Best Of The Best Salad Dressings: Top 5 Sauces Most Recommended For Your Leafy Greens

If you’re a little tired of your go-to salad dressing, you’ve come to the right place. And the best part? You don’t have to do any of the prep work. Which is helpful considering putting a salad together often takes lots of prep work. Why DIY when you can just enjoy? For many of us, the salad dressing is the most important part of the recipe. Head to your grocery store and you might find yourself standing there staring at the countless options available. So we compiled a list of the consensus best salad dressings on the shelves, according to expert foodies.

It’s important to find the best salad dressing for your tastes, especially if you’re not one for veggies. Interestingly, a recent survey reports that the average American eats four salads a week, and 62 percent of Americans eat it as part of their regular diet. The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults shows that the salad base that wins as fan-favorite is iceberg, with 31 percent choosing it. Kale is the top choice for 23 percent. While it’s a common meal, 14 percent use salad dressing as a dip instead. Whether you cut your cucumbers for dipping or for salads, we won’t judge.  

It’s actually pretty beneficial for your mental health to eat your veggies and fruits raw, making eating a salad one more way to ensure stronger mental health. Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand found that raw fruit and vegetables have a more positive effect on mental health overall than canned, cooked and processed produce. Dr. Tamlin Conner, a psychology senior lecturer, adds that the cooking and processing of raw fruits and vegetables can reduce natural nutrients.

But if you don’t like the taste of some fruits and vegetables, you’re not alone. According to a set of preliminary research, some people carry a specific gene that makes certain foods, including most heart healthy vegetables, taste especially bitter. That said, you may change your mind with the help of one of the best salad dressings. Find out below what brands and flavors 10 experts recommend. Our list is comprised of the products found most frequently across their reviews. If you’ve got your own suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!

The List: Best Salad Dressings, According To Experts

1. Tesseemae Organic Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing

This is the No. 1 choice for Verywell Fit: “Tessemae’s Organic Lemon Garlic takes our top pick, because it’s made with six simple ingredients — sunflower oil, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, mustard seeds, sea salt, and garlic oil. It serves as both a dressing and marinade, pairing well with salads, poultry, and fish.” 

“A tried and true classic, lemon and garlic together is straight perfection. I love this as a simple dressing over kale or as marinade for chicken,” Eating Bird Food says.

2. Annie’s Naturals Green Goddess Dressing

Good Housekeeping recommends this one for literally anything: “Green Goddess dressing has been a staple on American tables ever since it was created at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel in 1920s. Annie’s combination of tahini, lemon, chives, and parsley is not only vegan, but it also tastes amazing on literally anything.”

“Aromatic parsley, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, and tart apple cider vinegar shine in this creamy and organic salad dressing from Annie’s. Many reviewers say this dressing is so tasty, it’s ‘drinkable!’ Because it’s good on literally everything, Green Goddess gets my seal of approval as Editor’s Choice,” Best Products writes. 

3. Newman’s Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing

According to Allrecipes, “Some like it sharp, some like it sweet, but if you like a bit of both in your Italian dressing, then Newman’s Own Family Recipe is a good middle road to choose. The dressing has a generous portion of black pepper in it along with garlic and other spices, so the flavors carry well in the oil, but it also still has medium notes of vinegar throughout. While not the cheapest of the dressings we sampled, it’s also fairly affordable. If you’re not sure what type of Italian dressing everyone is in the mood for, Newman’s Own is a good brand to reach for.”

“This dressing stood out from the crowd with its savory, cheese-forward flavor. It contains less sugar than most, and far more flavor boosters: garlic, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, paprika, fennel seed, and dried herbs, to name a few,” The Kitchn says.

4. Trader Joe’s Cilantro Dressing

Epicurious recommends this one: My personal recommendation for the best store-bought salad dressing is Trader Joe’s Cilantro Dressing. It’s delicious due to the copious, copious amounts of cilantro and the creamy base.”

Kim’s Cravings is all about this crave-worthy dressing, writing, “Trader Joe’s dressings are the best. The cilantro salad dressing is a must try for my fellow cilantro-loving friends.” 

5. Kewpie Deep Roasted Sesame Dressing

Thrillist raves about this pick: “At Costco, this dressing is available as a whole jug — which you’ll definitely need if you’re a fan of sesame. Kewpie’s roasted sesame dressing has a deep nuttiness, a touch of sweetness, and just enough acid to keep everything balanced. It’s perfect tossed with your favorite lettuces or mixed greens to make a simple salad, or to use as a dip for chicken. Just be careful — the slippery texture tends to rush out of the bottle easily (but honestly, with this dressing, the more the merrier).”

“Kewpie’s Roasted Sesame dressing adds a punch of flavor to your salads. This 2016 Dressing of the Year winner is kosher and non-GMO. The Japanese-style dressing is perfect for salads, pastas, and Asian dishes,” MyBest claims.  

We’ve heard what the experts have to say. Now we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite dressing? 

Sources

• Verywell Fit
• Eating Bird Food
• Good Housekeeping
• Best Products
• Allrecipes
• The Kitchn
• Epicurious
• Kim’s Cravings
• Thrillist
• MyBest

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. Study Finds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.