12 Rich and Creamy Dressings for Your Summer Salads

A rich and creamy salad dressing can turn a limp and lifeless salad into the most delicious part of your dinner. A good salad dressing can add extra nutrients and flavor and can be versatile, too.

Creamy dressings, especially, can often double up as dips for your favorite chips or can be used on roast veggies and even pasta. Check out these OGP recipes that ramp up the humble salad dressing.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! 

1. Carrot Ginger Dressing

Source: Carrot Ginger Dressing

This Carrot Ginger Dressing by Ivy is rich, bold, savory, slightly spicy, and delicious! Use it on salads or with any greens that you like! It brings your summer salad to another level and makes it a star of the show rather than just a side.

2. Copycat Ranch: Creamy Cucumber Herb Dressing

Source: Copycat Ranch: Creamy Cucumber Herb Dressing

 This Copycat Ranch: Creamy Cucumber Herb Dressing by Lindsay Clarke is creamy but so refreshing! This cashew-based dressing makes a very cooling dip or topping that could be brilliantly paired with spicy foods. What you do with this dressing is entirely up to you. Try it on salads, in wraps, and poured over cooked veggies (and pizza, of course).

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3. 6-Ingredient Tahini, Hemp Seed, and Basil Dressing

Source: 6-Ingredient Tahini, Hemp Seed, and Basil Dressing

Many people these days have an allergy or are sensitive to nuts, and are seeking more nut-free dressings to pour over their salads. They tend to be lighter on digestion and easier to digest. Tahini and hemp seeds are delicious on their own but combined, they taste even better. With the addition of fresh basil, this 6-Ingredient Tahini, Hemp Seed, and Basil Dressing by Olivia Budgen is incredibly tasty. It is also high in protein and healthy fats making it very filling and nutritious – not to mention super creamy!

4. Dandelion Greens Dressing

Source: Dandelion Greens Dressing

Dandelion leaves are an excellent food for detoxification and liver health. But instead of juicing them, adding them to smoothies, or making a salad with them, how about using them in a creamy dressing? That’s what Karielyn Tillman did with them with this Dandelion Greens Dressing recipe. The normally bitter taste dandelions sometimes have is masked with the other ingredients.

5. ‘Chicken’ Caesar Salad

Source: ‘Chicken’ Caesar Salad

This ‘Chicken’ Caesar Salad by Stephanie Davies is a super easy dinner or light lunch option when you’re looking for a ‘fast’ food alternative! But don’t worry, even though it’s salad, it’ll fill you up. That rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing could work with any of your favorite salad combos.

6. Sunflower Butter Dressing

Source: Sunflower Butter Dressing

This Sunflower Butter Dressing by Natalie Martin MS, RD and Lexie Staten MS, RD is a whole-food, plant-based, oil-free, and sugar-free dressing that is versatile and easy to make. Great for dipping veggies in, topping salads, and pouring over roasted veggies.

7. Oil-Free Buffalo Tahini Dressing

Source: Oil-Free Buffalo Tahini Dressing

This Oil-Free Buffalo Tahini Dressing by Kennedy Kitchings is a super simple, oil-free, and oh-so-creamy dressing! Drizzle it over your favorite salads or add it to your sandwich. It would also make an awesome and protein-rich dip for your favorite chips or raw veggies.

8. Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing

Source: Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing

Ever want to create your own dressing? Here’s a great place to start! This Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing by Molly Patrick is a delicious substitute for the store-brand dressings out there. What’s more, you don’t have to use it on a Caesar-inspired salad, either, you can toss any one of your favorite salad greens and veggies in this ever-so-creamy dressing.

9. Spicy Chipotle Salad Dressing

Source: Spicy Chipotle Salad Dressing

This Spicy Chipotle Salad Dressing by Annie Oliverio is based on an old favorite, but it’s been kicked up a notch or two. The cashews and hemp give the dressing that desired creaminess while the chipotle gives a little smoke and fire.

10. Sesame Citrus Dressing

Source: Sesame Citrus Dressing

This Sesame Citrus Dressing by Natalie Martin MS, RD and Lexie Staten MS, RD is rich, creamy, and versatile. You can make a big batch to keep on hand as your go-to salad dressing. That said, it’s super easy to whip up if you just want a little for your salad right now! In the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 2 weeks.

11. Greek Dressing

Source: Greek Dressing

This Greek Dressing by Helyn Dunn is so delicious! It’s got a ton of herbaceous flavor and will make your tastebuds do a happy dance! It is so good, you could eat this on every salad. It’s low fat so pour it on!

12. Raw Gado Gado Dressing

Source: Raw Gado Gado Dressing

This Raw Gado Gado Dressing by Kelly Fielding is inspired by a traditional Balinese sauce. This rich, peanutty dressing graces many a Balinese menu and is deliciously drizzled over a bowl of raw veggies, tofu, or tempeh. This is a super high-protein dressing, so you can amp up any salad with it.

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