Creamy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

I make a lot of salad dressings at home. But I admit, I get lazy sometimes and find myself reverting to the store-bought versions. I’ve vowed to end my purchases of bottled dressings. Well, or at least jazz them up by adding a few fresh ingredients. I’m starting with this incredible creamy poppy seed salad dressing. My wife proclaimed it her instant favorite, which is a great way to start on my homemade dressing journey!

Creamy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

Nice And Smooth

This dressing has the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. And just the right consistency. It does run off your salad and form a lake at the bottom of your plate. Nor does it sit there, stuck to your salad like well… gum.

Grated onion really adds a lot of flavor to this creamy poppy seed salad dressing. Use a fine grater, such as a microplane, to get the onion as finely grated as you can. You can also mince the onion then, using the flat side of the knife, squish the onion into a paste.

Also try my American style creamy Greek salad dressing.

Creamy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

Creamy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

The perfect combination of sweet and tangy.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 162 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • cup sugar sugar substitute works just fine
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons onion grated, with juice (if you don't have any, you can just add onion powder to taste)
  • 1 teaspoons poppy seeds or a bit more, as preferred

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together all ingredients.

Notes

Use full-fat mayonnaise for the best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 0.3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 119mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword creamy, poppy seed
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Creamy Pineapple Vinaigrette

This creamy pineapple vinaigrette was a bit of a departure from my recent Ranch binge. It’s a bit tropical. A bit sweet. Thinner than Ranch, it’s a wonderful change that really kicked my evening salad up a lot. I’m a huge fan of coconut, and this dressing has just enough so that I taste it (and even get a bit of the aroma from it).

Creamy Pineapple Vinaigrette

More Pineapple, Please

I added a bit more pineapple than the recipe for this creamy pineapple vinaigrette called for. You might want to too, especially if you want a bit more of that tropical sweetness. If you end up with any leftover pineapple, just toss it onto your salad.

Don’t use sweetened coconut milk. Instead, use the unsweetened version and add honey to sweeten it to taste. The pre-sweetened milk is just way too sweet for a vinaigrette in my opinion!

Also try my roasted red pepper vinaigrette.

Creamy Pineapple Vinaigrette

Creamy Pineapple Vinaigrette

A delightfully tropical slightly-creamy dressing.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
1 day
Total Time 1 day 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 74 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Taste and see if you want to add a bit more honey to make it sweeter. If so, add just a little and blend again.
  • Refrigerate overnight.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0.4mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 9IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword creamy, pineapple
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Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing

Creamy. Salty. Goodness. That’s this creamy Parmesan salad dressing in just three words. The perfect balance of each can be found in each and every drop. Fantastic on salads. Great for dipping vegetables. And yes, even chicken nuggets (try it!). I recommend going ‘all in’ when you make this dressing. Use real mayonnaise. No light stuff. Get a pizza pie slice of Parmesan and grate it yourself instead of buying the pre-grated stuff. And squeeze your own lemon for juice.

Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing

Hot Sauce. What?

Yes, this recipe for a creamy Parmesan salad dressing calls for a bit of hot sauce. Do not let that freak you out. We’re not making Buffalo wings. It’s not going to be crazy spicy. Or even spicy at all. Just a little bit gets added to give you a gentle kiss of heat. And flavor. I used Frank’s RedHot. Why? Because it’s my favorite and it’s easy to find. And it tastes great.

Also try my Parmesan and peppercorn Ranch salad dressing.

Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing

Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing

Inspired by a recipe from the Nobel Pig
Deliciously smooth salty nutty goodness!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place the mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a medium bowl.
  • Whisk until smooth.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Stir and taste before serving. You may want to add more salt and pepper.

Notes

Stir before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 3gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 418mgPotassium: 62mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 0.4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword homemade dressing
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Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

This creamy Italian salad dressing really hit the spot for me. It has a good dose of garlic. There’s a bit of the nuttiness from Parmesan. And just the right amount of Italian seasoning. I’m a big fan of creamy dressings. They are my weakness, for sure. I put a lot more on my salad than I should, I’m sure.

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Thin or Thick, It’s Your Call

The original recipe for this creamy Italian salad dressing stated to just up and add 2 tablespoons of water to the mix before you blend it. I found that the dressing was too thin when I did this. I recommend that you blend the dressing without any water first. If you find it to be too thick, add a bit of water (maybe half a tablespoon at a time) and blend again. The dressing will get a bit thicker as it rests in the fridge, but not a lot thicker. You can’t take the water back out, so I would be light with it.

On the off-chance that you do make the dressing too thin by adding too much water, you can add a bit more mayonnaise and blend again. This will help thicken it up some.

Also try my roasted garlic Dijon salad dressing.

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

A delicious blend of Italian seasoning and nutty Parmesan cheese.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
refrigerator time 12 hours
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 231 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients EXCEPT the water in a small food processor or blender and process until blended.
  • Check the dressing for consistency. If you like it thicker you're probably done, but if you like it thinner, add a bit of water and process again. Repeat until you get it just like you like it. The dressing will get a little thicker as it sets.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 12 hours.
  • Stir before serving.

Notes

Use freshly-grated Parmesan cheese for the best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 2gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 186mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 48IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword creamy, Italian
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Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing

There’s something about fresh cucumber and a salad. Usually that means slices of cucumber on top of fresh greens. This time I decided to have that fresh flavor in my dressing instead, so I made a small batch of creamy cucumber salad dressing. Creamy (but not too thick) and slightly garlicky (I recommend using half the stated amount at first), this dressing has that fresh cucumber flavor without being too … cucumber-y?

Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing

Better The Next Day

This creamy cucumber salad dressing definitely gets better the next day. It’s one of those dressings that needs that extra time for the flavors to come together. That’s not to say it’s bad when you first make it. Not at all. And truth be told, you could definitely serve it as soon as you make it. But it’s better the next day. So wait. Be patient.

Also try my creamy Parmesan salad dressing.

Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing

Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing

Nice and creamy with a hint of cucumber.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
1 day
Total Time 1 day 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 29 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender.
  • Blend until smooth and the cucumber chunks are gone.
  • Refrigerate overnight.

Notes

Stir before serving.
You may want to start with 1/2 a clove of garlic and give the dressing a taste. It’s fairly garlicky with a full clove added.

Nutrition

Calories: 29kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 213mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 59IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword creamy, Cucumber
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Creamy Carolina Vinaigrette

This creamy Carolina vinaigrette kinda surprised me. I wasn’t sure about the combination of a mustard, vinegar and oil vinaigrette with buttermilk and mayonnaise added to make a creamy dressing. I was surprised by how much I loved it. This vinaigrette has a ton of flavor, from the ingredients I already mentioned along with a few spices, onion and a little honey sweetness. There are a few ingredients in this, and they all join together for something decidedly different and tasty!

Creamy Carolina Vinaigrette

A Lot of Ingredients, A Lot of Flavor

I found the recipe for this creamy Carolina vinaigrette in Kardea Brown’s The Way Home cookbook. It’s packed with tons and tons of great recipes (Kardea never disappoints!), but if you know me, I’m always on the lookout for great salad dressing recipes. And I found one!

This vinaigrette is on the thinner side. Even though it says ‘creamy’, don’t let that make you think creamy, like say ranch dressing. It is different (in a good way) than just a straight-up vinaigrette. Don’t use light mayonnaise or light buttermilk and you’ll have the perfect topping for any garden salad. The dressing also gets a bit thicker after it has set in the fridge overnight.

Also try my smoky French salad dressing.

Creamy Carolina Vinaigrette

Creamy Carolina Vinaigrette

Inspired by a recipe from Kardea Brown
A deliciously different vinaigrette!
4 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 156 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender. Process until smooth and well combined.
  • Store unused dressing in the fridge. Shake or stir well before serving.

Notes

For the best results, use full-fat buttermilk.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 382mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 178IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword creamy, vinaigrette
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Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

This creamy blue cheese salad dressing is easily my favorite blue cheese dressing. It’s so nice and creamy. And although it’s definitely ‘blue cheesy’ it’s not so overwhelming. Ya know, I love that blue cheese funk but I kinda have a limit to it. This dressing doesn’t cross that line, it sneaks up on it and gives it a big ole hug!

Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

My Favorite Wing Dipping Sauce

This creamy blue cheese salad dressing is, of course, great on a garden salad. And I assure you, it’s fantastic as a wing dip. It’s my go-to for wings. And chicken fingers. Oh and nuggets. That’s why I make a big ole batch of it and keep it in the fridge. And it’s great for dipping vegetables, too. Like I said, this is my favorite.

Want a great sub sandwich? Use this dressing in place of mayonnaise or a vinegar dressing.

Also try my homemade spicy Ranch salad dressing.

This dressing is great for dipping wings. Check out For The Wing for great wing ideas!

Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

My favorite blue cheese dressing, by far.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 264 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.
  • Whisk or stir until combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. Stir before serving.

Notes

Substitute gorgonzola for a creamier, milder dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 321mgPotassium: 25mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 46IUCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword blue cheese, creamy
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Creamy and Cheesy Ranch Salad Dressing

Maybe I don’t get out enough. Maybe I have been unlucky. Either way, I have never heard of putting cottage cheese into a salad dressing until I found this creamy and cheesy ranch salad dressing. It was a ‘wow’ moment for me. The cottage cheese adds a creaminess that really boosts this dressing. Packed with nutty Parmesan and hints of classic Ranch, this dressing is great on a salad.

Creamy and Cheesy Ranch Salad Dressing

The Skinny On Flavor

I didn’t go ‘skinny’ when I made this creamy and cheesy Ranch salad dressing. No low-fat cottage cheese. No light buttermilk. I was committed to having a nice-and-thick dressing that would stick to my salad and not make a ‘dressing lake’ on my plate. You go can that route if you want. I went big. And my efforts were rewarded!

To keep myself from overindulging, I served the dressing in these cups.

Also try my parmesan and peppercorn ranch dressing!

Creamy and Cheesy Ranch Dressing

Creamy and Cheesy Ranch Salad Dressing

A nutty, rich, creamy take on Ranch dressing!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Get happy time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 5 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 46 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 /4 cup chives chopped (you can use the green parts of green onions instead)
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • kosher salt to taste, optional
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients except for the salt (if using) and pepper into a food processor and process until smooth.
  • Add salt (if using) and pepper and pulse a few times.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours before serving.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 124mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 297IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword Parmesan, Ranch
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Copycat TGI Friday’s Mandarin Orange Sesame Salad Dressing

I am always looking for new salad dressing recipes for Salad Week. Something to change things up. We usually have salad week if we have over-indulged the week before or if we have eaten out too many meals while traveling. This copycat TGI Friday’s Mandarin orange sesame dressing is so good! The orange marmalade and the honey balance out the sesame oil. Sesame oil is such a strong flavor so you can use a little less if preferred, but I love the taste of it. I like that it has chopped Mandarin oranges for texture. I also added Mandarin oranges to the salad to tie it all together. Salad week is always great thanks to great dressings like this one!

Copycat TGI Friday’s Mandarin Orange Sesame Salad Dressing

The Perfect Balance

This copycat TGI Fridays Mandarin orange sesame dressing is one of the best homemade dressings that we have made! This dressing would be good as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets. It would also be great as a sauce for crudités. Although I admit, I don’t usually use the word ‘crudités’. I’m not very fancy. Sorry.

Also try my sesame salad dressing.

Copycat TGI Friday’s Mandarin Orange Sesame Salad Dressing

Copycat TGI Friday’s Mandarin Orange Sesame Salad Dressing

A delicious citrus- and sesame-infused dressing.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 264 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place everything except for the mandarin into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • Transfer to a resealable container. Add the oranges, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Shake or stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 259mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 102IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword orange, sesame
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Copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Last week was salad week here. Every once-in-a-while I go on a week-long campaign to make salads for dinner every night. Now, these are not little ole wimpy salads. No, they are meal-sized salads that dreams are made of. To add a special touch I often make dressings from scratch, like this copycat Chipotle honey vinaigrette. This dressing checked all the boxes. It has the perfect consistency. Nice and creamy. A little sweet. And a little heat. Heck, I just realized that my favorite salad dressings are a lot like barbecue sauces! Huh!

Copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

A Dressing. And A Marinade.

This copycat Chipotle honey vinaigrette is not only great on salads, it’s also great as a marinade for chicken. Just let chicken breasts get happy in the dressing for an hour or so, then grill as desired. Chicken thighs too. So make extra vinaigrette and enjoy something special!

Also try my copycat of Kraft’s bottled Catalina dressing!

Copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

A great dressing that is also a fantastic marinade!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 337 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients except for the olive oil into a blender.
  • Blend on low speed. With the blender still running, slowly add the oil.
  • Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Notes

Shake or stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 0.4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 478mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Keyword honey, vinaigrette
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