Our Favorite DIY Salad Dressing Recipes

While you may not always have the time to grow your own kale or lettuce in the garden, mixing your own salad dressing is a fast, easy and healthy way to create a signature salad. And before you start, it’s always a good idea to opt for natural ingredients wherever you can.

Here are a few of the best DIY salad dressings you can make at home.

Green Tea Matcha Dressing

An excellent way to spice up your next salad is this wonderful homemade dressing recipe from Dominion Tea. Combine 1/4 cup of avocado oil with two tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Whisk well until it is fully combined. Then add in two teaspoons of matcha powder.

We recommend using our Matcha Green Tea Powder for best results. Be sure to only put in 1/2 teaspoon of the powder at a time, as it can start to clump up. Allow the dressing to set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, which will allow the flavors to incorporate nicely.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Another great DIY salad dressing recipe is this honey mustard vinaigrette from Rachel Cooks. Add 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon of honey to your favorite shaker jar. Mix really well to help incorporate the flavors together. Then add salt and pepper to taste to complete the dressing.

Healthy Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess dressing is a favorite in restaurants across the country. This healthy recipe version comes from A Couple Cooks and features a variety of natural ingredients with tons of flavor. Start by chopping two green onions. Seed and dice half of a green jalapeno pepper. Add the green onions and jalapeno to 2/3 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup cilantro, two tablespoons of lime juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the blender. Carefully stir in one tablespoon of honey or maple syrup. Blend completely to combine all the ingredients before enjoying as a dressing or vegetable dip.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

If you’re looking for a homemade dressing that features natural ingredients and offers a ton of citrus flavor, this cilantro lime dressing from FiveHEARTHome is perfect. Break out the food processor and add 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup sunflower oil, three tablespoons fresh lime juice, two tablespoons water, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and two teaspoons honey. Toss in one teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and freshly black pepper. Use the food processor until the dressing is well-blended and emulsified. It tastes great on a salad, but also works well as a marinade for steak and chicken.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Of course, you can’t discuss DIY salad dressings without covering good old ranch dressing. While the variety you find in stores and restaurants can be chocked full of chemicals, the kind you make at home is much healthier. Plus, it’s a hit with the kids. This recipe from the Food Network’s Ree Drummond comes straight from her family’s Oklahoma cattle ranch and only takes a little bit of time to whip up.

Mince a clove of garlic and mix it with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. In a bowl, add the garlic paste to one cup of real mayonnaise and 1/2 cup of full-fat sour cream. Then add in 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley leaves, two tablespoons of minced dill, one tablespoon of minced chives, one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Finish the concoction off with a dash of hot sauce and 1/2 cup of buttermilk. To really amp up the flavor, add a dash of Nikken’s 1917 Kombu Extract to put this Ranch over the top. Mix everything well and store in the refrigerator for one to two hours to allow the flavors to combine.

Making your own dressing at home takes just a little extra time and effort. However, the end result is a much more flavorful concoction that is free from a lot of the preservatives and chemicals found in store-bought varieties.

Try out these DIY salad dressing recipes for dinner tonight, or contact the Nikken Foods’ customer service team to learn more ways to create the flavors you love!