French Dressing Recipe

Skip store-bought salad dressing and blend up your own tangy homemade French Dressing recipe in just 2 minutes. This easy salad dressing is made with all pantry staple ingredients.

Thick and tangy with a sweetness and some spice, this is the French salad dressing of my dreams. It’s what I remember from the Greek restaurants growing up, and it’s exactly what I want on my Dorito Taco Salad today.

The best part is, it comes together in 2 minutes pantry table ingredients you likely already have stocked in your kitchen.

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Granulated sugar: The 1 cup sugar in the dressing may sound like a lot, but it tastes just like the ones at Wisconsin supper clubs of my youth (they’d bring a small salad dressing caddy to your table with 4 different kinds of dressing: Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island, and French). If you don’t love sweet dressings, start with 2 tablespoons of sugar, taste, and increase if desired.
• Light olive oil: Light olive oil is milder than extra virgin which allows the other flavor-boosters to shine.
• Paprika: Use regular paprika (often simply labeled “Paprika” on the package) rather than hot or smoked paprika.

Instructions

• In a food processor or blender, add sugar, ketchup, olive oil, white vinegar, celery seed, chili powder, dried mustard, onion powder, paprika, and salt to taste (I like 2 teaspoons). Process until smooth and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This French Dressing recipe makes 2 cups of dressing or 16 (2-tablespoon) servings. If you are making this for a Dorito Taco Salad, you’ll probably only need half the recipe.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And I know what you’re thinking: “Everything in this ingredients list is shelf-stable! Why isn’t this dressing shelf-stable, or why can’t it last for a month?” Ingredients interact when they are combined, and without stabilizers and preservatives, it’s just as perishable as any other “leftover.”
• Make ahead: Feel free to make this homemade up to 3 days in advance. If the dressing begins to separate during this time, give it a shake before drizzling over your salad.
• Bonus salad pairings: In addition to taco salads, this homemade French Dressing tastes incredible tossed with or drizzled over my Easy Garden Salad, Wedge Salad, or Cobb Salad.

Delicious salad ideas

Salad Recipes

Dorito Taco Salad

Salad Recipes

Seven Layer Salad

Salad Recipes

Wedge Salad

Salad Recipes

Cobb Salad

French Dressing Recipe

By Meggan Hill

Skip store-bought salad dressing and blend up your own tangy homemade French Dressing recipe in just 2 minutes. This easy salad dressing is made with all pantry staple ingredients.

Prep Time 1 minute min

Cook Time 1 minute min

Total Time 2 minutes mins

Servings 16 servings (2 tbsp each)

Course Pantry

Cuisine American

Calories 121

4.99 from 256 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar (see note 1)
• ▢ 2/3 cup ketchup
• ▢ 1/2 cup light olive oil (see note 2)
• ▢ 1/2 cup white vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon paprika (see note 3)
• ▢ Salt to taste

Instructions 

• In a food processor or blender, add sugar, ketchup, olive oil, white vinegar, celery seed, chili powder, dried mustard, onion powder, paprika, and salt to taste (I like 2 teaspoons). Process until smooth and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Granulated sugar: The 1 c. sugar in the dressing may sound like a lot, but it tastes just like the ones at Wisconsin supper clubs of my youth (they’d bring a small salad dressing caddy to your table with 4 different kinds of dressing: Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island, and French). If you don’t love sweet dressings, start with 2 Tbsp. of sugar, taste, and increase if desired. Or, substitute a bottle of store-bought French dressing.
2. Light olive oil: Light olive oil is milder than extra virgin which allows the other flavor-boosters to shine.
3. Paprika: Use regular paprika (often simply labeled “Paprika” on the package) rather than hot or smoked paprika.
4. Yield: This French Dressing recipe makes 2 c. of dressing or 16 (2-Tbsp.) servings. If you are making this for a Dorito Taco Salad, you’ll probably only need half the recipe.
5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And I know what you’re thinking: “Everything in this ingredients list is shelf-stable! Why isn’t this dressing shelf-stable, or why can’t it last for a month?” Ingredients interact when they are combined, and without stabilizers and preservatives, it’s just as perishable as any other “leftover.”
6. Make ahead: Feel free to make this homemade up to 3 days in advance. If the dressing begins to separate during this time, give it a shake before drizzling over your salad.
7. Bonus salad pairings: In addition to taco salads, this homemade French Dressing tastes incredible tossed with or drizzled over my Easy Garden Salad, Wedge Salad, or Cobb Salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbspCalories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 92mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill