You've already heard about the bad reputation store-bought salad dressings have. You get it, store-bought dressings give your salad some actual flavor, but they have large amounts of fat and sugar in them.

Pouring large amounts of fatty and sugary store-bought dressings can sabotage all your health efforts, but spending hours at the grocery store to find the healthiest dressing isn't the best strategy either. Whether you're on the go or wanting to try something new, make one of these healthy salad dressing recipes to give your salad some personality and understand exactly what you're eating. 

1. Creamy Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:10 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
beer, wine
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Cut an avocado and spoon out the avocado into a blender or directly into a jar or bowl.

    coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add olive oil and white wine vinegar.

    oil, liquor, alcohol, wine
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Blend or mix the ingredients together in a blender or with a spoon.

    sweet, jam, honey
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add in lemon juice and dried cilantro, and then blend or mix again.

    lemon
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Add salt and pepper based on your taste preferences.

    cucumber, garlic, pickle, salt
    Kayla Zhang

2. Sweet Mango and Lime Dressing

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:10 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 mango - pitted and sliced
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • 1 lime - juiced and zested
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
liquor, beer, alcohol, wine
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Cut the mango in half and spoon the flesh into a blender.

    squash, pasture, vegetable
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add fresh lemon and lime juice.

    lemonade, citron, grapefruit, lime, juice, citrus, lemon
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    If juicing the fruits by hand, cut the lemon and lime in half. Hold the lemon/lime over the blender with one hand, and then place the other hand underneath the lemon/lime. The hand underneath will catch the seeds as you squeeze out the juice (shoutout to Giada for this tip).

    beer
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add white wine vinegar and olive oil. Blend.

    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Add paprika and garlic salt. Adjust the salt based on taste preference.

    cream, vinaigrette, condiment, mayonnaise, sweet, dairy product, mustard, honey
    Kayla Zhang

3. Mediterranean-Style Dressing

  • Prep Time:15 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 Roma tomato or 5 grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
milk, beer
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Cut tomato(es) and throw them into a blender or mash with a fork in a bowl.

    tomato
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add olive oil and white wine vinegar.

    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Stir and add in Dijon mustard.

    tomato, watermelon
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add in dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir.

    Kayla Zhang

4. Strawberry Mint Dressing

  • Prep Time:15 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup pureed strawberries
  • 1 teaspoon chopped mint
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
coffee, beer, wine
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Slice strawberries and mint leaves and throw them into the blender. Blend.

    parsley, strawberry
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add olive oil and vinegar to the jar.

    tea, beer, wine
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add the blended strawberries and mint to the jar.

    strawberry
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Mix and add in dried basil.

    tea, beer
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Add salt and pepper. Stir.

    sweet, sauce, vinaigrette, mango
    Kayla Zhang

5. Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:10 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
oil, juice, beer
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Mix the olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

    wine, liquor, beer, alcohol
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add the honey and Dijon mustard to the mixture.

    water, oil, coffee, tea, beer
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add lemon juice to the mixture.

    citron, lime, lemonade, citrus, juice, lemon
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add salt and pepper to the mixture. Stir.

    soup
    Kayla Zhang

Choosing to eat a salad over a warm, cheesy pizza is already a big sacrifice. But you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not your sacrifice went to waste because of the salad dressing you used. Your salad dressing should not be taking you a step back from your health goals. With these healthy salad dressing recipes, your efforts should pay off and may even lead to making more healthy choices in the future.