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From a simple spinach salad to a side of crispy fries, the right dressing can make all the difference in flavor. Luckily, we’ve prepared this collection of four- and five-star dressings for you to choose from. Perfect for a grain bowl or fresh greens, readers want to give recipes like our Basil Vinaigrette “6 stars!” You can also turn to our Homemade Ranch Dressing to drizzle over a sandwich or use as a dip. No matter what you’re making, the dressing you need is waiting below.
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Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek.
This garlicky mustard vinaigrette is great to have in your repertoire, as it goes with almost anything. The recipe makes plenty, so you can fix it once and then have it on hand for several days. The garlic is delicious but bold here; use fewer cloves if you want to tone it down.
Herb Vinaigrette
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Addelyn Evans
This fresh herb vinaigrette dressing recipe is great tossed with mixed greens or as a dressing for cold pasta salads. It’s easily adapted to whatever herbs and citrus you have on hand. Be sure to shake well before serving.
Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
Abbey Littlejohn
This easy, bright vinaigrette comes together quickly with ingredients that you probably have on hand already. The acidity and tartness of the lemon and vinegar are balanced by a touch of honey. Use this vinaigrette on your favorite leafy greens, from kale to butter lettuce.
Andrew Zimmern’s Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette
Chef Andrew Zimmern shared his version of a zesty carrot salad dressing with ginger, tamari and toasted sesame oil. Steaming the carrot gives the dressing a silky-smooth texture. Serve it with salads and noodles or use it as a dipping sauce.v
Easy Red-Wine Vinaigrette
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling
This versatile red-wine vinaigrette recipe is a healthy dressing for your salad. It’s also delicious drizzled on grain bowls or over grilled or roasted vegetables. You can also make the dressing in a jar by adding all the ingredients and shaking until emulsified.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
With just a few pantry staples, you can whip up a healthier homemade ranch dressing. Light mayonnaise gives the dressing body with less fat and calories than traditional versions, while buttermilk adds that signature tanginess. We like the convenience of using dried dill, but if you have fresh on hand, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill can be used in its place. We like this as a dip for veggies, but it also works well tossed with sturdy greens for salad.
Healthy Homemade Italian Dressing
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This easy homemade Italian dressing is a snap to pull together and lasts for up to a week in the fridge.
Creamy Cottage Cheese Dressing
Cottage cheese serves as the base for this easy dressing and adds protein. We like the dressing on the thicker, creamier side, but you can add more water to thin it out, if desired. Use any mix of fresh herbs you have on hand—chives, parsley and dill all work well here. We add the herbs after blending to preserve their delicate flavor, plus it prevents the dressing from turning green. Use leftover dressing on grain bowls, salads and more.
Julia Child’s Timeless Vinaigrette
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
When making her simple Sauce Vinaigrette recipe, Julia Child suggests using high-quality vinegar and oil, as their flavors will really shine through. We thought a pinch of sugar would balance the acidity and flavor of the ground mustard; feel free to add some if you find the dressing to be too strong.
Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Eva Kolenko
While a 1-to-2 acid-to-oil ratio is common for vinaigrettes, shifting it to 1-to-1½ yields a dressing with a brighter flavor and fewer calories. That means for every ½ cup of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, use ¾ cup of oil in this salad dressing recipe.
Mint Vinaigrette
This brightly flavored lemon-mint vinaigrette recipe is an ideal dressing for mixed green salads or grain salads, such a quinoa or freekah, topped with fresh fruit.
Citrus Vinaigrette
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
This versatile citrus salad dressing gets a touch of natural sweetness from orange juice, which balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Use the vinaigrette in coleslaw for a mayo-free dressing, or drizzle it over winter greens with dried fruit and nuts.
Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Spoon this tangy dressing over cooked broccoli, green beans, salad or poached fish.
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
This classic ranch dressing gets a kick of heat and smokiness from canned chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Got extra peppers? Don’t let them go to waste! Freeze them in an ice cube tray or small container to use later. Serve this zesty chipotle ranch dressing with crispy tater tots, french fries or drizzled on a chicken sandwich, or use it as a dipping sauce for fresh veggies.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
In this balsamic vinaigrette recipe, the addition of Italian seasoning adds an extra layer of flavor and spice. Use as a quick and easy balsamic vinegar salad dressing or as a balsamic marinade for chicken that’s delicious and moist.
Sesame Tamari Vinaigrette
The roasted-nut and citrus flavors of this easy dressing go well with Asian-style salads or meals; try drizzling it on grilled shrimp or chicken breast, too.
Hoisin-Sesame Dressing
This simple dressing is seasoned with spicy-sweet hoisin sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds; toss it with shredded napa cabbage and carrots for a simple Asian-inspired slaw.
Basil Vinaigrette
Drizzle this basil salad dressing over sliced tomatoes or cooked green beans. Or toss it into a grain salad for a pop of fresh summertime flavor.
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