What DIY Salad Dressing Recipe Should I Make?

Salad dressings can make or break a salad. 

If done poorly, a cheap dressing leaves one with a stale, greasy, vinegar-like aftertaste. If done well, it can enhance a dish so well that it brings it to new heights. 

It’s super easy to make salad dressing at home. Most recipes use a combination of olive oil, an acid (citrus or vinegar), Dijon mustard and a sugar (honey, maple syrup etc.) as their base, upon which one can add any flavorings or thickeners they desire. Thankfully, the internet is full of delicious salad dressing recipes that are sure to pair well with any homemade meal.

Before we dive into that, though, let's take a peek into the kinds of pairings that make for a good ingredient-and-dressing combo.

Homemade salad dressings and their pairings

What type of dressing goes with different ingredients?

Fruit

If you’re using fruit in your salads, it’s likely alongside spinach, nuts, dark greens or chicken. Here a balsamic vinaigrette is the way to go, as it has just enough sweetness to bridge the divide between savory and sweet. Use a raspberry, strawberry or blueberry vinaigrette for a little extra zing!

Greens

As with most dishes, the ingredients, fillings and toppings in a salad have to pair well with the type of greens you’re using. 

Iceberg or romaine lettuce are similar in their crispness and relative blandness. Use a strong, creamy dressing in these salads. Caesar dressings are always a good choice!

Kale and Swiss chard are rough, bitter and crunchy, so use an acidic vinaigrette to soften the leaves. 

Spinach, Bibb lettuce and arugula are rich but delicate, so use a light dressing to flavor these salads. Any vinaigrette will do well, but steer clear of thick, creamy dressings like ranch or blue cheese. 

Mixed greens are a good middle-of-the-road option for many dressings, but will usually get soggy under anything too heavy. Vinaigrettes are a good choice here!

Chicken

Salads with chicken can usually stand to have a bit more strength and creaminess, though they also pair well with light vinaigrettes. Honestly, you could use anything with chicken, so choose your dressing based on the greens or other ingredients more than on the chicken alone. 

Dressings that go well with chicken include:

• Honey mustard
• Spicy mayo
• Lemon herb
• Balsamic vinaigrette
• Caesar
• Blue cheese

Red meat

Most red meat is a little tougher than chicken, so we follow a similar rule to the kale and Swiss chard rule — that is, tough ingredients need an acidic dressing to soften them. 

A Dijon balsamic dressing is a simple staple that will go with most beef and pork salads. Lemon and herb vinaigrettes also work well, as do honey mustard dressings.

Vegetables

Honestly, go nuts when it comes to vegetable dressings. Vegetables can be paired with most anything, so focus on the greens and the dominant flavors of your salad to choose a dressing that goes well with them. 

Fish & seafood

Seafood is generally light, fresh and has a more gentle flavor than many meats, so choose a dressing that is on the lighter end of the salad spectrum. 

If you have a shrimp or salmon salad, a light, citrusy dressing is what you want to compliment the flavors. A thick dressing will mask the delicate flavors of your seafood, and anything too salty will overpower your flavors. A lime dressing, cilantro dressing or lemon vinaigrette will bring out the flavors of seafood while still adding a touch of freshness.

Tuna is a little more hardy and has quite a strong flavor, so stick to simpler flavors. A basic Dijon vinaigrette works well, and if you prefer it a little creamier, thicken the dressing with some mayonnaise. 

DIY salad dressings to make at home

Salad dressings are super easy to make. Just put all the ingredients in a sealable jar or salad-dressing shaker and shake to emulsify!

Basic vinaigrette base

• 1 part vinegar
• 3-4 parts olive oil (to taste)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Tip: Use different vinegars for different flavors, such as balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 

Raspberry vinaigrette

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup frozen or fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup raspberry vinegar
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Blend and enjoy!

Honey mustard dressing

• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• Salt & black pepper, to taste

Mix and allow dressing to sit for 30 minutes – 2 hours before serving.

Greek yogurt ranch dressing

• ¾ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely minced
• 1 TBSP fresh parsley, minced
• 2 TBSP diced onion
• 2 TBSP fresh chives, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼  tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• ¼ - ½  cup buttermilk

Mix and allow dressing to sit for 30 minutes– 2 hours before serving.

Creamy avocado vinaigrette

• ¾ cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 avocado, ripe
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients — aside from olive oil — using a food processor or immersion blender. Slowly add olive oil until combined.

Sesame ginger dressing

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Mix and enjoy!

Mandarin orange vinaigrette

• 1 TBSP orange marmalade
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. Mustard
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste

Mix and enjoy within 3 days!

Cilantro lime dressing

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cups cilantro, fresh
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey/maple syrup
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. salt
• Optional: 1 avocado or ½ plain Greek yogurt

Blend all ingredients — aside from olive oil and optional avocado or yogurt— in a food processor. Slowly add oil, then optional avocado or yogurt until combined. 

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/jlarbig