These Are the Easy, Essential Salad Dressings Everyone Should Master

Making salad dressing from scratch is a no-brainer. It's quick, easy, and tastes so much better than any of its store-bought counterparts—and cheaper, too. All you need to do is gather the ingredients and whisk them together. You can even delegate this ultra-simple task to the kids.

Take your salad to the next level by starting with these four recipes. They are the easy vinaigrettes and dressings that should be in everyone's arsenal.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This dressing is a crowd pleaser that is easy to make from scratch. Our Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette adds Dijon mustard for a little bite and honey for an extra touch of sweetness to a base of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The result? A perfectly balanced dressing for any green salad. Plus, since it only relies on pantry ingredients, it keeps well at room temperature.

Ranch Dressing

Did you know that ranch is the most popular salad dressing in America? We suspect some of that is driven by the heretics who use it as a dip for pizza (hey, we all have guilty pleasures!). Whether you're tossing it with greens or dunking your crust in it, homemade ranch salad dressing is infinitely tastier and better for you. You can make an even lower-fat version by swapping out the sour cream for Greek yogurt.

Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette

You're going to want to put this bright, zesty dressing on everything. To make our Mustard and Herb Vinaigrette, simply combine Dijon mustard, garlic, white-wine vinegar, and olive oil with the mixed fresh herbs of your choice. Get creative and experiment!

Green Goddess Dressing

There are no anchovies in this easy Green Goddess Dressing, the beloved California concoction. It's a contemporary take that combines buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise with avocado, fresh chives, parsley, and lemon juice. Don't save it for the salad: It makes an equally delicious dip for crudités.