too, it’s ok this formula is easy!

1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. That’s it!

Now the vinegar is an acid so it can be anything from red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar.

Sometimes I also do a little lemon juice but instead of swapping out the vinegar entirely for the lemon juice I’ll just supplement the vinegar with lemon juice, adding to the flavor.

Once you get the base down, you can start to add on herbs and seasonings. (Don’t forget the salt and pepper!).

I’ll guide you through 6 of my favorite salad dressings below.

6 Staple Summer Salad Dressings

1. Healthy and Easy Caesar
2. Jalapeño Honey Mustard
3. Mediterranean/Greek
4. Healthy Ranch
5. Lemon Poppyseed
6. Raspberry Vinaigrette

A salad dressing for everyone:

One perk of making your salad dressings at home is being in total control over the ingredients.

Nowadays I come in contact with a variety of people who are gluten free, vegan, trying to reduce added sugars, etc. and I’m a supporter of whatever lifestyle you choose and want to provide recipes for you!

Even the pickiest of eaters will find a salad dressing below that they love. Let me tell you a story…

Before I met my husband (10+ years ago) he told me he never ate salads. He grew up on meat and potatoes and just never liked salads – they were boring and bland to him.

Enter: Me.

I was able to open his eyes (and taste buds) to the magic of salads and how they aren’t “just for Dietitians” or “just for really healthy people.” He now REQUESTS salads and loves a variety of salads…and dressings!

Which dressing should I try first?!

If I had to pick a favorite salad dressing…I don’t know how I would. They are all so different in flavor and all contain fresh, recognizable ingredients so it’s hard to pick just one! A good starting place is the lemon poppyseed though!

What will I need to make homemade salad dressings?

My favorite thing about the 6 Staple Salad dressings is that all you need is a bowl or a mason jar, toss all ingredients in and whisk (or shake) until well-blended! (Pro tip: Grab your mason jars at the dollar store – cheap and perfect for lunches!).

The Raspberry vinaigrette is the only dressing below that you will need a food processor or blender for. (*Note: you can make any dressing in the food processor if you’d like a more smooth consistency).

Once you make your dressings, allow them to sit in the fridge for 15 min – 1 hour so the flavors can marinate! Perfect for meal prepping.

How long do these dressing last in the refrigerator?

Each recipe for the summer salad dressings below makes ~1 cup – the perfect amount to last a few days or throughout the week!

Since these dressing aren’t made with preservatives like the store bought dressings, you can keep the Ranch and Caesar for 1 week and the other vinaigrette based dressing for up to 2 weeks.

Let’s get to it!

Caesar Dressing

Caesar Dressing isn’t something you just have to enjoy out at a restaurant. It is easily made at home and you’ll love my version made with Greek yogurt!

What you’ll need for Caesar dressing:

• Greek yogurt, plain
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Anchovy paste
• Dijon Mustard
• Garlic
• Worcestershire
• Salt & Pepper

How to make homemade Caesar dressing:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl!  Add a touch more olive oil if needed to get the desired consistency. Store in fridge in a mason jar or air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.

Mediterranean Vinaigrette

This Mediterranean Vinaigrette is so good you’re going to want to eat it by the spoonful! I’ll give you options on how to make it with fresh herbs and dried herbs and vegan options as well!

What you’ll need to make a Mediterranean/Greek Vinaigrette:

• Red Wine Vinegar
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Basil (fresh or dried)
• Oregano (fresh or dried)
• Feta (optional, leave out if vegan)
• Lemon Juice
• Salt and pepper
• Want to make it a creamy dressing? Whisk in 3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt!

How to make homemade Mediterranean Vinaigrette:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl!  Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is a family favorite and our go to salad dressing, especially over summer. It’s incredible on salads and always a crowd pleaser!

What you’ll need to make lemon poppyseed dressing:

• Poppyseeds
• Lemon Juice
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Honey
• Dijon Mustard
• Salt

How to make lemon poppyseed dressing:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Store in jar or container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Raspberry Vinaigrette is a vibrant, refined sugar free and refreshing salad dressing. It can also be made with fresh or frozen raspberries!

What you’ll need to make raspberry vinaigrette:

• Raspberries
• Olive Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Honey
• Fresh basil
• Shallot
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and Pepper

How to make raspberry vinaigrette:

In a food processor or blender, process all ingredients until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Store in a mason jar or airtight container for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.

Healthy Ranch Dressing

Healthy Ranch Dressing is made with Greek yogurt, fresh herbs and it way better than the bottled stuff!

What you’ll need to make ranch dressing:

• Greek yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Fresh Parsley
• Fresh Chives
• Garlic Powder
• Salt and pepper

How to make healthy ranch dressing:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Store in jar or container for up to 1 week.

Or you can combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a nice shake until combined so you don’t have to dirty a bowl! Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.

Jalapeño Honey Mustard

Jalapeño Honey Mustard dressing is for my spicy loving fans out there. It is a perfect blend of sweet and spicy and pairs perfectly with a chicken salad.

What you’ll need to make jalapeño honey mustard:

• Honey
• Mustard
• Jalapeno
• Lime juice & zest
• Fresh thyme (or parsley)
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper

How to make jalapeño Honey mustard:

In a bowl or jar, whisk the honey, mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper together. Then gradually whisk in olive oil and vegetable oil. Stir in the thyme and jalapeño. Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.

Enjoy this recipes…and let me know what you think of them in the comments below!