Back Away From the Bottle: 21 Recipes for Better-Than-Store-Bought Salad Dressing

Kana Okada, Food&Wine

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Many of us have succumbed to bottled salad dressing propaganda, relying on the gluey stuff as our toppings for salads, thinking it's not worth making dressing from scratch. If you take a look at the ingredients list on any bottle of store-bought dressing, you'll realize it's time to back away. It's time to embrace homemade salad dressing and vinaigrette.

First of all, it's not difficult to make your own. It barely takes any effort to make a salad dressing from scratch. Most recipes only require you to whisk together a few ingredients or use a blender. What could be easier that that?

All of our recipes are quick and easy to make and include the classics, American favorites, and a few with international flavors. Most rely on just oil and vinegar. Others feature a creamy base made with mayonnaise, buttermilk, or even roasted garlic. These dressings are versatile too--many double as marinades or dips. Once you try one of these recipes, you'll never go back to the bottle again.

What's your favorite salad dressing recipe? Let us know below.

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21 Salad Dressings

Ranch dressing is one of America's favorite salad dressings. Homemade is so much better than store-bought. Buttermilk and mayonnaise create the rich creamy base that's flavored with fresh herbs.

Get the Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

21 Salad Dressings

A basic vinaigrette recipe is easy to remember: it's 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add more flavor with chopped garlic, shallot, parsley, etc. Feel free to use any vinegar you like.

Get the Recipe for Basic Vinaigrette

21 Salad Dressings

This take on Caesar dressing uses roasted garlic for its flavor base and Worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies. It's easy to whizz up in the blender.

Get the Recipe for Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

21 Salad Dressings

If you love olives, you will adore this Mediterranean-style dressing featuring chopped olives. Reduced broth along with balsamic vinegar adds depth of flavor.

Get the Recipe for Black Olive Vinaigrette

21 Salad Dressings

Orange marmalade adds sweetness to this tangy vinaigrette made with rice vinegar. At touch of smoked paprika adds bold flavor.

Get the Recipe for Smoky Orange Vinaigrette

21 Salad Dressings

Most people either love or hate cilantro. But for those who love the herb, this is the recipe to keep. One cup of cilantro goes into this vinaigrette, which has lime and orange juices for citrus tang.

Get the Recipe for Cilantro-Lime Dressing

21 Salad Dressings

Fresh ginger adds heat to this vinaigrette. To peel ginger use a spoon to scrape the skin, then grate it into the dressing. Serve this dressing on slaw.

Get the Recipe for Ginger Vinaigrette

21 Salad Dressings

This Asian-inspired dressing works well on rice and noodle salads. Sesame oil lends a nutty flavor and fiery chile-garlic sauce adds heat.

Get the Recipe for Red-Hot Sesame Dressing

21 Salad Dressings

Cider vinegar has a sweet tang that works well in this classic French dressing, which features a tomato juice base. One clove of garlic is enough to add a bit of punch.

Get the Recipe for French Dressing

21 Salad Dressings

Lemon juice and zest add bright flavor to this dressing. A spoonful of honey tones down the tang and helps the dressing emulsify.

Get the Recipe for Honey-Lemon Dressing

21 Salad Dressings