Poppy Seed Dressing

This poppy seed dressing recipe is classic: tangy and studded with seeds! It’s easy to make and versatile for drizzling on salad of all kinds.

Ready for one of the best homemade salad dressings around? Try this Poppy Seed Dressing recipe! There’s something about the way the acidity cuts through the sweet that makes this creamy dressing irresistible. It’s classic and a little nostalgic even, perfect for drizzling over just about any salad. Strawberry salad? Check. Pear salad? Check. Spinach salad? Check.

Ingredients in poppy seed dressing

There are two main types of poppy seed dressing: vinaigrette-based and creamy. This poppy seed dressing recipe is a vinaigrette, whisked up with oil and vinegar. But there’s also a way to make it creamy, similar to the vibe of a bottle of Brianna’s: just add a dollop of mayo or Greek yogurt! Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Granulated sugar (or honey)
• White vinegar
• Dry mustard, aka mustard powder
• Onion flakes
• Kosher salt
• Grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• Poppy seeds

All you have to do? Whisk together the non-oil ingredients, then gradually whisk in the oil until a creamy emulsion forms. Stir in the poppy seeds and you’re done!

Why to use grapeseed oil (and a few subs)

This poppy seed dressing recipe calls for grapeseed oil, though most of our salad dressing recipes use olive oil. Why use grapeseed here?

• The flavor of poppy seed dressing is best with a neutral oil. The strong fruity flavor of olive oil just wasn’t right here.
• Neutral oil makes the best emulsion. This dressing with straight olive oil is not as creamy: more watery. Want to use olive oil? You could use half olive oil and half neutral oil (if you like using olive oil for health reasons).
• Other neutral oils work too. Try organic vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or peanut oil.

Remember: the color of oil you use will affect the color of the dressing. A yellow oil like olive oil makes a brighter dressing than a neutral oil like grapeseed.

Notes on other ingredients

A few notes on some of the other ingredients that make this dressing shine:

• Use white vinegar, not white wine vinegar! The sharp, straightforward flavor of white vinegar is perfect here (white wine is a little too fruity).
• Use onion flakes. These are little flakes of freeze dried onions. We tried it with onion powder and it just didn’t have the same impact.

Variation: creamy poppy seed dressing

Do you love a good creamy poppy seed dressing? You can use the same recipe and whisk in a little mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. Start with 1 tablespoon, then whisk in more to your liking. It’s a fun variation if it fits the vibe of your salad!

Best ways to serve poppy seed dressing

Poppy seed dressing is ultra versatile: you can drizzle it on just about anything! The sharp sweet tart flavor is incredibly satisfying and pairs well with sweet or savory. We find it’s best with green salads topped with fruit. Here are a few ideas for how to use it:

• Spinach salad like Perfect Spinach Salad or Spinach Apple Salad
• Strawberry salad like Classic Strawberry Salad
• Pear salad like Pear Salad with Gorgonzola
• Blueberry salad like Blueberry Salad with Feta
• Blackberry salad like Blackberry Salad with Goat Cheese

More salad dressing recipes

Love to make your own salad dressing? Here are some of our top salad dressing recipes:

• Go for classic Balsamic Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing
• Try creamy Caesar Dressing or Ranch Dressing
• Mix up Dijon Mustard Dressing or Honey Mustard Dressing

01

Go-To Balsamic Vinaigrette

02

Caesar Dressing Recipe

03

Homemade Italian Dressing

04

Easy Honey Mustard Dressing

This poppy seed dressing recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free

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