Sweet and savory poppy seed dressing with only 5-ingredients. It’s an ideal dressing for drizzling on top of green salads with fruit.

I absolutely love it over our Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad.

homemade poppy seed dressing this recipe

Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe

This creamy homemade poppy seed dressing is slightly sweet and not overly thick. A perfect balance of creaminess and sweetness.

I’ve tested many versions of this dressing and came to the conclusion that slightly sweet dressing is the way to go as it’s not overpowering what you’re serving it on.

You’ll need only a handful of ingredients for this recipe, a few minutes of your time, and something good to pour this goodness on.

poppy seed dressing recipe

What is this dressing made of?

You can pick up a bottle of poppy seed dressing at just about any supermarket these days but have you tried making your own? It is truly the easiest salad dressing to make.

You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:

  • Mayonnaise
  • Milk
  • Sweetener of choice – maple syrup, sugar, honey
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Poppy seeds
  • Kosher salt

Poppy seeds are readily available at most supermarkets these days. You can also buy them online from Amazon. Brands such as Simply Organic and McCormick both carry poppy seeds.

ingredients for poppy seed salad dressing

How to Make Poppy Seed Dressing

It’s as simple as adding all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisking until smooth. Keep the dressing stored in a mason jar that way you can easily shake it before serving.

Shaking helps recombine all the ingredients once they’ve settled in the fridge.

poppy seed salad dressing

What is it good on?

I love this dressing on top of green salads with fruit. So anything with berries, avocado, or winter fruit will taste the best. Here are some salads that pair well with poppy seed dressing:

You can also pair it with a fruit salad, which I have yet to try. Or mix it into coleslaw for that sweet and creamy taste.

Storing the Dressing

This poppy seed salad dressing will last for 3-5 days when stored properly in the fridge in an airtight container or mason jar. When ready to serve, give it a quick stir or shake the jar before serving.

Love creamy dressings? Give these a try:

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homemade poppy seed dressing

Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Yield: 5 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Sweet and savory poppy seed dressing with only 5-ingredients. It’ll become a staple in your fridge.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp. milk
  • 2 Tbsp. sweetener of choice (see note)
  • 4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp. poppy seeds
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients and whisk until smooth.
  2. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Makes 2/3 cups of dressing.

Notes

  • Sweetener: I love using maple syrup to add sweetness to this dressing. But you can also use honey or sugar. Just keep in the mind the sweetness of the dressing will slightly vary depending on what you use.
  • Vinegar: Feel free to substitute white vinegar or even white wine vinegar for the apple cider.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 135
  • Sugar: 6.2 g
  • Sodium: 97.7 mg
  • Fat: 11.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.2 g
  • Protein: 0.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 6.3 mg

Recipe originally published in March 2015, updated March 2020 with new photos, rewritten post, and additional information.