One of my favorite easy healthier living swaps is making homemade salad dressings. Did you know that store-bought salad dressings can be so full of sugar it makes eating a salad no longer healthy? Sugar, and ingredients that don’t need to be there.

I love making homemade salad dressings because it’s

• easy (add ingredients to a shaker (or blender), shake (or blend) it up and enjoy!)
• healthier (I can control and recognize all of the ingredients!)
• delicious (the dressings are delicious, but also let the flavors of the salad come through too)

Before I share my favorite homemade dressings, I want to share a few tools and ingredients I’ve found helpful for making homemade salad dressings:

• This OXO Salad Shaker* is awesome. It has measurements too! I use it all the time.
• I love my Ninja blender because it has a smaller blender that I use ALL the time for dressings and smoothies.
• I like to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the base of most dressings. I look for an organic oil that’s a little more expensive than what I’d buy for cooking.

Here are 5 of my favorite salad dressings to make at home:

The Easiest Vinaigrette

I make this dressing most frequently. It’s great with any salad. I love it! Plus it’s super easy. I like that it’s not an overpowering flavor, so it also lets the flavors of the salad come out too.

• 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (you can also use balsamic vinegar for a balsamic vinaigrette, or champagne vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon raw honey or pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk or shake it up, pour over your salad and enjoy!

Serving ideas: A Greek salad with romaine, cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts and a sprinkle of feta cheese; A mixed green salad with diced apple or strawberries, beets, avocado and a sprinkle of goat cheese. My favorite summer garden salad: butter lettuce, zucchini, tomato, basil, avocado (would also be delicious with corn).

How to store The Easiest Vinaigrette: In the fridge for up to a week. Take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before using and shake it up.

Basil Vinaigrette

Recipe from Simply Real Health from her Fall Salad. The dressing is great with any salad really. It’s so fresh and full of flavor.

• 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Blend it all together, serve over your salad and enjoy!

How to store the Basil Vinaigrette: In the fridge for up to a week. Take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before using and shake it up.

Vegan Caesar Dressing

Tastes like real Caesar dressing, but instead of egg it uses soaked cashews. My daughter Leah, loves Caesar salad and this dressing. This recipe is from Oh She Glows from her Crowd Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad (one of our favorites!)

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight (or at least a few hours)
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 2 tablespoons good quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Wizard’s is a gluten-free brand)
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt and pepper, or to taste

Let the cashews soak in water overnight (or at least a few hours) in a bowl. Drain and rinse the cashews. Add the cashews and all other dressing ingredients into a blender, and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. You can add a splash of water if necessary to get it blending. Add it to your favorite Caesar salad and enjoy!

How to store the Vegan Caesar Dressing: In the fridge for up to a week. Shake or stir it up before using.

Asian Honey Vinaigrette

This recipe is from Gimme Some Oven from her Crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (so good!). You can use it for that salad, or create your own Asian inspired salad.

• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1/4 cup raw organic honey
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar also works)
• 2 teaspoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk or shake it up, pour over your salad and enjoy!

How to store the Asian Honey Vinaigrette: In the fridge for up to a week. Take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before using and shake it up.

Hemp Seed Ranch Dressing

A good alternative to a homemade healthier ranch dressing. It has the creaminess and seasoning of ranch. It’s great with a classic veggie salad, or as a dip.

• 1/3 cup filtered water
• 1/2 cup hulled hemp hearts
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (add more or less depending on the thickness you like)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until everything is mixed and smooth. Add more or less water and/or Greek yogurt until the dressing is as thick or thin as you like. Pour over your salad and enjoy!

Serving ideas: This dressing is great with a garden salad with butter lettuce or romaine, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and any other veggies you like.

How to store Hemp Seed Ranch Dressing: In the fridge for up to a week. Stir or shake it up before using.

Let me know if you try any of these dressings! Enjoy!

*I choose not to put ads on my blog, but do include affiliate links to products I genuinely love. With affiliate links, I earn a small commission on any order placed through the affiliate links on my blog, like Amazon. I promise to only share items my family and I use and love. Thank you for your support and reading! ♥ Lauren