Healthy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing is a lovely sweet and tangy topping for fresh greens and fruit, like Strawberry Spinach Salad. This recipe makes it easy to create your homemade condiment. Free from refined sugars, it's a healthful addition to your plate.
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My Favorite Salad Dressing
Whenever I've eaten out lately, my salad dressing of choice has been poppy seed. I assume that it's been loaded with sugar, but it's been my little guilty pleasure. After all, I reasoned, I was only having it occasionally and I don't eat large quantities of salad dressing.
At some point it occurred to me to try to make a healthier version of poppy seed salad dressing at home. I was thrilled with how well it turned out and how much it tastes like the commercial varieties!
Ingredients
- Avocado Oil - has many health benefits, including healthy fats and antioxidants. I've used it here because it has a more neutral flavour than olive oil.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - an ancient health remedy
- Raw Honey - possesses antibacterial properties and antioxidants
For the exact amounts and detailed recipe instructions, scroll down to the end of this post, or click the Jump to Recipe button at the top.
Instructions
It's easy to make this refined sugar free poppy seed salad dressing recipe at home!
I use my blender to make my dressing smooth and creamy. To emulsify everything except the poppy seeds, I run it on low speed until it automatically turns off (45 seconds for my Blendtec.) I want the poppy seeds to remain whole, so I mix them in afterwards.
If you don't have a blender, just shake all of the ingredients together in a jar.
Recipe FAQ's
When we talk about poppy seeds, the question of opium comes up. According to my research, high quality poppy seeds are harvested when the seed pods are dry. Opium is traditionally harvested when the seed pods are green. The seeds of other types of poppies are grown for flowers. I have enjoyed these in my flower gardens for several years.
Poppy seeds can contain trace amounts of opiates, mostly due to residue from the sap. However, according to Christopher S. Baird, assistant professor of physics at West Texas A&M University, as quoted to HuffPost, the seeds do not “have a drug effect on humans that are eating typical amounts of poppy seeds.” However, they could show up in a drug test, so be careful when you eat them!
Homemade poppy seed dressing with keep at least a couple of weeks, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Top Tip
For a nice, thick, creamy dressing, add the vinegar, honey, onion powder, mustard, and salt to a blender. Run it at low speed while you add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Once the oil is all in, stir in poppy seeds by hand.
Equipment
A blender or electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment will give you a nice, creamy emulsion to which you can then stir in the poppy seeds.
However, if you don't have a blender, you can simply shake all of the ingredients together in a jar for a golden vinaigrette.
Other Refined Sugar Free Salad Dressings You Might Like:
Recipe
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- ¾ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, honey, onion, mustard, and salt in a blender and process at low speed for 45 seconds while you very slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream. Pour dressing into the jar you'll be using to store it.
- Add poppy seeds to the dressing in the jar and shake or stir to combine.
Notes
- If you don't have a blender, you can simply combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake it well.
- For a nice, thick, creamy dressing, add the vinegar, honey, onion powder, mustard, and salt to the blender. Run it at low speed while you add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Once the oil is all in, stir in poppy seeds by hand.
Deanna G Drew says
I am getting ready to make this and realized I am out of avocado oil. Would Olive oil work? Thanks so much. This looks amazing.
Cathy Brak says
Thank you, Deanna! Olive oil will work in the dressing. It might just add a little olive flavor to it.
DMT says
So so yummy! I added a little extra salt and then it was absolutely perfect for my strawberry spinach salad. Thank you!
Cathy Brak says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the recommendation!
Heather says
Question, should you refrigerate it or is that not necessary?
Cathy Brak says
I do recommend refrigerating the salad dressing, out of caution. While each of the ingredients on its own does not require refrigeration, I always keep salad dressings in the fridge to prevent potential problems.
Annie Hébert says
Hi
Will the dressing be more 9n the yellow color or white ?.. asking because there is no yogurt or white ingredients in the recipe.
Thanks
Cathy Brak says
This is a great question, Annie! If you follow the main directions and use a blender to form an emulsion, your poppyseed dressing will be white. If you just shake everything together in a jar, the color will lean more toward yellow.
Angelina says
Thanks again Cathy, & I hope you have better luck than I had. I think my best bet will be to try our local natural food store. Wishing you much happiness in your new surroundings. 💐
Angelina says
Thanks for your reply, Cathy. Can you please tell me which brand of poppyseeds you normally like to use? There are several brands out there, so this time I'd like to get a brand which has good flavor, since I completely wasted my money on the last jar I bought-even though it was 'pricey'. Thanks again.
Cathy says
Oh Angelina, I wish I could be more helpful! I bought mine at a small local store that scoops it out in bulk. I don't know where they got it, but they are good at keeping their supplies fresh. Now, I've just moved away, and I'll have to find a new source, too.
Angelina says
Cathy, this dressing is super healthy, so I'm anxious to make it for my Strawberry Spinach Salad. I just bought a jar of poppy seeds & tasted them. They have no flavor, none at all! I'm SO disappointed, 'cause the weren't cheap. Aren't poppy seeds supposed to have flavor? I would think so, otherwise - what's the point of using them? I'm bewildered. 🤔
Cathy says
Hi Angelina! Yes, your poppy seeds should have flavour. I would describe the taste as rather nutty, maybe also with a touch of toasted grain? Yours will still provide colour and crunch, if you go ahead and use them.
Sarah says
Can you use a different type of vinegar if you don’t have apple cider? Thanks
Cathy Brak says
Sure! Go ahead and experiment with other vinegars. The flavor will change slightly, but try it and see what you like.
Denise from Urb’n’Spice says
I have to agree with you, Cathy! Poppy Seed Dressing is one of my favourite dressings, too and it is always nice to know what goes into your food. I appreciate that it is gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free. Thanks for sharing! ??
Cathy says
Thank you for your comment, Denise.
Fouzia Husainy says
I love poppy seed dressing and yours has organic ingredients which is much better. I like using avocado oil in my cooking as it is lighter and with no flavour. Thanks so much for sharing.
Cathy says
Avocado oil is a great, healthful fat for us.
Lizzy says
This is a lovely recipe! I always wonder what weird ingredients are in salad dressing whenever I'm eating out. I have also started using avocado oil in dressings and really love it!
Cathy says
Thank you, Lizzy! I know! And it's so easy to make our own salad dressing!
Diane Galambos says
I'm loving this. Eating it every day until I need to make the next batch!!
Cathy says
I'm so happy that you're enjoying it, Diane! And thanks for letting me know!