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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.
Table of Contents
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
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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.
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tbspCalories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 92mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
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I used half the sugar and it’s perfect. Will be making this on a regular basis.
So glad you enjoyed it, Julie! – Meggan
This was amazing!!!! Thank you! Thank you!
You’re welcome, IAM! So glad you loved it! – Meggan
Very good! Hubby loved it so it’s a keeper.
Thank you, Amber! – Meggan
I moved to Alabama from North Indiana as a kid 20 years ago and ALWAYS missed a true midwestern French nothing in the bottles that you could find down here compared. Recently my husband and I have cut out all seed oils and soy. So I used this recipe to make it homemade, it was SO easy and SO GOOD. I did substitute olive oil for avocado and I warmed it on the stove to help the sugar break down, but it was amazing! Great recipe.
Thank you so much, Natalie! I’m so glad you loved it! – Meggan
Can this be frozen?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tried freezing this dressing. I believe freezing could break the emulsion, causing the dressing to separate, and would change the texture of it. I wouldn’t recommend it. If you do try it, please write back! – Meggan
I had to cut down amounts because I just wanted 4 servings. Nonetheless, this was delicious. My only alteration was to add some crushed tarragon. Really nice!
Thanks, Bryan! – Meggan
Excellent, and easy to make. I used my blender and the consistency was thick and coated the salad perfectly!
So glad you enjoyed it, Linda! – Meggan
Great dressing!
Glad you enjoyed it, Kimberly! Take care! – Meggan
Great recipe! Used 1/2c coconut sugar, doubled the chili powder, splash of lime juice, and added powder garlic. I felt it rounded out the flavors better!
We used 50% of the suggested sugar, no salt and lots of spoked paprika. We weren’t sure what the author defined as chili powder, so we passed on that.
Came out delicious, but obviously different.
As long as it was edible and you enjoyed it, that’s the thing that matters most 🙂 I’m glad it was still delicious! – Meggan