[Rant Warning!]
I almost bought some poppy seed salad dressing this week. I love it, and I was already at the store and feeling lazy, so I thought, why not? Well, I’ll tell you why not… Have you read the labels lately!? Too much sugar, too much fat, and definitely too much weird stuff. Oh… No… you missed that on the label? I don’t blame you; you’re probably your like me – stuck back there on the nutritional table reading up on the calorie and fat counts. Whohoo! Or maybe you’re just experiencing sticker shock: the average bottle of poppy seed salad dressing at my local Winco costs between three and four dollars. For a 12 ounces. A cup and a half. And the good stuff – that’s even more! This bottle of Brianna’s Poppy Seed Dressing (admittedly delicious) sells for a whopping $7.70 a bottle on Amazon!!!! That is almost 65 cents an ounce: the same price as mid-range, high quality cheese. O.M.G. (And I can tell you, if I have to choose between a bottle of salad dressing and a 12 ounces of good cheese, the cheese will win, every time!!) In just five minutes, I can make a cup and a half of the same salad dressing at home for about fifty cents. FIFTY Cents! That’s just over 4 cents an ounce. Crazy. I am never buying salad dressing again. (OK, you’re right – “Never” is a big word… I tell my kids that all the time. But I am sure gonna do my darnedest not to.)
[End of Rant.]
Here’s my favorite poppy seed dressing recipe – low in fat, high in flavor, with just the right balance of tart and sweet. Did I mention it takes all of five minutes to make?
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt I use Nancy's Plain Nonfat
- 1/2 cup Light Miracle Whip I don't like the Fat Free - it tastes weird.
- 1/4 cup white sugar If I'm making this to use on fruit, I use 1/3 cup of sugar
- 2 Tbls onion coarsely chopped (Mince if you are mixing this by hand.)
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 Tbls poppy seeds
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except poppy seeds in a blender and blend until smooth. Add poppy seeds and pulse to combine.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow the dressing to thicken.
Nutrition
I’m with you… I’d rather spend my money on cheese than salad dressing! Also, it means I can make less dressing, so I can feel free to keep changing out the dressing instead of being committed to a bottle.
Thanks for reminding me about this wonderful dressing. We’re on a salad kick here too, and interesting, varied dressings are key. I’m making this today. 🙂
I hope you enjoy it! I’ll be posting more salad dressing recipes in the upcoming weeks, so be sure to check back in. 🙂
Is there really no oil in this recipe? Wondering how it gets any body otherwise. Turned out super watery.
Yes, Kara. There is no oil in this recipe. The yogurt and miracle whip give it plenty of body when I make it. Is it possibly you used all non-fat ingredients? I’ve never done that, so I can’t speak for the results there. I always use light Miracle Whip and low-fat yogurt.
Also, like chia seeds, poppy seeds need a little time to absorb moisture to create the thickening power they bring to the party. Did you give the dressing some time?
Is 10 calories per serving correct?
Thanks for the catch, Cheryl. The program I used when this was first published calculated the calories incorrectly, and I didn’t notice the error. It actually has 53 calories for a 2 tablespoon serving. The recipe has been corrected.
I found your poppy seed dressing recipe and am going to try it.
Question: Do you use dry mustard powder or prepared mustard (like Dijon mustard)?
Good question, Sarah. I usually use a plain old yellow mustard, but I’ve also used mustard powder and it turned out fine. I’m sure Dijon would work as well.