This creamy poppy seed dressing is made with a tangy yogurt base and is whisked together in minutes! Perfect for salads, pasta salads, and grain bowls.
I don't know about you, but I have always loved a good poppy seed dressing. At any restaurants (including Panera!), in my strawberry orzo pasta salad, and on fresh greens... I love it all.
And as I continue to practice seasonal eating, having versatile homemade salad dressing recipes that I can whip up in minutes makes it so easy to eat through tons of greens without anything going to waste.
Which is where this homemade poppy seed dressing comes in! To make it lighter and tangy, I use a Greek yogurt base with a touch of mayo and mustard. No need to lug out a blender either. Just use a small bowl or jar, whisk, and you have a fresh salad dressing ready to keep in your refrigerator for salads all week.
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Ingredient Highlights
- Plain Greek yogurt - Whole milk Greek yogurt works best here, but 2% could also be okay. We're going for rich flavor!
- Mayo - Just a little bit of mayo gives this recipe a nostalgic creamy dressing taste without it feeling too heavy.
- Dijon mustard - Adds a savory component.
- Vinegar - Serves as an acid to brighten the flavor of the dressing. I recommend using a light vinegar in this recipe, such as rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or basic white vinegar. This aged sherry vinegar is one of my favorites.
- Agave - Agave works great as a natural sweetener in salad dressings, and I love it here. You could also use honey or maple syrup.
- Poppy seeds - It's not poppy seed dressing without poppy seeds!
Step-by-Step Instructions & Video
After you measure out your ingredients, the dressing is done in two simple steps:
- Add ingredients. Place the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar.
- Whisk. Vigorously whisk ingredients together until you get a thoroughly combined, creamy dressing.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegan - Replace the mayo with vegan mayo, and use plant-based plain yogurt.
- Shallots - Finely mince some shallots and add 1-2 teaspoons in place of the onion powder.
- Lemon - Add juice of one lemon plus some of the zest for a creamy lemon poppy seed dressing.
- Vinegar - Within the realm of light vinegars, you can certainly get creative! Look for different flavors such as orange champagne vinegar, which would make a delicious orange champagne poppy seed dressing.
What to Serve with Poppy Seed Dressing
You can take it in a savory or sweet direction. Think veggie salads with grilled chicken or salmon, or even to toss in a batch of coleslaw.
You could also incorporate sweet ingredients like fruit and candied nuts. I love this dressing on a strawberry spinach salad with candied pecans. Quick pickled strawberries would be amazing!
It also goes well with pasta and grains such as orzo, farro, and quinoa. I use it in my spring strawberry feta orzo salad, which is unexpected but tastes like spring.
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Did you make this poppy seed salad dressing recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
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