Are you tired of the same old boring salads? This versatile homemade poppy seed salad dressing recipe combines the sweetness of honey, the richness of olive oil, and the tangy zip of apple cider vinegar, while a touch of Dijon mustard adds depth of flavor, beautiful color, and a welcome hint of saltiness. But it’s the poppy seeds that truly make this salad dressing a winner, adding a delightful texture and subtle nutty flavor. This Honey Dijon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing is also incredibly adaptable, perfect for tossing with pasta salad, adding flavor to coleslaw, or even replacing mayonnaise in your favorite potato salad.
Throughout the years, I’ve mentioned time and time again that I pretty much refuse to buy salad dressing from any market. That being said, I’m surprised to discover that I have shared very few actual salad dressing recipes with y’all throughout those same years. And before you ask, no, it’s not because we don’t eat salad. We pretty much make a habit of eating salad a few times each week, either as a main meal or as a side. The real reason I probably haven’t shared a lot of salad dressing recipes with y’all, if I’m being honest, is because I usually make just enough dressing for one meal and it’s most likely a meal we’re finally getting around to eating around 8:30 to 9:00 at night. And, since salad dressing is kind of a pain in the ass to photograph, it’s just way easier to gobble down our salad before bed and not bother photographing or sharing the recipe.
Recently, however, I’ve been in a real veggie obsessed mood for lunch throughout the week, and have been making up larger batches of dressing to grab as a quick somewhat healthy dip for carrots, celery, radishes, and cherry tomatoes. And, while this particular poppy seed salad dressing recipe might not look all that exciting, I can assure you that it’s a real winner. Not only did it taste like absolute perfection in this Mandarin Orange & Fennel Mardi Gras Slaw, but it was also quite lovely drizzled over a crispy shrimp-topped salad and a spinach salad featuring diced chicken tenders, shaved parmesan, and roughly chopped dried dates. So, what’s next for this easy-to-make poppy seed dressing? I’m thinking a potato salad or broccoli salad is in its near future. Which one should I experiment with first?
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium-sized glass bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
- If needed, add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Use immediately or refrigerate until use.
Suggestions:
- Since there is vinegar in this poppy seed dressing, make sure to use a glass or ceramic bowl when making and storing this salad dressing.
- Use high quality olive oil and honey for this recipe. It will make a huge difference in flavor.
- You can use this salad dressing right away or refrigerate it until use. The poppy seeds will lose a little bit of their crunchiness as days go by.
- In an airtight glass container, this salad dressing will keep for over a week when refrigerated.
- This recipe will yield a little over 1 cup of salad dressing.
- Use this salad dressing to make this Mandarin Orange & Fennel Mardi Gras Slaw.
Improvements:
- Replace the apple cider vinegar with white vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- For a super-creamy salad dressing, replace the olive oil with mayonnaise.
- Use Creole Mustard or Spicy Brown Mustard instead of Dijon Mustard.
- CLICK HERE to find more great salad dressing recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium-sized glass bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
- If needed, add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Use immediately or refrigerate until use.
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Use this Honey Dijon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing to make this Mandarin Orange & Fennel Mardi Gras Slaw. Get ready to let the good times roll with this vibrant and delicious Mardi Gras-inspired slaw. Crisp purple cabbage, refreshing green fennel and parsley, and not-to-sweet golden mandarin oranges combine to create a visually stunning vegetable side dish with the iconic purple, green, and gold hues of Mardi Gras. Dressed with a simple yet delightful poppy seed dressing, this colorful slaw is the perfect side dish whether you’re celebrating Mardi Gras or simply craving a healthy and delicious side dish any day of the year. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
