Easy Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

Published by:
Liz Marino
| 06/09/2022 | Last Updated: 12/05/2025

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The Best Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes. Learn how to make healthy salad dressings at home in under 5 minutes! Delicious and easy to make!

11 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes in small mason jars


 

If you think salads are boring, these healthy salad dressing recipes will change your mind!

Unlike other salad dressings that are high in sugar and made with lots of preservatives, these homemade salad dressing recipes are made with simple, wholesome ingredients that you have in your pantry and fridge!

If you’ve never made dressing before, don’t worry- it’s easier than you think and most take only 5 minutes! They are super versatile, too. They taste delicious on basically any salad, and you can also use them as a marinade for baked chicken!

Once you try these, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff—homemade salad dressings are ALWAYS more delicious and don’t need any refined sugar to taste amazing!

Ingredients Needed

The best salad dressing are made with the following combination:

  • Healthy Fats: A fat source is a necessity for good dressings. Our favorite thing to use in dressing is olive oil. It gives dressings a rich taste and the perfect texture.
  • Acid: All good, healthy dressings have some sort of acid. You can use balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or citrus juice. Sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar can be used as well, but they’re not our favorite for dressings.
  • Flavorful add ins: Something sweet like honey/maple syrup, fresh or dried herbs, or condiments like mustard are all delicious add ins for homemade dressing.
Healthy Salad Dressings in small mason jars

How To Make Healthy Salad Dressing

Making healthy salad dressings is not hard at all! Typically this is how they’re made:

  1. Gather all you ingredients.
  2. Whisk together in a bowl or blend together depending on the recipe
  3. Store in a mason jar for 4-7 days.

Now let’s get into the best homemade dressing recipes

Best Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

Lemon Dressing

This Easy Honey Lemon Dressing is so delicious and quick to make! Blend together a few ingredients for the best honey mustard lemon dressing.

To make this recipe you’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • lemon zest & juice
  • whole grain mustard or dijon mustard
  • honey
  • salt, pepper, fresh parsley

Serve it with:

The Best Honey Lemon Dressing in a glass bottle with a spoon taking a scoop out of it

Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing

This Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe is SO easy to make. A Greek yogurt blue cheese that tastes just like the real thing!

To make greek yogurt blue cheese you’ll need:

  • nonfat greek yogurt
  • blue cheese crumbles
  • fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • garlic powder
  • milk, water

Serve it with: Crockpot Wings, Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

A close up of healthy blue cheese dressing in a glass jar

Healthy Basil Vinaigrette

The Best Basil Vinaigrette Recipe! This easy Basil Salad Dressing can be made in under 5 minutes with only 5 ingredients. So delicious!

To make Basil Dressing you’ll need:

Serve it with: Caprese Pasta Salad, Italian Salad, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

A close up of a spoon scooping out basil dressing from a mason jar

Healthy Ranch Dressing

This Healthy Ranch Dressing Recipe is SO easy to make. A simple Greek yogurt Ranch dressing that tastes just like the real thing!

To make healthy ranch dressing you’ll need:

  • nonfat greek yogurt
  • olive oil
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • lemon juice
  • dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives
  • salt and pepper

Serve it with: Slow Cooker Chicken Wings, Avocado Ranch Salad, Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

a spoon scooping up greek yogurt ranch dressing from a white bowl

Citrus Salad Dressing

This Easy Citrus Salad Dressing Recipe is so delicious and quick to make. A Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing that is great on any healthy homemade salad!

To make this citrus vinaigrette you’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • zest and juice of a fresh orange
  • zest and juice of a fresh lemon
  • dijon mustard
  • maple syrup
  • pepper to taste

Serve it with: Blueberry Salad, Spinach Strawberry Salad, As a marinade on chicken

A spoon scooping up a serving of Citrus Dressing

Honey Mustard Dressing

The Best Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe that is delicious! Made with only 6 ingredients, this honey mustard dressing is quick & easy to make!

To make honey mustard vinaigrette you’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • honey
  • whole grain mustard
  • white wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Serve it with: Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, Blueberry Feta Salad, on Vegetable Kebabs, as a marinade for chicken

A close up of a spoon of honey mustard dressing being scooped out of a mason jar

Healthy Caesar Dressing

The Best Healthy Caesar Dressing Recipe! Easy to make with only a few ingredients, it’s made without anchovies, delicious & low calorie!

To make this creamy healthy caesar dressing you’ll need:

  • nonfat greek yogurt
  • olive oil
  • garlic powder, onion powder
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • grated parmesan cheese
  • dijon mustard
  • pepper
  • honey

Serve it with: Caesar Salad, Grilled Chicken, Drizzled on top of Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

A close up of caesar salad dressing in a mason jar

Italian Dressing

A Healthy Italian Dressing Recipe that is so easy to make! This delicious Italian Dressing Recipe is perfect on a healthy homemade salad or as a marinade.

Here’s what you need to make homemade Italian dressing:

  • olive oil
  • red wine vinegar
  • dijon mustard
  • dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano
  • garlic powder, onion powder
  • red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

Serve it with: Blueberry Salad, Grilled Vegetables in Foil, as a dressing on Healthy Pasta Salad

A close up of a spoonful of Italian Dressing from a mason jar

Greek Dressing

This Homemade Greek Salad Dressing Recipe is easy to make and delicious! Done in under 5 minutes – it’s the best Greek dressing recipe!

To make Greek Dressing you’ll need:

  • red wine vinegar
  • lemon juice
  • olive oil
  • garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley
  • salt and pepper

Serve it with: Strawberry Spinach Salad, Strawberry Avocado Goat Cheese Salad, Mixed in with Corn Tomato Avocado Salad or Greek Salad

A close up of a spoon dipping out some of the best Greek Salad Dressing with lemon, herbs and bbq chicken salad on the side on a grey background

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

This Creamy Balsamic Dressing Recipe is SO delicious! Made with NO mayo, it’s vegan, keto, healthy and easy to make. Perfect on a healthy homemade salad!

To make this creamy balsamic dressing you’ll need:

Serve it with: Spinach Strawberry Salad, In place of the dressing on this Traditional Greek Salad, As a marinade on Balsamic Grilled Chicken or drizzled on Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Creamy balsamic dressing in a mason jar with a spoon taking a little out of it

Avocado Ranch Dressing

This Avocado Ranch Dressing Recipe is better than any store bought dressing! A healthy avocado dressing that is so delicious and easy to make!

To make Avocado Dressing you’ll need:

  • avocado
  • greek yogurt
  • garlic power, onion powder
  • dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives
  • pepper & salt
  • lime juice
  • water

Serve it with: Spinach Strawberry Salad, Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, Corn Tomato Avocado Salad, Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad, Greek Salad, on top of Avocado Ranch Salad

Avocado ranch dressing in a glass container

Strawberry Dressing is also delicious, and easy to make in just a few minutes!

Recipe Substitutions

Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.

Honey: Honey and maple syrup can be used interchangeably

Vinegar: White wine vinegar, red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar can usually be used interchangeably but if you swap them it will change the flavor of the dressing

how to serve healthy salad dressing

These healthy salad dressing recipes can be used in so many ways! Here are some of our favorites:

A row of healthy salad dressings in small mason jars

Storage Instructions

Storing: Most homemade dressings will last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container. I like to store them in glass mason jars. Store bought dressings have a lot of preservatives which allow them to last a long time in the refrigerator, but homemade dressings will not last for more than a week!

Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing homemade dressings. They’re best if eaten fresh!

Separating: Dressings will separate as they sit in the fridge. If your dressing separates you can whisk it together, shake vigorously or blend again to reconstitute the dressing.

Solidifying: Your dressing might get a bit solidified in the refrigerator – don’t worry! Simply set it on the counter for 20 minutes or pop in the microwave for 5-10 seconds and stir.

A close up of ealthy salad dressings homemade in mason jars

Healthy Store-Bought Dressing

If you don’t want to make your own dressing I totally get it! We try to look for dressings that are made with olive oil (not canola oil) when buying store bought dressings! Here are some of my favorite healthy store bought dressings:

A close up of a spoon scooping out basil dressing from a mason jar

Healthy Dressing for Salad

Recipe by: Liz Marino
5 from 2 votes
Learn how to make the best healthy salad dressing recipe – a basil vinaigrette that anyone can enjoy!
Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 0 minutes
Total Time : 5 minutes
Serves : 6 2 tablespoon servings (makes 3/4 cup dressing)
(hover over # to adjust)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves packed
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

  1. In a food processor or small blender, combine all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Share it! Make sure to tag @thecleaneatingcouple or use #thecleaneatingcouple!
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. Karen @OhSewSweet says:

    5 stars
    I decided to make my own blue cheese dressing to complement my fresh garden tomatoes for my dinner salad. Great choice! This recipe requires few ingredients and was quick to prep and put in the frig to chill. I will definitely try other recipes.

  2. Where are the exact ingredient measurments?

    1. The Clean Eating Couple says:

      They’re linked throughout the post

  3. Sage Mills says:

    So good definitely recommend for a quick and easy salad dressing

  4. There is no link to the creamy balsamic dressing recipe. All the others have a link to see the measurement of ingredients an directions for creating the recipe except this one.

    1. The Clean Eating Couple says:

      So sorry about this! I just added it 🙂 Here’s a link