4 Easy Salad Dressings That Are So Much Better Than Store-Bought

They're healthier, cheaper, and ready in a flash.

Variety of sauces and salad dressings
Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Making salad dressing from scratch is a no-brainer. It's quick, easy, and tastes so much better than any of its store-bought counterparts—and cheaper, too. All you need to do is gather the ingredients and whisk them together. You can even delegate this ultra-simple task to the kids. Take your salad to the next level with these four recipes. They are the easy vinaigrettes and dressings that should be in everyone's arsenal.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Credit:

Jacob Fox

Our honey balsamic vinaigrette is a crowd-pleaser and easy to make from scratch. The recipe adds Dijon mustard for a little bite and honey for an extra touch of sweetness to a base of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The result? A perfectly balanced dressing for any green salad. Plus, since it's made with pantry ingredients, it keeps well at room temperature.

Ranch Dressing

ranch dressing on spinach

Did you know that ranch is the most popular salad dressing in America? We suspect some of that is driven by the heretics who use it as a dip for pizza (hey, we all have guilty pleasures!). Whether you're tossing it with greens or dunking your crust in it, homemade ranch salad dressing is infinitely tastier than store-bought. Make a lower-fat version by swapping out the sour cream for Greek yogurt if you desire.

Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette

Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette

You're going to want to put this bright, zesty dressing on everything. To make our mustard and herb vinaigrette, simply combine Dijon mustard, garlic, white-wine vinegar, and olive oil with the mixed fresh herbs of your choice. Get creative and experiment!

Green Goddess Dressing

green goddess dressing

Green goddess is a Californian classic. The thick, creamy dressing is made with sour cream and mayo, and it’s packed with fresh herbs and scallions—hence the green in its name. Anchovy features in some but not all green goddess recipes; we use one anchovy fillet in this version because it adds a delicious depth of flavor. In addition to being a wonderful dressing for robust lettuces like romaine, it also makes a great dip for crudités.

Updated by
Victoria Spencer
Victoria Spencer, senior food editor, decorvow.com
Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the decorvow recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.

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