If you’re looking for the Best Dressing for salad, this is it! It’s a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and savory flavors with a little nuttiness from sesame and poppy seeds.
With summer just around the corner, lighter meals are becoming increasingly appealing to to me. SALADS of all kinds are calling my name! But a salad is only as delicious as its dressing, right? I’m going to show you how easy it is to whip up the Best Dressing of your life. Trust me, this recipe will blow your mind!
The warmer months are so short where we live up north that we savor each moment and try to compensate by eating all the fresh summer veggies we can while they’re in season. In the throes of summer’s heat, it’s actually pretty common for us to marinade a whole bunch of different veggies, then throw them on the grill and call that dinner.
Best Dressing for Salad
The thing about a really great salad dressing is that it’s not only nourishing (full of healthy fats!), but also, it adds flavor to the salad without overpowering the flavors of the other ingredients in the salad.
Ingredients:
- Good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Tamari sauce (or coconut aminos or soy sauce)
- Poppy seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Seasoned salt
- Black pepper
- White onion
- Garlic
What Can I Use This Recipe For?
- Green salad
- Coleslaw
- Pasta salad
- Potato salad
- Topping for grilled or steamed vegetables
- Marinade for chicken
- As “sub oil” for submarine sandwiches
Easy Marinade
Best Dressing also works great as a delicious easy marinade! This is my favorite all-purpose dressing, which often doubles as a chicken marinade in our house. I love it so much that at any point (especially during the warmer months) there’s usually a jar of it in my fridge. It’s a great dressing or marinade for grilled, steamed, or roasted veggies, as well as fish, chicken, and steak. It’s also delicious in pasta salads, bean salads, panzanella salad (Italian bread salad), or even just to dress a mix of salad greens.
Oil in Salad Dressing
The kind of oil you use can take a dressing from good to amazing, so be sure to use good-quality extra virgin olive oil here. I go for one with a gorgeous green-gold color and a fruity, slightly peppery taste. Here are the oils I like to use:
Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes:
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Best Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon tamari sauce or coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ small white onion minced
- 1 small clove garlic grated on a microplane
Instructions
-
Whisk together all ingredients.
-
Store refrigerated up to 1 week.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of dressing; each serving is 2 tablespoons.
Here are a few of my other favorite homemade salad dressings…
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Susan says
May 13, 2011 at 2:38 pmI’m always looking for new and delicious dressing ideas and this one sounds delicious!
Evelyne@CheapEthnicEatz says
May 13, 2011 at 3:57 pmNothing beats a homemade dressing and this one looks really good. it’s like a little mix of various flavors out there. And yes olive oil varies in quality. However I am a bit addicted to my Wafu Japanese dressing for everything which uses sesame oil.
Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook says
May 13, 2011 at 4:04 pmThis dressing looks fantastic, Faith! Always on the lookout for a nice marinade, I’m definitely trying this one!
Rosa says
May 13, 2011 at 4:20 pmVery tasty! I’d love to dip fresh ciabatta in it.
Cheers,
Rosa
Magic of Spice says
May 13, 2011 at 4:41 pmGreat dressing…quality olive oil is key :) Sounds like you eat the way I do, load up the grill with veggies :)
Swathi says
May 13, 2011 at 5:24 pmLooks awesome delicious. love olive oil dressing as it is healthy always.
Joyti says
May 13, 2011 at 10:08 pmIt sounds delicious. And very versatile…
LeQuan says
May 13, 2011 at 10:28 pmHi Faith,
Hubby and I are always looking for a good marinade as we love to grill. We’ll even grill in 2 ft of snow in -25 celcius weather. Yup, just call us proud to be Canadians. Haha. What a great marinade! Love that you can use it on meat and veggies. I’ll definitely have to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend, Faith.
Mia Summer Rose says
May 14, 2011 at 12:32 amFaith i absolutely love what u do in summer!
Differenc here is we have muc longer and hotter summers and eagerly wait for the rains to open out the doors of airconed homes:-)
Its wonderfully excitn!
I loveeee ur marinade and must make a jar myself and keep now.
Love ur pretty jar.
We use Portuguese extra virgin oil which i absolutely love and will try this soon and blog about it too!
Happy weekend with lodsa love and sunshine smiles my dearest pal:-)
poohy hugs too!
chriesi says
May 14, 2011 at 1:22 amIt looks so tasty! I am going to prepare it for sure.
Diane says
May 14, 2011 at 1:59 amI love anything with cider vinegar in it so have book marked this dressing. Thanks Diane
Veronica says
May 14, 2011 at 2:08 amThank you for sharing this–I need to branch out and try more homemade dressings–this one is first!
Angie's Recipes says
May 14, 2011 at 2:25 amThe dressing looks delish! The jar looks cute.
Karen says
May 14, 2011 at 2:48 amWonderful recipe, Faith! Summer cooking is my favorite – so many fresh veggies and herbs to choose from. If it would only last all year…
Joanne says
May 14, 2011 at 5:05 amI joined a CSA this summer and from what I hear, there will be a LOT of greens. Which means I need to get my dressing-making skillz in order! This sounds like the most delicious way to start!
Barbara says
May 14, 2011 at 6:26 amWe can always use another dressing recipe, Faith, and this one looks marvelous. Love all the seeds in it.
You caught that first photo perfectly!
Erica says
May 14, 2011 at 7:07 ammmmm I love a good dressing. Can you taste the mustard in this? The husband has a huge thing against mustard and if he can taste the littlest tinge he freaks ;) Let me know.
crustabakes says
May 14, 2011 at 7:09 amA universal dressing. HOw convenient and delightful. I bet it tastes delicious too!
Julie M. says
May 14, 2011 at 8:18 amIsn’t it amazing how a simple homemade dressing can turn good into amazing? This dressing looks wonderful and a perfect compliment to summer cooking and grilling.
Katerina says
May 14, 2011 at 10:31 amSalads are what I eat during weekdays. A good dressing is always appreciated!I am keeping this.
Jen says
May 14, 2011 at 11:55 amA light meal of marinated, grilled vegetables sounds great – love your dressing!
Lisa says
May 14, 2011 at 5:11 pmLooks great! The dressing definitely makes the salad :)
Tanvi says
May 14, 2011 at 6:31 pmWow, that look so tangy as well as light.I would love to store it and use it on anything and everything from salads to marinades.
Maria @ Scandifoodie says
May 14, 2011 at 9:11 pmThis sounds just perfect Faith! I’m going into the kitchen right now to try this!
theUngourmet says
May 14, 2011 at 9:22 pmI’m so happy salad season is finally here! What a fun dressing. I love the poppy seeds and the sesame seeds!
Priyanka says
May 14, 2011 at 10:47 pmThese days I am getting into making my own dressings, love the recipe.
blackbookkitchendiaries says
May 15, 2011 at 1:15 amthis is perfect! i cant wait to make some for dinner tonight! yummy! thank you for sharing this with us.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
May 15, 2011 at 6:17 amI know that I would love this as I love the slightly Asian flavour to some of the ingredients. And great idea having this as a marinade and a dressing too Faith! :D
Erica says
May 15, 2011 at 10:16 amWonderful dressing,Faith! I am craving salads and I will be making this dressing this week.
Bizzy says
May 15, 2011 at 2:07 pmI decided the other day to start a collection of dressing recipes and here you are with a phenomenal one to start with. Are you into reading minds, these days, Faith?
pachecopatty says
May 15, 2011 at 2:13 pmI really like this dressing Faith, in fact I think I have all the ingredients on hand except olive oil, I just ran out, because we use so much;-)
admin says
May 15, 2011 at 2:28 pmErica, Lol, too funny! I can’t pick out the flavor of mustard in this (but I use it because it gives the dressing a nice depth of flavor and helps create a nicely emulsified dressing). Mike (who incidentally doesn’t really care for mustard either) has never said he tasted it in the dressing. I hope you guys like it if you give it a try! :)
chopinandmysaucepan says
May 15, 2011 at 3:22 pmI absolutely love honey and Dijon based dressing and we do that pretty often so I know this dressing would be fantastic!
emma says
May 15, 2011 at 3:31 pmHi Sweetie! Man your blog inspires me! I love a giant bowl of salad or veggies when the weather gets warm…..I love spring and summer, even the thought of it passing by makes me sad!
Simply Life says
May 15, 2011 at 3:38 pmI love making my own dressing and this looks perfect!
Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons says
May 15, 2011 at 4:29 pmsooooo trying this!!!!!!!
Victoria @ Mission: Food says
May 15, 2011 at 4:38 pmLove the unique addition of poppy seeds and sesame seeds in this dressing! I also agree that eating lighter in the summer is a great idea. Who wants to heat up the oven on a super hot day when you can toss together some bright and fresh veggies :)
Carolyn Jung says
May 15, 2011 at 6:51 pmThe tamari is a nice touch to add umami goodness. No wonder this dressing sounds so addicting. ;)
Blond Duck says
May 16, 2011 at 6:01 amAs the Grill Queen, I’m dying to try this!
5 Star foodie says
May 16, 2011 at 6:12 amWe are eating a lot of salads at this time of the year as well. This is a terrific dressing, love the poppy and sesame seeds in it!
aipi says
May 16, 2011 at 8:07 amThe best dressing indeed ~ loved the way you presented it :)
US Masala
Dana says
May 16, 2011 at 12:40 pmI have a bottle of great quality olive oil my boss brought me back from Italy. I’ve been saving it, because I don’t want to use it up on “ordinary” dishes. This sounds like a great use for it!
Tanantha @ I Just Love My Apron says
May 16, 2011 at 5:01 pmThat sounds like a great dressing! I need to eat more veggie as my pants are so tight ><"
PS: I agree that good olive like can really make a difference in taste.
Geni says
May 16, 2011 at 6:04 pmI love all the seeds in this. It really makes it something different and special. The tea set on the market post is just STUNNING!
Reeni says
May 17, 2011 at 6:35 pmThank you for sharing your favorite dressing Faith! It is packed with flavor and I love how versatile it is!
healthy mamma says
May 18, 2011 at 11:16 amThere’s nothing better than a wonderful home made dressing. I agree, so much better than butter! This looks just perfect. I’m bookmarking this baby.
Mary Squires says
May 20, 2011 at 2:40 pmI have tons of greens in the garden and this dressing will be such a complement to them. I also am going to try your tahini salad. Looks great.
Heather says
May 28, 2011 at 8:55 amTamari and apple cider vinegar go really well together, especially with lemon and ginger as well. Thanks for this lovely post!! I can’t wait to try this, it will be perfect over salmon salad mmmmmm.
-passthecayennepepper.com
Krystal says
June 1, 2011 at 10:11 amI love this dressing, sounds amazing. It will be a nice alternative to my makeshift recipe. Mine has EVOO, coconut oil, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, balsamic, and basil. It’s great on chicken, dipping bread, and salads. My mom just gave me the truffle EVOO with some amazing herbs that i’m dying to use. They are so nice i almost don’t want to use them.
Elissa says
June 20, 2012 at 9:50 amI can’t wait to try this dressing in a pasta salad with fresh veggies! This is the first time I ave seen a dressing with poppy seeds and sesame seeds in it.
Nancy says
May 16, 2013 at 4:18 pmDoes it need to be refrigerated?
Faith says
May 17, 2013 at 11:03 amNancy, This dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Do you mean would a pasta salad made with this dressing be ok if left outside for a few hours, like at a picnic or BBQ? If so, yes, it should be fine. There isn’t anything (like raw egg) in it that need to be refrigerated until eaten. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
BusyBee says
June 6, 2013 at 12:09 amThis dressing is aptly named; it is “the best”! I didn’t have poppy seeds so I substituted chia seeds. They were tasty and thickened the dressing a bit,but next time I’ll make sure to have poppy seeds on hand. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Lisa Evanoff says
October 11, 2013 at 6:30 pmI made this tonight and it was so delicious, I am pulling it out for any special or not so special occasion!
George Edw. Seymour says
November 27, 2013 at 2:15 amFaith: Just posted this recipe to my Other Food and Drinks board, but was surprised that you said it would only keep for a week in the refrigerator. Why is that? Thanks, George
Faith says
November 27, 2013 at 7:15 amGeorge,
Thanks so much for your interest in this recipe. Every time I make this dressing it’s gone within a week (I’m a big salad eater!), so I don’t know how much longer it will keep for, and I didn’t want to make a claim that I’m not sure of. If you make it and want to see how long it will last, please let me know what the result is. Hope you enjoy it!
Best,
Faith
Bonny says
June 9, 2014 at 11:29 pmJust wondering, what is seasoned salt? This recipe looks delicious!
Faith says
June 21, 2014 at 1:01 pmHi Bonny, Thanks so much! This is my all-time favorite dressing. :)
Seasoned salt is a mix of table salt, herbs, and spices; in addition to salt and black pepper, it contains herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, celery salt, oregano, thyme, etc. (Sometimes it also has a little bit of sugar!) The only thing to look out for is to get a brand that doesn’t have MSG.
I hope you enjoy this dressing if you give it a try!
mary says
January 2, 2015 at 9:21 amcan you substitute olive oil with Grapeseed oil?
Faith says
January 5, 2015 at 7:43 amMary, I haven’t tried this recipe with grapeseed oil, but I think it would be fine. I only ever use this dressing on top of salads, so as long as you like the flavor of grapeseed oil on your salad, it should work. Hope you like it if you give it a try!
Valerie says
February 19, 2015 at 7:05 pmThis recipe was divine, the garlic and onion added a really nice flare to the salad, and i can imagine that this would be really good to pour over potatoes and then roast them to perfection which i will try very soon, i would blend this with rice even for a different take on flavour, and definitely salads!
thank you for my new go to dressing!!
Hope says
April 21, 2015 at 8:40 pmExcited to try this! Do you know the calorie count for 2 Tablespoons? Thank you
Faith says
April 22, 2015 at 8:19 pmHope, Thank you so much! I don’t calculate calories or other nutritional information for my food, but there are several free online tools that will help you with this. Calorie Count is a pretty useful tool, and can be found here. I hope this helps and that you like the dressing if you try it! :)
Sandy says
May 18, 2016 at 5:29 pmPlease help me, I can not figure how to print recipes I want to use.
Faith says
May 18, 2016 at 6:03 pmSandy, I’m happy to help! If you scroll down the page until you see the recipe, on the top right-hand corner of the recipe you’ll see a gray circle that says “print”. Click on that and it will take you to the print view of the recipe. Please let me know if you need anything else!
Jan says
January 2, 2018 at 12:32 amI made your Best Dressing today and it was a big hit at our luncheon. I think next time I would add a little less honey, but other than that, I loved it. I will keep this recipe handy, because I will be making it again.
Debbie says
May 26, 2018 at 8:49 amWhat is the quantity for “1/2 a small white onion”??? Cup size or Tbsp size. White onions come in all sizes!!! What about using 1 large whole shallot? That seems small enough.
Faith says
May 31, 2018 at 8:35 amDebbie, One of the things I enjoy most about cooking (vs baking) is the freedom it gives us. Unlike baking, we don’t have to follow a specific formula to ensure a chemical process occurs. We can add more or less of what we love! I noted a “small white onion” because that’s what I used; yes, there will be some variation in size, but in general, I find that half of a small-ish onion is perfect (for my tastes) for this recipe. Of course if that seems like too much to you, don’t add as much; on the other hand, if you’re an onion-lover, go for the gusto and add more. I find that half of a small onion, minced yields about 3 to 4 tablespoons, but it’s much more of an art than a science. Yes, you could absolutely try this recipe with a shallot instead; I think it would lend delicious flavor!