Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.
Image by Jeff Wasserman / Stocksy
September 11, 2025
Making salad dressings at home doesn’t have to be complicated (or intimidating). With just a handful of pantry staples, you can whip up flavorful, nutritious dressings in under 5 minutes.
Homemade dressings let you control the ingredients, so you can skip preservatives, excess sugar, and overly processed oils, all while customizing flavors to your liking.
To get you started, we asked mindbodygreen editors to share their favorite go-to dressings and how to use them to elevate any meal.
Everyday balsamic
I make a lot of “kitchen sink” salads for lunch: Into a big bowl goes whatever I can find in my fridge and pantry. Done! It’s usually some combination of arugula (my favorite greens), proteins from the night before, meal-prepped roasted veggies, fresh red onions, farmers market tomatoes, nuts, and other fun crunchy things. I make it feel special by whipping up my dressing fresh every few days.
I don’t measure anything. I just toss it into a mason jar and add ingredients until it comes out the right color—a rich shade of deep brown. — beauty director Alexandra Engler
Single serving
Big pour of olive oil
Scoop of organic mayo
Large helping of dijon mustard (I LOVE mustard)
Splashes of balsamic vinegar until it reaches the desired color and taste
Drizzle of organic honey
Squeeze of lemon
Freshly grated garlic (one clove)
Salt & pepper
Poppyseed dressing
I made this salad several years ago on a whim and brought it to a friend’s barbecue. It was such a hit that I keep on making it for summer special occasions. I love the creamy, sweet dressing mixed with the bright apple slices, peppery arugula, and savory parmesan crisps. —Engler
In the salad:
Arugula base
Green apples thiny slices and diced
Thin slices of red onion
Pecans or almonds, chopped
Parmesan cheese crisps (shred cheese into small shallow mounds on parchment paper. Bake until golden and crispy. Let cool then break apart. Sprinkle atop salad.)
Dressing (about 5-6 servings)
A large portion of greek yogurt or organic olive oil mayo (½ cup to a cup)
A large pour of olive oil
3-4 tablespoons organic honey (or just sweetened to desired level)
Several splashes of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
Poppyseeds
Minimalist olive oil dressing
I’ve admittedly gotten lazy about making my own dressings at home, but that doesn’t mean I always resort to store-bought options. My go-to option to dress up a salad quickly is a classic mix of olive oil and lemon. Sometimes I’ll use a nice runny tahini instead of the olive oil, and sometimes I swap out the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar. Either way, the coarse sea salt is a must for bringing out all the other flavors, and I feel like with just three versatile ingredients, I can spruce up any type of greens, roasted veggies, pasta, or grain bowl to make it delectable. — health editor Ailsa Cowell
Single serving
2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil (or runny tahini for a creamy twist)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar for a tangier option)
A generous pinch of coarse sea salt
Miso caesar
I put this dressing on everything. The miso adds a rich, savory flavor, and the caper brine and lemon juice help brighten it up. Many store-bought caesar dressings fall flat and are loaded with canola oil. This is easy to throw together and is much more nutritionally balanced with healthy monounsaturated fats. — Deputy commerce editor Braelyn Wood
Makes about 2 cups of dressing
¾ cup water
½ cup tahini
¼ cup organic, extra virgin olive oil (or Greek yogurt for something creamy)
2 teaspoons light yellow miso paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon caper juice, from the jar
½ cup nutritional yeast
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
Dash of garlic powder
Everything balsamic dressing
I’m all about simplicity and versatility. So I regularly opt for this olive oil balsamic blend. Adding everything but the bagel seasoning mixes up the texture, and it goes well with any greens and veggie combo. –nutrition scientist Emma Engler
Single serving
Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon everything but the bagel seasoning
Apple cider vinegar dressing
I make this dressing several times a month. All the ingredients are foods that I already have in my pantry or fridge and can be whisked together in this perfectly zingy dressing in minutes. While it’s great to serve anytime of year, I especially love making it in the fall and adding it to my fall harvest bowl (kale, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and sliced chicken).
Makes 2-3 servings
¼ cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
½-1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
The takeaway
Once you get the hang of making your own dressing you’ll be experimenting with other flavor combos in no time. If you lean towards oil-based dressings, opt for organic olive oil or avocado oils. For creamy dressings, use tahini, Greek yogurt, or avocado for your base. And always pair it with an acid (like a vinegar or citrus juice) for balance.
