Three Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes: Better For You, Better For Your Wallet (2024)

Now that the temperatures are warming up salads are a great main or side dish for every night of the week. But who wants to spend a lot of money on a bottle with questionable ingredients?

One of the first things I realized on my real food journey was that when I make things from scratch for health reasons, I also save money. Salad dressings are no exception.

And the best part? They are super easy to make!

A Basic Formula For Homemade Salad Dressing

Making homemade salad dressing is a bit intimidating at first. Especially if you are like me and thought that salad dressing only came from a grocery store.

When making a vinaigrette, a combination of oil and vinegar or lemon juice, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Keep the oil to vinegar ratio at about 3:1
• If you want a smooth consistency in which the oil and vinegar do not separate you must use an emulsifier. Dijon mustard and egg yolks from pastured chickens are my favorite options.
• Add lots of flavors like onion, garlic, spices, herbs, and honey.
• For simplicity use pint-sized jars for easy dump, shake, and serve salad dressing.

With the above thoughts in mind you can create flavorful salads in a myriad of flavors.

My Go-To Salad Dressing Recipes

These are the dressings that I make on a regular basis. All three use healthful fats like extra virgin olive oil and cultured dairy.They are also family-friendly and diverse, making it easier for my family to down our garden’s bumper lettuce crop this year.

Photo by felipe_gabaldon

Garlic-Herb Vinaigrette

This is my go-to salad dressing. We love garlic and all of it’s health benefits and the herbs are usually whatever I have in the house, dried or fresh. See… simple.

• 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried (basil, oregano, chives, and thyme are all nice)
• scant 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a jar. Stir well with a fork.
2. Add olive oil, cover tightly, and shake well until combined. You can also use a blender and drizzle the oil in slowly while it is running.
3. Serve over your basic green salad with added chopped vegetables.

Photo by mr_t_in_dc

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This dressing reminds me of the super-sweet bottled Russian dressing I grew up eating. It is a nice change of pace for a salad, but also works well for flavoring cooked or grilled meats and vegetables.

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (no need for the really expensive stuff)
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (or oregano)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a jar. Stir well with a fork.
2. Add olive oil, cover tightly, and shake well until combined. You can also use a blender and drizzle the oil in slowly while it is running.
3. Serve over a basic green salad or toss with grated carrots, minced red onion, and sunflower seeds.

Photo by whitneyinchicago

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

This is a great salad dressing to serve to your family if they are having a hard time letting go of their favorite creamy bottled dressing. My husband loves this stuff and I love that it is actually really good for him. When I don’t have homemade mayonnaise in the fridge I substitute an additional 1/4 cup creme fraiche to avoid the unhealthy oils found in most commercial mayonnaise.

• 1 1/4 cups sour cream (I save money by making my own)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1. Combine all ingredients in a quart jar. Stir well with a fork or seal tightly and shake.
2. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Taste and additional salt as necessary. This makes for a fairly thick dressing. If a thinner consistency is desired replace part of the sour cream with additional buttermilk.
3. This is delicious over a chopped salad with bacon, hard-boiled egg, and lots of vegetables.

Use these homemade dressings throughout the hot summer and watch your family gobble up their vegetables.

What’s your favorite way to dress a summer salad?