Today I’m giving you 5 DIY variations of healthy & mouth-watering vinaigrette dressings, with 2 salad ideas each, so you never have to eat a boring salad ever again! Vinaigrettes are hands down one of my most essential everyday salad dressings. If you’re a salad lover such as myself, or are new to salads and need some pointers on vinaigrettes, I’m so glad you’re here. Once you can make your homemade vinaigrettes there is no going back to store-bought.

The traditional components of vinaigrettes are a 3:1 ratio of oil and vinegar (3 parts oil and 1 part vinegar), a pinch of salt and pepper. I tend to use a 2:1 ratio, but that’s just a personal preference.

Related: How to Make a Vinaigrette Dressing

5 Simple Vinaigrette Salad Dressings

With vinaigrettes, there are endless possibilities with flavor. You’ll be surprised how quick and easy they are to make. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 tablespoon of dressing for 1.5 cups of greens.

Here is a basic equation you can use for one serving of salad.

1 tbsp. oil + 1 tsp. vinegar + ½ tsp. sweetness + ½ tsp. mustard + 2 pinches of herb + 1 pinch seasoning

1. Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. lemon juice + 1 tbsp. orange juice + ½ tsp. honey + ½ tsp. mustard + ½ garlic clove (minced) + pinch of orange zest & cilantro + salt & pepper

Goes great on

• Kale salad (Kale + Roasted beets, topped with walnuts)
• Strawberry Fetta Salad (Baby spinach+ Strawberries + Feta cheese topped, with almonds)

Tip: You can swap the greeens with any leafy greens e.g. Kale, Spinach, Arugula, celery, blanched green beans, or asparagus. Additionally, any nuts you have at hand are totally fine!

2. French Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. red wine vinegar + ½ tsp. mustard + ½ tsp. honey + ½ garlic clove (minced) + salt & pepper

Goes great on

• Cucumber Tomato Salad (Diced cucumbers + tomatoes + leafy greens, topped with walnuts )
• Tuna Salad (Shredded cooked tuna + corn + green beans + tomatoes + leafy greens, topped with almonds)

3. Sweet Sesame Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbsp. olive or sesame oil + 1 tsp. lemon juice + 1 tsp. soy sauce + 1 tsp. honey + ½ garlic clove minced + pinch of sesame seeds + salt & pepper

Goes great on

• Rotisserie Chicken Salad (Chicken + Red bell pepper strips + Julienned carrots + shredded cabbage + leafy greens, topped with peanuts )
• Tomato - Mushroom Salad   (Mushrooms + tomatoes + cucumbers + leafy greens, topped with peanuts)

4. Apple-Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar + 1 tsp. honey + ½ tsp. mustard + ½ garlic clove (minced) salt & pepper

Goes great on

• Kale with Crouton Salad (Kale + diced apple/pears + raisins + croutons, topped with almonds )
• Beet & Apple Salad   (Roasted beets + leafy greens + diced apples + Feta cheese, topped with walnuts)

Tip: Massage the kale with a teaspoon of olive oil. It makes them softer to chew and easier to digest

5. Sweet n’ Spicy Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. red wine vinegar + ½ tsp. mustard + 1 tsp. honey + a pinch of paprika, cumin, cilantro, chili, + ½-garlic clove (minced) + salt & pepper

Goes great on

• Avocado - Mushroom Salad (Leafy greens + mushrooms + green olives + tomatoes + avocado + cilantro)
• Couscous Salad   (Leafy greens + cooked couscous + tomatoes + avocado + green onion + green / red chili)

Notes: You can store these vinaigrette dressings in the fridge, in an airtight jar for up to a week. It will become solid in the fridge so take it out and let it warm up on the counter for a little before using it. Or you can quickly warm it by setting the jar into a bowl of warm water. 

Because I do not want you to read this post and forget what you’ve learned, I’ve created a downloadable PDF copy that you can access by clicking here! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!

If you try any of these tips or recipes and find them share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #smodernhealth on Instagram and don’t forget to check out my other blog posts!