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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sweet and savory poppy seed dressing with only 5-ingredients. It’ll become a staple in your fridge.
Ingredients
- 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
- Combine all the ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- 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
Keywords: salad, homemade, poppy seed recipe
Recipe originally published in March 2015, updated March 2020 with new photos, rewritten post, and additional information.
Jessie Lee From Tennessee says
Spinach, mandarin oranges and/or pomegranate areles, cheve goat cheese, avocado, red onion, sunflower seeds, and this amazing dressing are a winter salad treat!
Katya says
Thank you! It sounds absolutely lovely.
Maria says
This looks amazing!! Have you tried making this recipe with almond milk or coconut milk?
Thanks!
Maria
★★★★★
Katya says
I don’t have much experience with almond milk but coconut milk sounds great 🙂
Valya of valyastasteofhome.com says
Very easy dressing recipe Katya, I have to give this one a try. Never had poppy seed in dressings. I wander if it gives any additional taste to the dressing. 🙂
Katya says
It’s pretty simple to make and a sweet type of dressing. I personally like it with any type of spinach salad.
Andrea says
So excited about this! I love all the dressings you have made and this will be no exception, I’m sure! Thank you Katya:)
Katya says
Thanks girl! I hope you like this one 🙂
Lana says
Really excited to give this recipe a try. I have been always buying poppy seed dressing from the store and love it but this is so much cheaper
Katya says
I agree! Homemade is so much cheaper and definitely tastier. Let me know how you like it 🙂