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A bowl of homemade French dressing.
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French Dressing Recipe

Skip store-bought salad dressing and blend up your own tangy homemade French Dressing recipe in just 2 minutes. This easy salad dressing is made with all pantry staple ingredients.
Course Pantry
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 16 servings (2 tbsp each)
Calories 121kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a food processor or blender, add sugar, ketchup, olive oil, white vinegar, celery seed, chili powder, dried mustard, onion powder, paprika, and salt to taste (I like 2 teaspoons). Process until smooth and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

  1. Granulated sugar: The 1 cup sugar in the dressing may sound like a lot, but it tastes just like the ones at Wisconsin supper clubs of my youth (they’d bring a small salad dressing caddy to your table with 4 different kinds of dressing: RanchItalianThousand Island, and French). If you don’t love sweet dressings, start with 2 tablespoons of sugar, taste, and increase if desired. Or, substitute a bottle of store-bought French dressing.
  2. Light olive oil: Light olive oil is milder than extra virgin which allows the other flavor-boosters to shine.
  3. Paprika: Use regular paprika (often simply labeled “Paprika” on the package) rather than hot or smoked paprika.
  4. Yield: This French Dressing recipe makes 2 cups of dressing or 16 (2-tablespoon) servings. If you are making this for a Dorito Taco Salad, you'll probably only need half the recipe.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And I know what you're thinking: "Everything in this ingredients list is shelf-stable! Why isn't this dressing shelf-stable, or why can't it last for a month?" Ingredients interact when they are combined, and without stabilizers and preservatives, it's just as perishable as any other "leftover."
  6. Make ahead: Feel free to make this homemade up to 3 days in advance. If the dressing begins to separate during this time, give it a shake before drizzling over your salad.
  7. Bonus salad pairings: In addition to taco salads, this homemade French Dressing tastes incredible tossed with or drizzled over my Easy Garden Salad, Wedge Salad, or Cobb Salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg