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This Poppyseed Dressing is deliciously sweet and made with 6 pantry staples. Perfect for fruit and vegetable salads, this makes any side dish taste like dessert.
This Poppyseed Vinaigrette is a little bit sweet and is perfect on any vegetable salad with fruit and nuts. My favorite combination is fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, and toasted pecans, but there are so many great ways to enjoy this poppy seed salad dressing. It’s old-fashioned, versatile, and better than any bottle at the store.
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
- Olive oil: Choose a light olive oil which has a more neutral flavor. Or substitute avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Red wine vinegar: I like red wine vinegar for the color it lends to the dressing, but you can substitute white vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice.
- Sugar: Add sugar or your favorite sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup, to taste. Using different sweeteners changes the flavor, but the dressing still tastes great. Or, omit the sugar entirely.
- Dried mustard: Ground mustard powder balances out the sweetness and adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have it, use an equal amount of Dijon mustard (the flavor will change).
Step-by-step instructions
- In a bowl with a whisk, or in a mason jar with a lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, dried mustard, poppyseeds, sugar, and salt.
- If you’re making a salad right away, keep the dressing out at room temperature to let the flavors mingle while preparing the salad. Or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This poppy seed dressing recipe makes about 1 cup of dressing, enough for 8 servings, 2 tablespoons each.
- Storage: Store the dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Blender: For the smoothest, creamiest dressing possible, emulsify the dressing in a blender.
- More salad ideas: I love a bed of arugula with toasted almonds, red onion, fresh blueberries, goat cheese or blue cheese, and poppy seed dressing. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a creamy poppyseed dressing?
Make a creamy poppy seed dressing by adding a teaspoon or two of Greek yogurt or mayo.
What is poppyseed dressing made of?
Like many dressings, poppy seed vinaigrette starts with oil, vinegar, and an emulsifier like mustard. Some variations have sugar or a creamy element to make a creamy dressing.
Favorite salads for poppyseed dressing
Salad Recipes
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Salad Recipes
Fruit Salad
Salad Recipes
Kale Salad
Salad Recipes
Burrata Cheese Salad
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Poppyseed Dressing
This Poppyseed Dressing is deliciously sweet and made with 6 pantry staples. Perfect for fruit and vegetable salads, this makes any side dish taste like dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil or other neutral oil (see note 1)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or less to taste (see note 3)
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard (see note 4)
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- Salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
- Shake or stir to combine. If you’re making a salad right away, keep the dressing out at room temperature to let the flavors mingle while preparing the salad. Or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Olive oil: Choose a light olive oil which has a more neutral flavor. Or substitute avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Red wine vinegar: I like red wine vinegar for the color it lends to the dressing, but you can substitute white vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice.
- Sugar: Add sugar or your favorite sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup, to taste. Using different sweeteners changes the flavor, but the dressing still tastes great. Or, omit the sugar entirely.
- Dried mustard: Ground mustard powder balances out the sweetness and adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have it, use an equal amount of Dijon mustard (the flavor will change).
- Yield: This poppy seed dressing recipe makes about 1 cup dressing, enough for 8 servings, 2 tablespoons each.
- Storage: Store the dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 tbspCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
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The only change I would make is to use WHITE wine vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. Most of the poppy seed dressing I have used and seen is a creamy white not the warm color indicated here by using red wine vinegar. I would give this recipe a five star if white wine is used instead of the red.
Easy and tasty, the way I like recipes.
Is there a way to include the Nutrition Facts and the picture when printing the recipe?
Hi Joyce, I emailed you a PDF with the recipe and the nutrition facts. Hopefully that helps! -Meggan
This is a great recipe.
Thank you Anne!
very tasty easy to make poppy seed dressing! This is the 2nd time I am making it—I use a good olive oil and 1 less tbsp of sugar. I have just recentlrth ity started making my own dressing instead of using bottled and the extra effort is worth it. Thanks for the recipe!
Just made this dressing and used a high end balsamic vinegar. It was absolutely delicious. Would you think storing in the pantry in an airtight jar would work.
Hi Sandy, while there is nothing in the ingredients that is highly perishable, combining them changes things. There is nothing in the ingredients to make it inherently shelf-stable. I think you should store the dressing in the refrigerator. Thanks for the question! -Meggan
I’m so happy I found this recipe! It tastes wonderful, looks fabulous, and is so easy to make. Thanks for sharing it
Hi Megan!
I substituted Swerve to make this keto friendlier and nobody noticed. It tasted great tossed with a salad I topped with strawberries,blueberries,pecans and feta! Talk about a hit….multiple requests for the dressing recipe!
Could you please tell if I could substitute Steva for the sugar and if so how much Steva would I use? As I am a diabetic and sugar is not a healthy choice for me.Thank you so much for your help and May God Bless you.
Hi Kim, I will let you know, I’m going to test this on Monday. I am glad you are making the right choices for you! And I’ll be happy to share this info in the post too for everybody else. Thanks!
Excellent flavors but the first time I made it the oil separated out. The second time I added a Tbs Mayo to the rest of ingredients except oil. Using a Cuisinart I slowly added the oil to the dressing. Not sure if it was the little mayo or the adding oil slowly in the Cuisinart but it emulsified and did not separate. Next time I will double the recipe as the family used it on sandwiches, chicken, and salads.