This poppy seed dressing is the easiest way to elevate any salad! This homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing is exploding with delicious flavors and adds texture from the scrumptious poppyseeds. Top your favorite salad with this incredible dressing, and get creative! 

We love to garnish our strawberry spinach salad with this poppy seed salad dressing! The sweet and zesty dressing balances the fruity salad incredibly. However, this poppyseed dressing will go great with most homemade salads.

Poppy seed dressing in a jar.

This poppy seed dressing balances acidity and sweetness with balsamic vinegar. This dressing will compliment a fruity kale salad and a broccoli bacon salad. The possibilities are endless!

Why You’ll Love This Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe

  • Simple ingredients. Pantry staples come together to make this irresistible dressing. 
  • Easy to make. This dressing takes little to no prep time and comes together in a total time of five minutes. 
  • Healthy. Making your dressing with no preservatives is a great way to make salads healthier. This dressing is also lower in calories than most heavy salad dressings.
  • Make-ahead. This dressing will stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Top view of a container full of creamy poppy seed dressing.

Ingredients for the Easiest Poppy Seed Dressing

The ingredients for this dressing are simple, and you may already have most of them at home. 

  • Balsamic vinegar – we like the Modena balsamic vinegar for this dressing. 
  • Oil – extra virgin olive oil is best for dressings. 
  • Dijon mustard – adds a deep flavor to the dressing. 
  • Mayo – makes the dressing irresistibly creamy. 
  • Honey – sweetens the dressing and balances the acidity. 
  • Poppy seeds – add texture and flavor to this dressing. 
  • Seasoning – a blend of salt and pepper brings out the great flavors of this dressing.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.

Pro Tip for the Best Dressing:

  • Olive oil – when making a dressing, it is vital that you use high-quality, extra virgin olive oil. It brings an excellent taste to the dress and incorporates all the ingredients. 
  • Garlic – use fresh minced garlic in the dressing for the best flavor
Homemade poppy seed dressing in a glass jar with a bowl of salad behind it.

How to make Poppy Seed Dressing

  1. Combine ingredients: Using a dressing shaker, combine all the dressing ingredients. Shake vigorously or until well combined. 
  2. Serve: Use to finish your favorite bowl of salad, and enjoy! 

Serving Suggestions

  • Leafy Salad: A green salad makes an excellent palette for this flavorful dressing. Our crunchy kale salad is a great option! It is full of nuts, cheese, and fruit, and the poppy seed dressing makes the best addition!
  • Broccoli Salad: Any salad loaded with broccoli tastes incredible when topped with this poppy seed dressing. Our favorite is our broccoli bacon salad
  • Chicken Salad: This poppy seed dressing pairs perfectly with a protein-rich salad, like our grilled chicken salad.
  • Pasta salad: A shockingly incredible flavor combination is a pasta salad with this poppy seed dressing. The italian pasta salad would pair perfectly with this dressing. 

Balsamic Vinegar: Not many are familiar with this incredible pantry staple. Balsamic is derived from grapes and has a deep, complex flavor profile. It is excellent in dressings and can even be made into an easy balsamic glaze!

Spinach salad next to a cup of poppy seed dressing.

Recipe FAQs

Is there a store-bought version? 

If you don’t want to make a homemade dressing, you can easily substitute it for a store-bought dressing; we like Brianna’s Creamy Dressing.

What if I don’t have a dressing shaker?

Use a mason jar and close it tightly to shake. If you don’t have a jar, add the dressing ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until combined. 

What can I substitute for balsamic vinegar? 

If you can’t get balsamic vinegar, you can still make this dressing with a different flavor profile. Substitute red or white wine vinegar for a new spin on this poppy seed dressing. 

What to do if my dressing separates? 

Shake the dressing in the shaker right before using it. The natural separation over time is normal. 

Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

Vegetable oil is a great option for frying food but isn’t ideal for salad dressings.

Store & Reheat 

  • Storage. Store this dressing in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and shake right before using. 
  • Freeze. We do not recommend freezing this dressing.

More Dressing Recipes

If you tried this Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!

Poppy Seed Dressing

Author: Valentina
Print
5 from 3 votes
A homemade poppy seed dressing is the easiest way to level up any salad. With the balance of sweet and savory, this dressing adds a great flavor and texture to any salad.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a dressing shaker, combine balsamic vinegar, oil, dijon mustard, garlic, mayo, honey, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper.
  • Close the lid and shake until all combined.
  • Enjoy this dressing over your favorite salad.

Notes

  • Shake- Shake the dressing before use to prevent separation. 
  • Storage- Store the dressing in the fridge for 4-5 days. 
  • Pro tip- use fresh garlic for the best flavor in the dressing. 

Nutrition

133kcal Calories6g Carbs0.3g Protein12g Fat1g Saturated Fat4g Polyunsaturated Fat7g Monounsaturated Fat0.05g Trans Fat1mg Cholesterol309mg Sodium20mg Potassium0.2g Fiber5g Sugar2IU Vitamin A0.3mg Vitamin C15mg Calcium0.2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Poppy Seed Dressing
Amount Per Serving
Calories 133 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.05g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 309mg13%
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 2IU0%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)