Poppy Seed Dressing
Poppy Seed Dressing is one of my favorite ways to take a salad from simple to sensational! Sweet, tangy, and bursting with flavor, this homemade version comes together in minutes with just 6 ingredients. It’s delicious on all kinds of salads, and absolutely shines on my Spinach Strawberry Salad!
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A Note from Kim
A Fresh, Flavor-Packed Finishing Touch
I’m obsessed with this poppy seed dressing, it turns even a simple salad into something special! I usually eat a salad at least once a day (sometimes twice), and I love trying new combinations. Right now, my favorite is spinach, chicken, strawberries, avocado, red onion, bacon, and feta, all topped with this dressing. I honestly could eat it every day!
While it’s perfect on my Spinach Strawberry Salad, this poppy seed dressing is incredibly versatile. Toss it with any mix of greens and veggies, add some nuts or seeds, and you’ve got a quick, flavorful side salad. Homemade, fast, and completely customizable, it’s my go-to for adding a burst of flavor to almost any salad.
With love (and lots of good eats), 
This is an amazing poppy seed dressing recipe. I made the creamy version with olive oil mayonnaise and added 1 tsp. of honey. Wanted it just a tad sweeter. I will be making this and taking to my daughter’s house for Easter. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
— Linda
Ingredients in Poppy Seed Salad Dressing
This particular poppy seed dressing recipe is more of a vinaigrette made with oil and red wine vinegar. It’s not like the creamy poppy seed dressing made with mayo or yogurt. However, for a creamy version, see the “Recipe Tips” section, below. You only need these 6 common ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now!
- Olive oil. This is going to be the base of the dressing and I would suggest using a high quality light olive oil. Avocado oil or vegetable oil will work, if preferred.
- Vinegar. I use red wine vinegar, but feel free to sub with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or even a fruity vinegar, like raspberry or pomegranate vinegar.
- Sugar. Use granulated sugar to give this dressing a delicious sweet flavor. You can sub with honey or maple syrup.
- Dried mustard powder. Adds just a bit of tang and complements the sweetness of the dressing.
- Salt. A bit of salt will balance the sweet taste and make the flavors pop.
- Poppy seeds. You can find poppyseeds in the spice section at most grocery stores. Use the leftovers to make lemon poppy seed muffins!
How to Make Poppy Seed Dressing
This poppy seed vinaigrette could not be easier to make at home. There’s simply no need for store-bought salad dressings when you have one as tasty as this! Homemade dressings are the way to go because they always taste so much fresher, plus you get complete control over the ingredients.
Just follow the simple steps below:
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
- Mix together ingredients. I like to combine my ingredients in a glass jar with a lid. Simply, add all the ingredients into a mason jar, screw on the lid tightly and shake vigorously. Alternatively, you can whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Taste. Give the mixture a taste and add any additional ingredients, like more sugar or more salt, as needed.
- Store. All done! Allow the flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the salad. Or store your dressing in the refrigerator for later use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most poppy seed dressings are made a little different, but this one is a simple, yet delicious combination of oil, red wine vinegar, dried mustard, poppyseeds, sugar, and salt.
It’s really a great dressing for almost any type of salad. We especially love it on fruit salads with berries, but it’s also a nice balance to vegetable salads.
Homemade poppyseed dressing doesn’t last as long as the kind from the store because it doesn’t contain any preservatives. Stored properly it will keep fresh up to 2 weeks. Give it a good stir or shake before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This flavorful poppy seed dressing is so versatile and delicious paired with tons of different salads. Here’s a few options we love:
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Favorite Spinach Salad – swap the balsamic vinaigrette for this dressing.
- Sweet Kale Salad – like the bagged kind you can buy from the grocery store or homemade.
- Add it to a crunchy broccoli salad or shredded brussels sprouts salad.
- Drizzle it on vegetables, a veggie-packed quinoa salad or grain bowl.
Kim’s Recipe Tips
- This poppy seed dressing will keep for up to 2 weeks if chilled in the refrigerator. I like to store it in a glass mason jar with a lid so that I can easily shake it up before using.
- Dressings can easily be adjusted to personal preference, so taste the dressing and adapt as needed. You may want to add a bit more sugar if you like things sweeter or a little more vinegar for more tang.
- Creamy poppyseed dressing. To make this dressing cream-based rather than oil-based, simply replace the olive oil with 1/2 cup mayo or plain Greek yogurt or a combination of the two.
Storing Leftovers
Store the poppy seed salad dressing in a glass jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I do not recommend freezing homemade salad dressing.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
If you try this poppy seed dressing recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon light olive oil or avocado oil*
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar, (or pure maple syrup)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
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Instructions
- In a large glass measuring cup, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, salt, and poppy seeds.
- Stir or shake to combine. Allow the flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the salad.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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So easy and delicious. I won’t buy poppyseed dressing again. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe.
So very happy you enjoyed!
is there any way to substitute mustard powder for mustard? Anyone try it?
It should be fine to just leave it out completely.
Thanks for this easy recipe. I used pure maple syrup and that was amazing. nice to have pure ingredients without the mayo. Perfect portion size for me.
So happy to hear you enjoyed!
Thanks for sharing! This was so good!
My wife and I love this dressing! It’s so delicious and tasty! Can’t wait for her to make this again!
Such a delicious and easy dressing recipe. I’ll be making this again!
This is an amazing poppyseed dressing recipe. I made the creamy version with olive oil mayonnaise and added 1 tsp. of honey. Wanted it just a tad sweeter. I will be making this and taking to my daughter’s house for Easter. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed and thanks so much for taking time to leave feedback!
Yum! This poppy seed dressing recipe is my new favorite! Will definitely be making again!
I love this dressing! It’s my favorite and every time I make it, I enjoy it more and more!
This dressing was so good! I loved the sweet and tangy taste. I think I’ll try the creamy version next, with a little Greek yogurt. Thanks for a great recipe!
I have so many greens in my garden bed right now, and this recipe has been my go-to for enjoying quick, simple salads! Love it! ?
So good! Absolutely a keeper!
Easy and delicious! There’s no need to buy store-bought poppyseed dressing again. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I loved this easy dressing! Such great flavor.