It is no secret that I am on a mission to convince you that you should never buy salad dressing from a store. Homemade salad dressings are just better (and cheaper.) And today’s recipe, Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, is the newest addition to my collection of salad dressing recipes.
It pairs perfectly with my Strawberry Spinach Salad, but it can also be used in other fruity summer salad recipes like Blueberry Salad, Yogurt Chicken Salad with Grapes, Quinoa Kale Salad, and Apple Salad.
Are you a fan of Greek yogurt based salad dressings and dips? If so, be sure to also check out our Yogurt Tahini Sauce, Healthy Ranch Dip (made with plain yogurt), and Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce.
Ingredients:
The classic poppy seed vinaigrette recipe is made with mayonnaise (or some recipes even use sour cream). To make it a tiny bit healthier and cut down on the calories, I swapped some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. I also used maple syrup to make sure that it is refined sugar free.
The rest of the ingredients are pretty basic pantry staples. You can find them below with substitutions ideas:
- Mayonnaise: I am a big fan of Vegan Mayo (affiliate link), but any of your favorite mayonnaise brands would work
- Greek Yogurt: I used full-fat yogurt, but you can swap it with fat-free yogurt as well.
- Maple Syrup: Substitute with honey or agave nectar if you don’t have maple syrup
- White Wine Vinegar: Substitute with apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard: Grainy mustard would also work
- Poppy Seeds: It is an extra step by if you have a few additional minutes toast them on a skillet for 2-3 minutes.
- Kosher salt
How To Make Poppy Seed Dressing?
Making this creamy poppyseed salad dressing is so quick, easy and literally takes just a few minutes. All you need is a bowl and a whisk.
Simply place all ingredients in a bowl and give it a whisk until it is creamy and smooth.
How To Store:
The best way to store this homemade poppyseed dressing is to place it in a mason jar and tighten it with a lid. Then store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations:
- Not a fan of mayo? Swap it with an equal amount of Greek yogurt (in addition to the one we are already using in the recipe) and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of lemon juice to compensate for it.
- Red Wine Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing: Use red wine vinegar instead of white wine vinegar.
- Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing: For more of a zesty poppy seed dressing, swap vinegar with an equal amount of lemon juice and add in the zest of a lemon.
Other Salad Dressing Recipes You Might Like:
Skip the store-bought and bottled salad dressings and make them at home. Here are a few other clean salad dressing recipes to get you started:
- Maple Cider Vinaigrette
- Lemon Salad Dressing
- Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing
- Avocado Salad Dressing
- Lemon Dijon Dressing
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Lemon Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
- Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Chili Lime Salad Dressing
- Want more inspiration? Check out all our Healthy Salad Recipes
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, I use Vegan Mayo
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until creamy and smooth.
- Taste for seasoning and add in if necessary.
Notes
- This recipe yields 1/2 cup poppyseed salad dressing. Feel free to multiply the recipe if you need more.
- Store leftovers in an airtight mason jar in the fridge up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I think you had another version of this dressing up until recently. Can you post the link? It had Greek yogurt, shallots, white wine vinegar, poppy seeds. I used it for a couple years and went on Pinterest tonight and it seems like it changed.
Hi Maddie,
You are right. I did.
I included the recipe you are looking for in the notes section.
Please let me know if I can answer any questions.
Best,
Aysegul
Will be making this soon perfect for my snacks and your salads i never had salads before will tag you on twitter if i make this Thanks Ramya
YAY! This makes me so happy to hear. Let me know if I can help with anything.
Very good! Perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweet and tangy flavor. The only change I made was to use raspberry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
Oh and I tried vegan mayonnaise for the first time following your suggestion. I bought the soy free version and enjoyed it quite a bit. I also used fat free yogurt instead of full fat to make it a little bit lighter on the calories.
So yeah, very good recipe. I already pinned it and will be making again to drizzle it on my 4th of July red-white-blue fruit salad.
Thanks!
YAY! This is music to my ears Mary Ann. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and leave a review.
Cheers!
Easy to make and tasty. I was quite skeptical about Greek yogurt but it was pretty good and healthy. Though I used a little bit more maple syrup. We like it sweeter 🙂
Hi Carry,
Greek yogurt is magical and a great substitute for sour cream and mayo. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.
Cheers!
I will admit, I always buy poppy seed dressing from the store. Brianna’s poppy seed dressing (or even Kraft) has always been a favorite. However, after trying your recipe, I don’t think that I will ever go back. I love that it is not overly sweet like theirs. It is perfect with my summer fruit salad.
I plan on trying your lemon dressing next. Thanks for sharing.
I totally understand the convenience factor. However, when it is so easy to make and you know what goes in there, I think it is good compromise. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe Lauren.
Thanks for coming by! Cheers!