14 Salad Dressings That Make You Want to Eat Salad

A good dressing does more than coat some greens; it wakes everything up, brings ingredients together, and adds bold flavor. Whether you’re drizzling a vinaigrette over roasted veggies, dressing a cold noodle bowl with a spicy peanut sauce, or using jalapeño ranch as a dip for crispy potatoes, a bold dressing can carry a dish. Below are 14 dressings we keep on repeat. Each one brings big flavor with simple ingredients and takes almost no time to make. No sad salads allowed.

1. Honey Balsamic Dressing with Thyme

The flavor: Sweet, tangy, and herby with a balanced bite of vinegar.

What it’s good on: Grain bowls, spinach salads, roasted carrots, sweet potato fries.

Make it: Use this honey balsamic dressing recipe from Pipercooks, made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and fresh thyme. Whisk together in 5 minutes.

2. Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

The flavor: Creamy, fresh, and citrusy with a punch of herby flavor.

What it’s good on: Burrito bowls, shrimp tacos, kale chicken salad, grilled corn, taco salads.

Make it: Try Pipercooks’ Avocado Cilantro Lime dressing with ripe avocado, lime juice, Greek yogurt, and cilantro. Works as a dip too.

3. Ranch Dressing

The flavor: Classic creamy ranch with garlic, onion, herbs, and just enough tang.

What it’s good on: Chicken wraps, chicken bacon ranch salad, pizza, fries, and raw veggies.

Make it: Make the best ranch dressing from scratch with sour cream, Greek yogurt, mayo, dried herbs, and pantry spices. Or go dairy-free with this vegan ranch version from My Plant-Based Bowl.

4. Creamy Jalapeño Ranch

The flavor: All the comfort of ranch with a spicy, fresh kick from jalapeños.

What it’s good on: Tex-Mex bowls, tacos, fried pickles, corn fritters, jalapeño cheddar burgers.

Make it: Add chopped jalapeños and fresh herbs into ranch dressing, like in this creamy jalapeño ranch from Pipercooks.

5. Za’atar Salad Dressing

The flavor: Herbaceous, earthy, and tangy with a little sesame crunch.

What it’s good on: Chickpea salads, grain bowls, grilled eggplant, cucumber salad.

Make it: Blend za’atar spice mix, rose vinegar, honey, olive oil, and Dijon mustard.

Try this easy, 5-minute Za’atar salad dressing from Jacqueline at Pipercooks.

6. Pesto Salad Dressing

The flavor: Bright, garlicky, and packed with basil and parmesan.

What it’s good on: Pasta salads, caprese bowls, roasted potatoes, grilled chicken.

Make it: Pipercooks makes pesto salad dressing by thinning out homemade pesto or store-bought pesto with lemon juice and olive oil.

7. Creamy Sesame Salad Dressing

The flavor: Nutty, savory, and slightly sweet with deep toasted sesame notes.

What it’s good on: Carrot and cucumber salad, rice bowls, steamed broccoli, soba noodles.

Make it: This version uses tahini, soy sauce, mayo, rice vinegar, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and maple syrup.

Creamy sesame salad dressing is easy to make with no special equipment. Simply whisk together!

8. Apple Dijon Dressing

The flavor: Sweet and sharp with the bite of apple cider vinegar and mustard softened by real maple syrup.

What it’s good on: Kale crunch salad, roasted veggie bowls, fall salads.

Make it: Mix oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and fresh shallots.

Mix this Apple Dijon dressing together in minutes and keep it in the fridge to use throughout the week.

9. Greek Dressing

The flavor: Zesty and herby with a punch of red wine vinegar.

What it’s good on: Greek salad, pasta salad, grain bowls, grilled veggies.

Make it: Mix oil, vinegar, lemon, mustard, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Versatile and easy to make, use this Greek dressing on salad or as a marinade.

10. Greek Tzatziki Salad Dressing

The flavor: Cool, creamy, and garlicky with a hint of cucumber and lemon.

What it’s good on: Falafel bowls, cucumber salad, pita wraps, grilled skewers.

Make it: Mix yogurt, mayo, cucumber, oil, lemon, dill, and garlic.

Easily make this Greek Tzatziki salad dressing plant-based by using vegan mayo and yogurt.

11. Maple Dijon Salad Dressing

The flavor: Sweet, tangy, and mustard-forward with a velvety texture.

What it’s good on: Roasted Brussels sprouts, couscous salad, warm grain bowls.

Make it: Quick to whisk up with mustard, maple syrup, and smoked paprika. No blender needed.

Just 3 ingredients for this Maple Dijon Salad dressing. It doesn’t get easier than this!

12. Spicy Peanut Sauce

The flavor: Savory, spicy, nutty, and just a little sweet.

What it’s good on: Cabbage crunch salad, tofu bowls, lettuce wraps, cold rolls.

Make it: Try the My Plant-Based Bowl Spicy Peanut Sauce with peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sriracha.

Useful for all kinds of drizzling or dipping!

13. Lemon Basil Dressing

The flavor: Fresh, bright, and citrusy with sweet basil notes.

What it’s good on: Broccoli quinoa salad, couscous bowls, grilled veggies, chicken or shrimp.

Make it: Blend this dressing with fresh basil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and olive oil.

This Lemon Basil dressing is quick to make and requires only 4 simple ingredients. Perfect for salads, grain bowls, or using as a marinade.

14. Sriracha Ranch

The flavor: Creamy, tangy, and smoky-spicy with a slow sriracha heat.

What it’s good on: Salads, tacos, chicken wraps, burgers, roasted potatoes, or as a dipping sauce for wings and fries.

Make it: Stir together mayo, sour cream, our blend of ranch seasonings, and sriracha until smooth. Adjust the sriracha to your spice tolerance.

Yes, it’s the third ranch dressing recipe here because each one has a unique flavor twist and earns its spot. Try Forking Flavorful’s Sriracha Ranch dressing.