Pink Poppy Seed Dressing
Our pink poppy seed dressing is sweet, tangy, and light. All you need are 6 ingredients and 5 minutes to pull it together.
John and I love making salad dressing from scratch. During the spring and summer months, we opt for vinaigrettes and lighter options over heavier, creamy dressings.
This poppy seed dressing is one of our favorites. It’s a beautiful pink vinaigrette that pairs perfectly with mixed greens, arugula, or baby spinach salads. I love it drizzled over a spinach strawberry salad, blueberry and greens salad, and even my blackberry goat cheese salad.
You don’t need any special ingredients – just some good olive oil, red wine vinegar, ground mustard (see further down the page for my favorite swaps!), honey, salt, and, of course, poppy seeds. It takes about 5 minutes or less depending on how quickly you pull everything out of the pantry.
How to Customize this Poppy Seed Dressing
Oil/Vinegar: I love to use a 2:1 ratio of oil to vinegar for this particular dressing. That means for every 2 parts of oil there’s 1 part of vinegar (or half the amount). That amount of red wine vinegar gives the dressing just enough acidity without being overwhelming. You can always add more 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
Honey: The honey adds some sweetness and cuts through the vinegar. If you don’t care for sweet dressings, start with less and add more if needed. You should taste a balance of sweet and tart.
Poppy seeds: Check your poppy seeds ahead of time to be sure they’re still good and haven’t gone rancid. Poppy seeds go bad faster in warm, humid climates. If they’ve been in the pantry a while, do a quick check before you get started.
How to Make Poppy Seed Dressing
Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to a mason jar with a lid. If you don’t have a jar, a mixing bowl and whisk will work.
Seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine the ingredients. The dressing should be a pretty pink color but will begin to separate after a couple of minutes.
Drizzle a few tablespoons over your favorite salad and store the rest in the fridge.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
Sometimes you need to make a substitution with one of the ingredients. These are some of my favorites.
Red wine vinegar: If you don’t have red wine vinegar in the pantry, use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. The taste is a little lighter, but either will work.
Honey: I almost always have honey in the cabinet. When I don’t, I use either agave or maple syrup. They each have a unique flavor, so you’ll need to choose which one you like better. Maple is the stronger of the two. Granulated sugar can work in a pinch. Sometimes it doesn’t dissolve easily.
Ground mustard: I realize a lot of people may not have a can of ground mustard in the pantry. If you don’t, start with 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and go up from there. If you really like Dijon, you can go up to 1 tablespoon. That’s too strong for some, so I recommend starting at 1 teaspoon.
How to Store Leftover Vinaigrette
Store leftover poppy seed dressing in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to use it again, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
The olive oil will separate and solidify in the fridge. There’s nothing wrong with the dressing. It just needs to warm up so you can give it a good shake. The ingredients will easily come back together.
How to Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
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Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. If you don't have a jar, use a bowl and whisk.½ cup extra virgin olive oil¼ cup red wine vinegar¼ cup honey1 teaspoon poppy seeds1 teaspoon ground mustard½ teaspoon salt
- Serve over your favorite salad and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
