These simple creamy salad dressings are my go-to’s for transforming fresh salads into something incredibly delicious. Many of them are copycats of your store-bought favorites, like Caesar dressing or ranch dressing (though healthier when made at home). And if you’re dairy-free, I’ll share a few substitutions below!

Creamy salad dressings.
Photo: Gayle McLeod

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I honestly don’t even remember the last time I bought a bottle of store-bought dressing. Ever since I started making them myself at home, I realized just how much fresher, cleaner, and more delicious they can be. Just take a peek at my entire list of salad dressings!

But for meals that need a bit more oomph, these creamy salad dressings are my absolute favorite. They’re obviously perfect for classic creamy salads like this Caesar salad or coleslaw. But don’t forget that they’re great drizzled on roasted vegetables or proteins like chicken. I loooove the lemon tahini dressing tossed with my roasted carrot and parsnip salad recipe in my Healthy Meal Prep cookbook!

If you’re dairy-free, some of these can be made with Greek yogurt or a dairy-free alternative. You can find substitution tips within each recipe post below 😊.

A glass jar of homemade ranch dressing.

1

Ranch Dressing

5 from 47 votes
I am obsessed with this homemade ranch dressing. It's ultra-creamy, layered with tangy, herby flavors, and is a staple condiment I always pull out for dinners and parties (it's a great party dip!).
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A cup of Caesar dressing.

2

Most Delicious Caesar Dressing

5 from 24 votes
Oh me oh my—this is the only Caesar dressing you need! And yes, you do need a tin of anchovies for this. But don't skip it, because that's what gives this it's classic umami flavor.
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Maple mustard tahini dressing recipe.

3

Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing

5 from 30 votes
If you love tahini sauce, you'll certainly make this maple mustard version on repeat. It's sweet, slightly spicy, nutty, and perfect for drizzling on fall-inspired meals…or anything Mediterranean!
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A bowl of blue cheese dressing.

4

Blue Cheese Dressing

5 from 3 votes
This homemade blue cheese dressing is SO good! It's rich, ultra-creamy, and gives that classic steakhouse flavor that’s perfect for a classic wedge salad or your favorite side salad.
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A container with coleslaw dressing and a spoon.

5

Coleslaw Dressing (So Easy!)

4.95 from 54 votes
I have gotten so many raving reviews about this coleslaw dressing. It's tangy, slightly sweet, and the perfect sauce to dress up a bowl of shredded carrots and cabbage.
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A creamy avocado dressing that's perfect for all your healthy salad recipes.

6

Avocado Dressing

4.88 from 25 votes
This creamy avocado dressing is the one you'll want to make for southwestern dishes, like this Southwest chicken salad with cilantro lime chicken. Avocados complement hearty bold flavors so well!
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This lemon tahini dressing is oil-free, dairy-free and vegan. It's a tasty, creamy, zesty salad dressing that's super versatile and adaptable. #LemonTahiniDressing #Tahini

7

Lemon Tahini Dressing

4.90 from 29 votes
I'd say this lemon tahini dressing has become one of my top 3 creamy dressings. Probably because I make a lot of Mediterranean dishes. But I just love how bright and nutty it is, perfect for all kinds of roasted veggies.
View Recipe

Wondering how long you can store these for? Most of these creamy dressings will last up to one week in the fridge! That makes them the perfect ingredient to prep for the week and use for salads, side dishes, and more.

If you make any of these creamy salad dressings, let me know how they turn out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for more healthy food inspiration, join my free newsletter here.

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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12 Comments

  1. I just wanted to say that you are wonderful. I love your recipes. Everytime I watch your videos, I get inspired and it gives me the feeling that I want to go home and try all of them! I don’t know how you do it everytime!
    Thank you indeed,
    Love,
    Katerina Plati, Corinth, Greece

    1. Oh, you’re so sweet! Thanks so much for your kind words, Katerina. I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying all of my recipes. :)

  2. Love your site and recipes! When gluten free friends come for dinner, I have no fear of making something they cannot eat.

    Really enjoyed, the Mediterranean Baked Cod recipe. There are way too many salmon recipes out there!! Seriously, they just keep repeating themselves. It would be extremely nice to have more cod and other fish recipes!!!

    1. Hi Victoria – I’m so happy my recipes make hosting gluten-free friends a little easier! I love cod and other white fish because they’re so versatile, and I’ll definitely take your request for more fish recipes to heart.

  3. Thank you for these recipes. I am a dairy free person. Who is so excited to use and try these dressing recipes. My garden lettuce will now be well used.
    Thank you for all the knowledge you share with me. Can’t wait to try one for lunch.

    1. Hi Paula – I have a vinegar coleslaw recipe you can try! Head over to the search bar and type “vinegar coleslaw”.

  4. Hi Lisa! You are simply amazing. I am allergic to sesame seeds, so I can’t have tahini… what can I substitute to still enjoy your fall salads when I can’t have the dressing?

    1. Hi Malika – For a creamy, nutty alternative, I’d try cashew butter or almond butter in the dressing. If you have a nut allergy, sunflower seed butter is another great option. Just keep in mind that each will have a slightly different flavor, so you may want to add a little extra lemon juice or vinegar to balance it.