5 Easy And Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes That'll Make You LOVE Salads

Learn how to make the best homemade salad dressing recipes to spruce up your salads and greens. Super delicious and easy to prepare, you'll find a collection of vegan, low carb and healthy salad dressing recipes to take your healthy eating game to the next level. From raspberry dressing to honey mustard, vegan ranch, cucumber raita and avocado dressing - there's something special for everyone! 

It's not too early to start planning for Summer salads. And that also means delicious salad dressing recipes that are good on anything. The season is, of course, a bright and beautiful time, a chance to take delight in and celebrate fresh seasonal produce. But as with many of us - who struggle to meet our daily quotient of fruits and vegetables - it's also a chance to perhaps 'catch up' on our intake. In my view, Summertime is the opportunity to experiment even more in the kitchen (and enjoy the outdoor grill!). Maybe you're like me and inspired to tantalize your tastebuds with fresh and fabulous salads - that you're going to enjoy all summer long. I think you'll agree that for a true salad experience - one that you'll want to enjoy again and again - the salad dressing has to be unreal.

Well, you're in for a real treat, friends.

Because today I'm sharing my favourite collection of the best homemade salad dressing recipes. Truly, they should earn a permanent place in every home chef's repertoire. Done in minutes, these salad dressing recipes pair utterly well with all sorts of salads. Bonus: I will share what dressing works splendidly with which type of salad.

1. Honey Mustard Dressing

What goes in Honey Mustard Dressing?

Here's what you need to make homemade honey mustard salad dressing:

• Olive oil – Of course! Extra virgin;
• Lemon – Fresh from juicy lemons is the best kind;
• Mustard – A good quality dijon mustard;
• Garlic powder; and
• Honey – For that lovely tinge of sweetness to help balance the tang of the lemon

How To Make Honey Mustard Dressing - Step By Step

1. It's really quite simple; add all the ingredients to a 250 mL mason jar (Images 1-5).
2. Place the lid and shake to mix the honey mustard dressing ingredients (Image 6).
3. Store in the refrigerator.

*This dressing makes approximately six servings - just under 3 tbsp per serving. Adjust servings to suit your individual needs.

Honey Mustard Dressing Pairings

Honey Mustard Salad dressing pairs well with leafy Greens; especially the bitter kind:

• Kale
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Watercress
• Collard
• Radicchio
• Dandelion

2. Raspberry Salad Dressing

What goes in Raspberry Dressing?

Here's what you need to make homemade vegan raspberry salad dressing:

• Raspberries – Choose fresh and ripe plump berries;
• Lemon – Fresh lemons are better than bottled because of their intense flavour;
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract works like a charm to bring a hint of sweetness (without the need for a sweetener) and flavour. You could also use fresh vanilla from pods;
• Olive oil – extra virgin; and
• Pepper

How To Make Raspberry Salad Dressing - Step By Step

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor (Images 1-5)
2. Blitz until creamy (Image 6)
3. Transfer to a 250 mL mason jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

*This dressing makes approximately six servings. Adjust servings to suit your individual needs.

Vegan Raspberry Dressing Pairings

This raspberry salad dressing is the perfect fit for fruit and nut-based salads—especially citrus, rhubarb and apricots. I have to say, poured over a giant bowl of spinach and olives, it oozes with zesty deliciousness. But my top choice? A generous drizzle of raspberry dressing over my spicy chicken salad with Romaine lettuce - oh my goodness! I particularly love the fact that it's not a raspberry vinaigrette that's laden with oil—instead, it's creamy, tangy and oh-so-delicious.

3. Cucumber Raita

What Is Raita?

Raita is the ideal pick to cool your palate. Traditional Desi (South Asian) raita is a yogurt-based condiment made with grated cucumber, herbs and spices - usually cumin and coriander. Here's my simple twist - using Greek yogurt and a short ingredient list.

What goes in Raita?

Here's what you need to make raita:

• Greek yogurt – For its perfect creaminess and higher protein value. I use the regular kind;
• Cucumber – Freshly grated with its liquid. No need to waste any of the deliciousness. Plus, it helps to create the perfect consistency;
• Mint – Fresh mint leaves exude incredible freshness and flavour -without the need for an excessive amount of salt;
• Garlic powder; and
• Salt and Pepper

Raita Recipe - Step By Step

1. Add all the ingredients to a 250 mL mason jar (Images 1-5).
2. Place the lid and shake to mix the cucumber raita ingredients (Image 6).
3. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

*This dressing makes approximately four servings. Adjust servings to suit your individual needs.

Raita Pairings

Looking for something cooling to pair alongside recipes with spicier notes? Raita won't disappoint - poured over falafel, quinoa or rice-based salads. For something quick and easy when strapped for time, raita poured over a bed of cooked chickpeas, freshly diced tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, and crunchy peppers is the most popular way we devour this in the Desi~licious kitchen. There are more than enough ways to enjoy raita, obviously; how about dunking your pizza and garlic bread. I have amazing memories of watching my granny dip her hot roti in raita. It was enough of a meal to satisfy her appetite and her heart.

4. The Best Ranch Dressing - 100% Vegan!

What goes in Ranch Dressing?

Here's what you need to make the best ranch dressing:

• Silken tofu – to create the most unbelievable creamy consistency. Truly, tofu is a blank canvas, ready to absorb whatever flavour that comes its way. Remember to drain the excess liquid before blending;
• Lemon – Juice of fresh lemons because they are wholesome, easy and rich in vitamin C;
• Chilli flakes – I use red chilli for a lightly spicy kick;
• Nutritional yeast – Thanks to its cheesy flavour, it's the ideal vegan choice to create a homemade ranch dressing - that'll knock your socks off; and
• Garlic and salt

How To Make Ranch Dressing - Step By Step

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor (Images 1-5).
2. Blitz until creamy (Image 6). You may need to wipe down the sides and blend again to ensure the ranch dressing ingredients are well-combined.
3. Transfer to a 250 mL mason jar.
4. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to enjoy!

*This dressing makes approximately five servings. Adjust servings to suit your individual needs.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Pairings

Besides slathering your greens and cucumber in ranch dressing, this recipe also works splendidly with potato, chicken and turkey salads as well as fish.

5. Avocado Dressing

What goes in Avocado Dressing?

Here's what you need to make the avocado salad dressing:

• Avocado – of course! Use ripe avocado for the perfect creamy consistency;
• Cilantro – fresh leaves and stems to bring oodles of flavour;
• Limes – Juice of fresh limes for zing;
• Jalapeno – I use the largest one to bring equal parts spice and tang; and
• Salt

How To Make Vegan Avocado Dressing - Step By Step

1. Scoop out the flesh of your avocado. Add the avocado dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor (Images 1-5).
2. Blitz until creamy. You may need to wipe down the sides and blend again to ensure the dressing ingredients are well-combined.
3. Transfer to a 250 mL mason jar (Image 6).
4. Store in the refrigerator until serving time.

*This dressing makes approximately four servings. Adjust servings to suit your individual needs.

Avocado Dressing Pairings

All I want to eat with this vegan avocado dressing are taco salad bowls, pasta and egg salads and salads made with beans and lentils. I've got the perfect mung bean quinoa salad recipe to pair with this avocado dressing for you to try. Remember, too, that this versatile avocado cilantro dressing is delightful as a dip for your veggies, and I never eat these sweet potato wedges without it. Bon appetit!

Looking for some easy and healthy salad inspiration? Make sure to check out:

1. Fattoush Salad With Smoked Salmon
2. Za'atar 7-Layer Vegan Salad
3. Chaat Salad With Corn
4. Warm Beetroot Poriyal Salad

What's your favourite way to spruce up a salad? Have you tried my salad dressing recipes before? Let me know which one is your top pick!

If you try these salad dressing recipes, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can't wait to see your photos. 

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