If there’s one thing I know inside and out, it’s how to turn humble vegetables into highly coveted masterpieces. My background is rooted in salads, vegetables, and fresh plant-based foods, which means I’ve spent hours figuring out how to make raw vegetables sing. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy a healthy summer salad; The key to eating clean on a budget is mastering the balance of flavors in your own kitchen using ingredients you have on hand. To help you cool down this season, I’ve rounded up my favorite cheap and easy homemade salad dressing recipes. This low-cost formula proves that fresh, whole foods can still be incredibly cheap, easy, and, most importantly, delicious!
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All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.
Creamy Salad Dressing
Creamy dressing makes even the simplest salad feel more filling. This easy recipe uses budget-friendly ingredients and doubles as a dip, spread, and vegetable drizzle!
1. Lemon Tahini Sauce
Lemon Tahini Sauce
This super quick and easy dip has bold flavors of garlic, lemon and spicy tahini. Drizzle over salads, roasted vegetables, and more!
$1.56 recipe / $0.39 serving
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This lemon tahini sauce comes together to be thick, smooth, and spicy in about 5 minutes, and bottled lemon juice can be used if you want to save money or don’t have fresh lemons! I love it with roasted vegetables and grain bowls, but it’s especially delicious with a roasted cauliflower salad with spiced chickpeas, parsley and caramelized cauliflower.
2. Green Goddess Outfit
Green Goddess Dressing
$3.78 recipe / $0.23 serving
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I always love when one sauce can do more than one job, and this Green Goddess sauce certainly does. It’s thick enough for dipping vegetables, bright enough for salads, and easy to mix with simple ingredients like mayo, lemon, spinach, cilantro, parsley, and dried dill. Try it with this Green Goddess salad if you want something extra crunchy, fresh, and easy to prepare!
3. Blue Cheese Dip
Blue Cheese Dip Recipe
This creamy, tangy, and easy Blue Cheese Dressing recipe is made with just a whisk—no blender required! Perfect for salads, wings or dips.
$2.39 recipe / $0.14 serving
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Blue cheese dressing can get expensive quickly, but my recipe keeps it reasonable with just ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese. It also uses a simple shortcut of buttermilk milk and lemon juice (so you don’t have to buy a whole box), and the whole sauce comes together with a whisk in about 10 minutes. Easy!
4. Dressed as Emperor
Homemade Caesar dressing
This rich, tangy, and flavorful homemade Caesar dressing is easy to prepare, and will take all your homemade salads to the next level.
$2.79 recipe / $0.35 serving
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Our homemade Caesar dressing gives you bold, savory flavor without making the traditional egg and oil emulsion from scratch. This version uses mayonnaise as a shortcut, then adds lemon, garlic, Dijon, Parmesan, and anchovies for Caesar’s signature salty flavor.
5. Ranch Dressing
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Homemade ranch dressing is creamy, tangy, and full of savory herbs and spices. Sprinkle it on your favorite salad, or use it as a dip for veggies and chips!
$0.51 recipe / $0.13 serving
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Homemade ranch is one of the easiest ways to make more use of everyday fridge and pantry staples. This version uses mayo, plain yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and chives, and only takes about 5 minutes to mix well. I would let it cool for 30 minutes, if you have time, to let the flavors soak in before using!
6. Avocado Sauce
Creamy Avocado Dip
This tangy and creamy avocado dressing is great on salads and for dipping your favorite vegetables. Mixes in minutes!
$1.93 recipe / $0.48 serving
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When I have avocado on the table that needs planning, this creamy avocado dip is easy to store. The texture is thick and smooth, the lime stays bright, and the juice can be adjusted until it’s just right for dipping, drizzling, or spreading.
Bold & Savory Sauce
These sauces add a touch of deliciousness, with sweet, salty, spicy, tangy or ginger flavors that make a simple salad more enjoyable. I’ll use it for cabbage salads, roasted veggies, sandwiches, noodle bowls, or any meal that needs a quick drizzle of BIG flavor.
7. Honey Mustard Sauce
Honey Mustard Sauce
This sweet, tangy, and creamy homemade honey mustard sauce takes just minutes to make and is perfect for sandwiches, salads, dips, and more!
$1.58 recipe / $0.26 serving
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Honey mustard dressing is sweet, tangy, creamy, and honestly more rewarding than a salad. You just need mayo, honey, Dijon, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, and a few simple spices to make it! The use of both mustards gives this dip a more rounded flavor without overcomplicating the ingredient list.
8. Ginger Sesame Sauce
Sesame Ginger Sauce
$2.03 recipe / $0.20 serving
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For a sweet-salty sauce with fresh ginger flavor, sesame ginger sauce is the way to go like which is good to combine. It uses fresh garlic and ginger for bold flavor, soy sauce and rice vinegar for tang, honey for sweetness, and just a spoonful of tahini to make it creamy. If you made the lemon tahini sauce from the previous section in this discussion, this recipe is a smart way to use up leftover tahini!
9. Lime Peanut Sauce
Lime Peanut Sauce
This Lime Peanut Salad Dressing is sweet, savory, tangy, and creamy all at once! Sprinkle over salads, grilled chicken, shrimp, or vegetables.
$1.97 recipe / $0.49 serving
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I’ll make this lime dressing when a salad needs something richer than a vinaigrette but still bright and fresh. A creamy peanut butter base gets a kick from soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then lime juice wakes things up with a tangy finish.
10. French dip
French Sauce Recipe
This easy homemade French Dressing recipe is made with tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, oil, and simple spices. Fast and delicious!
$1.20 recipe / $0.12 serving
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This nostalgic French dressing recipe keeps things simple with tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, oil, and some dried spices. It comes together in minutes, costs a few cents per serving, and has a sweet-tangy flavor that’s perfect for crunchy lettuce, chopped salads, and bowls filled with greens!
Homemade vinaigrette
I think vinaigrette is the easiest homemade dressing because it’s really just oil, vinegar or citrus, seasonings, and something to help it all come together. Shake in a jar or shake in a bowl, and you’re done!
11. Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
Easy Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
This super simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette is perfect for all your green salads and pasta salads and has several options to customize!
$1.38 recipe / $0.23 serving
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Homemade balsamic vinaigrette is one of those basic recipes worth memorizing. I love balsamic in almost any form, whether it’s reduced to a sticky balsamic glaze or whipped into a quick vinaigrette like this. This version uses mayo and Dijon to help the oil and vinegar stay mixed, but you can skip the mayo for a thinner, lighter dressing if desired!
12. Homemade Italian Dressing
Homemade Italian dressing
$2.77 recipe / $0.35 serving
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A jar of Italian dressing is convenient, but homemade Italian dressing gives you the same herbaceous taste with a fresher finish. I like to use this recipe when a salad calls for something tangy and savory, or when I want a dressing that can handle greens, noodles, And chopped vegetables.
13. Tomato Basil Vinaigrette
Tomato Basil Vinaigrette
This tangy and slightly sweet tomato basil vinaigrette requires just a few simple ingredients and tastes great on salads and pasta.
$1.34 recipe / $0.34 serving
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This tomato basil vinaigrette is a little recipe that makes the base taste more exciting. A spoonful of tomato paste, dried basil, red wine vinegar, and olive oil transform into a bright, savory, and EASY dressing for salads, pasta, or vegetables.
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