Bottled salad dressings may be convenient, but they often come with a long list of unwanted ingredients—like inflammatory oils, added sugars, artificial flavors, preservatives, and emulsifiers that can disrupt digestion and health over time. If you’re working to eat more whole foods, upgrading your salad dressing is a simple but powerful place to start.
Making your own dressing at home is surprisingly quick and easy and the benefits go beyond better flavor. You get full control over the quality of ingredients, especially the oils you use. By choosing healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, you’re not only making your salad taste great, you’re also nourishing your body with heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Plus, homemade dressings don’t need added preservatives—they’re fresh, real, and designed to support your health.
Here are two of our favorites:
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator.
Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk all ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator.
