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
Keyword homemade dressing
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Southern French Salad Dressing

Tomato soup? In a salad dressing? I made that “what?” look when I first read over this recipe for a southern French salad dressing. Ketchup? Maybe. Tomato sauce. Perhaps. But tomato soup? Huh. Ok. I’m in! It sounded different. And it tasted amazing! A slight tang, a slight sweetness. There is so much flavor in this dressing that like me, you’ll want more. Good thing this make a big batch!

Southern French Salad Dressing

Grate the Day Away

This southern French salad dressing calls for grated onion. French dressings often do. And if you’re up to it, you can grate the onion by hand. And you’re gonna be doing some grating, too. A whole medium onion worth. Me, I reached for my rotary cheese grater. I use this little dream tool all the time for shredding cheese. Nothing beats freshly-shredded cheese. Well, it also does a great job grating cheese. And onion. In no time. And clean up was easy. And my wrist thanked me!

That Self-Control Thing

I could drink this dressing. When no one is looking of course. No one wants to see you drinking salad dressing, no matter what they might say. This dressing is certainly tasty enough to drink. Well, to keep myself from going crazy with it, I serve it in little cups. And I keep the rest of the dressing in the fridge. The theory is that it reduces the chances of me going back and getting more.

That’s the theory any way.

Also try my copycat Texas Roadhouse French salad dressing.

Southern French Salad Dressing

Southern French Salad Dressing

A delicious dressing with a slight tang and a slight sweetness.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.
  • Whisk or use a blender to combine well.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 0.2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 307mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 63IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword French
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Honky Tonk Sweet and Spicy Salad Dressing

Sweet and spicy is right. I admit, though, I’m not sure about the Honky Tonk part. But even still, what a great dressing! It has a nice vinegar hit to it. And I spicy kick, thanks to the addition of Sriracha sauce. And my favorite, celery seed. I absolutely love celery seed in everything from a salad dressing to a BBQ seasoning rub to coleslaw. If you’re looking for a break from your tired old salad dressing, this Honky Tonk Sweet and Spicy salad dressing is it. Don’t be shy with it. Load up. You’ll thank me.

Honky Tonk Sweet and Spicy Salad Dressing

It Gets Better With Time

This Honky Tonk sweet and spicy salad dressing gets even better as it sits. You should let it ‘get happy’ for a few hours. But I have to say, it didn’t sit long in our house. I really like this dressing a lot. It’s different in a very, very good way. I like to make a double batch and keep it in salad dressing serving bottles in the fridge. I’m kind of a dressing addict so it’s best that I have extra on hand at all times. It’s always better to have too much instead of not having enough!

This dressing is great on a Subway Supreme meats sub in a tub!

Honky Tonk Sweet and Spicy Salad Dressing

Honky Tonk Sweet and Spicy Salad Dressing

Sweet and spicy is right.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 281 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
  • Transfer to a sealable container and cover. Let rest for at least 1 hour before serving.
  • Stir before serving.
  • Refrigerate any leftovers. Let come to room temperature before serving any leftover dressing.

Notes

You can substitute your favorite sweetener for the sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 812mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword spicy, sweet
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Thai Sweet Chili Salad Dressing

Every few weeks or so, we have salads every night of the week. Oddly, it’s known as ‘salad week’! But truthfully, it is a nice fresh change. And it doesn’t mean that it’s a week of sadness. I mix it up by using a large variety of ingredients. And I always make at least one homemade salad dressing. Like this wonderful Thai sweet chili dressing. This dressing is a wonderful combination of tropical flavors, a little heat and a lot of Asian inspiration. This is the kind of dressing that makes me look forward to salad week!

Thai Sweet Chili Salad Dressing

A Lot Of Greatness

Your salad doesn’t have to be Asian in nature to enjoy this Thai sweet chili dressing. It’s great no matter what you toss onto the plate.

I’m a huge fan of coconut milk and I was happy to see that this recipe has plenty of it. And fish sauce. Now, fish sauce is one strong smelling, funky sauce. But don’t fear it. It really makes this dressing amazing. If you’re not sure about it, add a little, taste, and add more if you want. I use an expensive, quality fish sauce. I learned early on that you get what you pay for, specially when it comes to fish sauce.

Also try my copycat Applebee’s honey mustard salad dressing.

Thai Sweet Chili Salad Dressing

Thai Sweet Chili Salad Dressing

Your salad doesn’t have to be Asian in nature to enjoy this Thai sweet chili dressing.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 140 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Combine everything in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and let cool before serving.

Notes

For the best results, do not use lite coconut milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 908mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword Asian, sweet
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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 back 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
  

  • â…“ cup sugar sugar substitute works just fine
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • â…” 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
Keyword creamy, poppy seed
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

I love avocados. They’re perfect on a salad. Sliced. Chopped. Or even in the dressing itself. This avocado Ranch salad dressing is quite easy to make. It packs a nice subtle avocado flavor, along with the wonderful creamy herb flavor of Ranch. It has a very mild spiciness to it too. You can make it spicier if you like, or leave out the hot sauce entirely. I like my dressing pretty thick, so that’s how I made it. But if you prefer yours a little thinner, just add some more milk.

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

Thick Enough For A Dip

Avocado Ranch salad dressing isn’t just for salads either. It’s perfect as a dip for chips or veggies. Or use it as a substitute for sour cream on tacos or nachos. It’s also great as a sandwich spread. Just make it a little thicker (by using less milk) then spread on bread. Add your favorite sandwich meat and boom, excellent!

Using different types of hot sauces also make for great variations on this dressing. Citrus hot sauce adds…. well, a nice citrus kick. Or try a smoky hot sauce. This dressing is very versatile.

Also try my honey-mustard Ranch salad dressing.

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

Nice avocado and creamy herb Ranch flavors.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Scoop out the avocado and place into a blender or food processor.
    2 avocados
  • Add remaining ingredients except for the salt. Process until smooth.
  • Taste, add salt as needed, and pulse a few more times to mix.
  • Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
  • Note: If the dressing gets too thick, stir in a bit more milk before serving.

Notes

Use whole milk for the best results, although 2% can be used also.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 249mgPotassium: 253mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 164IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword Avocado, Ranch
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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

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
Keyword orange, sesame
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sesame Salad Dressing

My wife quickly declared this sesame salad dressing as one of her all-time favorite salad dressings. She loved the light hint of sesame oil and soy sauce, with just a touch of sweetness. A hint of vinegar. And creamy mayonnaise. They hit all the right notes for her. It’s not a thick sauce, not at all. It’s just slightly thicker than say, Italian dressing. And it’s perfect on a garden salad.

Sesame Salad Dressing

Don’t Rush

Although you can try and rush this sesame salad dressing, don’t. Resist the temptation to do that. Let it rest at least 30 minutes before serving. At least. And if you can, let it sit overnight so that the flavors get happier. As I note in the recipe, you might want to adjust the amount of sesame oil. Although my wife and I both are fans of sesame oil, we find that a little goes a long ways. We felt that one tablespoon was perfect for us. So, we recommend that you start with a little, taste, and add more if desired. You can always add more after it has set a while, too. You just can’t take it back out so use it sparingly if you’re like us and are a little sesame oil-shy.

Also try my Everything Bagel salad dressing.

Sesame Salad Dressing

Sesame Salad Dressing

You might want to adjust the amount of sesame oil.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 282 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

You can substitute your favorite sweetener for the sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 430mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword sesame
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

One of my favorite things is roasted red peppers. I find myself using them in a lot of different recipes. I was happy to find this recipe for roasted red pepper vinaigrette. Of course, the roasted red pepper flavor is delicious. But the vinegar gives it a little bite. The honey balances it all out. Sometimes we will have salad week for dinner and we will change up the salads and make a couple of dressings for the week. This dressing has become one of our favorites!

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Simple. Yet Delicious.

Roasted red pepper vinaigrette is easy to make and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry. I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own, but either will work. The nice thing about the jarred ones is that if you end up with any leftovers they do freeze well for uses in recipes like this dressing.

We like this dressing to be smooth. But you can adjust the consistency a bit by not running the food processor as long. Or run it longer. You might want to check it after a few seconds to see if it’s where you want it to be.

Also try my roasted garlic Dijon salad dressing.

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Process less for a chunkier version of this dressing.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 219 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place the peppers, garlic and vinegar into a food processor.
  • With the processor on, drizzle in the honey and oil. Process until smooth.
  • Stop and taste. Add salt and pepper as desired. Process a little longer. Serve.

Notes

Substitute hot honey for a spicier version of this dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0.5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 511mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 193IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
Keyword roasted red pepper, vinaigrette
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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 sweat. 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

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
Keyword honey, vinaigrette
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!