Homemade salad dressings are so easy and so much healthier for you!
Most store bought dressings are made with canola oil and soy oil, two oils that I avoid as much as possible because they cause inflammation, and inflammation causes disease.
Even the “healthy” dressings are made with these inflammatory oils. It’s deceiving, so make sure you read labels or make your own!
I’ve used Mason jars and the bottles with plastic lids, and I prefer the plastic lid style. Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing with the Mason jars, but the lid gets all gross and icky after a couple of days.
Here are some dressings you can try! Click a link below to jump to the recipe.
- Italian #1
- Italian #2 (with Dried Spices)
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Honey Mustard #1
- Honey Mustard #2
- Chili-Lime
- Classic Lemon Vinaigrette
Italian Salad Dressing #1
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (you can skip this for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley OR 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/4 medium onion, diced (about 2 tablespoons) OR 2 teaspoons onion powder
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced basil OR 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Italian Salad Dressing #2 (another version made with dried spices)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons juice and 3 teaspoons zest)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing #1
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (I prefer raw, unfiltered)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing #2
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt & pepper to taste
Chili-Lime Salad Dressing
- Zest and juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons juice and 3 teaspoons zest)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (try gluten-free tamari)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Classic Lemon Vinaigrette
Yield: 3/4 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon honey
Zest the lemon before juicing.
Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl or shake them in a jar and serve.