16 Ways To Transform Store-Bought Salad Dressing

From ranch to Italian, it's safe to say there are loads of store-bought salad dressings to choose from. But what happens when you want to switch things up? We have plenty of tantalizing ways to transform store-bought salad dressing so it feels fun and fresh. Whether you have a bland dressing that needs help in the flavor department or needs help with its texture, you'll find a few methods to change it for the better. A lot of these tips can be used for any dressing you might have on hand, but we'll specify if something works with a particular type. 

These ideas are great no matter if you have a full bottle, half, or the last remnants of one. You can always adjust based on how much of the condiment you plan to use or what you're using it for. The convenience of store-bought dressing boils down to the ingredients and steps saved compared to making it from scratch, so we thought it was important that these suggestions to liven it up don't require much additional effort. You won't need expensive equipment, techniques, or ingredients (although you're certainly welcome to use them). Many of these ideas work with items you already have in the pantry or fridge. You'll find that you can use the spiced-up sauce for just about anything.

Often times, foods can be quickly improved with salt, or at least something salty. It just so happens there are a lot of salty components you can add to your salad dressing. Miso, a fermented paste usually made with soybeans, brings a deep umami flavor that can bring dimension to your dressing. It works nicely with Asian dressings, like a zesty sesame ginger dressing, or ranch to bring an earthy, toasty taste. Pour the dressing and miso into a bowl and mix until it's fully incorporated. You don't want miso chunks. Drizzle this onto poke bowls, vegetables, salads, slaw, or anything where you want a flavor punch.

Another option is Worcestershire sauce. The complexity of Worcestershire sauce's ingredients, such as vinegar, molasses, anchovies, and tamarind, make it an all-in-one choice when you don't want to incorporate a bunch of additions. This hits sweet, sour, and savory all in one convenient bottle. Add a few drops to Italian dressing or Caesar when they need something that you can't put your finger on. 

Fresh and dried herbs can work with your dressing to give it more flavor, color, and texture. This is especially easy if you're working with a sauce that already has herbs that you can add to. For example, if your green goddess has basil or tarragon, it's a straightforward ingredient to include. This eliminates the issue of figuring out if certain herbs pair with the profile of your particular dressing. However, if you need some ideas of herbs that go well with a dressing, we can help you there, too. 

Chop fresh dill, parsley, and chives to give ranch an herby boost. You can mix the chopped pieces into the dressing or fully blend it so it has a green hue. Add dried thyme and oregano to Italian dressing to make your salad pop, or try it on life-changing garlic bread. Any of the aforementioned herbs can taste great in an herby vinaigrette, which is a top choice for potato salad.

Spices are a common course that gives foods more flavor. While we may use herbs and spices interchangeably, they're not the same. Spices tend to come from roots, seeds, bark, etc. You can use any number of spices you may have on hand to make your store salad dressing all the better. They can bring both warmth and depth to your condiment for a tasty, revitalized sauce. 

Bring ground spices to an Italian dressing, such as fennel seeds or paprika. These can blend in with any other herbs included in the dressing. You might want to add chipotle powder to your ranch for a smoky addition that brings a bit of color into the mix. Add turmeric and ginger to a classic vinaigrette to provide pizzazz to your salad greens. This tip is simple because you don't have to chop or do any extra steps. You can open the spice jar, sprinkle it in, and call it a day.

Perhaps your dressing needs a vibrant inclusion. That's where citrus comes in. You can choose from any number of citrus options, like lemon, lime, or grapefruit, by using the juice or zest. We recommend fresh, but you can certainly use pre-made 100% juices if that's what you have on hand. We'll never judge because sometimes feeding your family means getting a meal on the table by using what you have. 

There are a lot of citrus options to add to salad dressing, depending on your own taste and what nuanced notes you want it to bring. Orange or calamansi juice can be a brightening option for a vinegarette that needs some oomph, but you could also use lemon zest and juice for a more tart effect. Maybe your dressing already had citrus, but it needs an extra squeeze to make an impact. Squeeze extra lemon into lemon basil dressing or lime or orange juice into buttermilk ranch.

Elevate the profile of your store-bought dressing with a tart vinegar addition. As a bonus, you can pick from many vinegar types to give it a nuanced flavor. Apple cider vinegar is tangy but has a slight sweetness that can create harmony for a creamy condiment like Thousand Island dressing. Vinaigrette or Greek dressing is a classic choice for vinegar if yours needs a hint of sharpness. Try using a splash of red wine vinegar for a sour, almost grape-like flavor that tastes fantastic spread onto an Italian sub or poured onto asparagus after plating.

Start by splashing in a small amount of your chosen vinegar, then mix it into the dressing. Pour more if needed, but it's important to begin with less so you don't turn the dressing into a puckery, acidic mess. Vinegar is a fantastic and diverse finishing touch when you feel your dressing or meal requires an extra punch. 

Store-bought dressing might fall flat when it comes to texture, so you can rectify this by incorporating things like nuts and seeds. An easy way to apply this is to add more poppy seeds to a poppy seed dressing or sesame seeds to a sesame dressing. A ginger lime vinaigrette with sesame seeds makes a delectable and impressive seasoning for flavorful Mongolian beef. 

Add chopped nuts, such as walnuts or hazelnuts, to a vinaigrette to give it a bite. It's essential to chop or crush the nuts. Eating a full walnut doesn't make it part of the dressing, whereas the small pieces allow it to be distributed more evenly. You can do this with a knife or by blitzing it in a food processor. Raw, unsalted nuts are preferred because they allow you to have more flexibility in the taste and texture. You could quickly toast nuts in the oven or on the stove to crisp them up and release the natural oils for a nuttier taste. Seeds and nuts can be a simple method to make any dressing more enjoyable.

Try adding a natural sweetener to dressing to improve the flavor. You might find a particular store-bought dressing needs balance — whether it's tart, acidic, or simply requires an enhancement — and sweetness can help with this. It's the same reason why some salsa recipes contain sugar, which is to lessen the acidity of the tomatoes. Perhaps there's too much vinegar in your salad dressing, and it needs a quick fix. You can add sugar, honey, or maple syrup to give it a hint of sweetness. 

White sugar is the easiest option, as you'll likely have some in the pantry already. Use ½ teaspoon of sugar per 1 tablespoon of dressing. However, it helps to note that honey and maple syrup can be sweeter than sugar. Brown sugar has molasses, which can provide a nuanced caramel flavor. Mix these into the dressing little by little and taste it before adding more. Agave could work, too, particularly if you pair it with fresh lime juice. Mix the ingredients with a whisk to make certain you don't have any lumps.

When it comes to the best bottled salad dressings, garlic stands out as one of the ingredients that can make the condiment taste better. Add more garlic to a dressing that already has it or integrate it into one that doesn't to give it that fragrant kick. This is especially advantageous if you enjoy the taste of garlic, because adding more of it makes the dressing more potent. You may use fresh, roasted, or powdered, based on your discretion. It works for most dressings, too, whether creamy or vinegar-based.

Oven-roasted garlic transforms the taste by mellowing out the flavor. The texture changes from crunchy to soft, so you can mash it up into a paste to integrate into your dressing. Include roasted or minced garlic in a vinaigrette to give it texture and that classic garlic taste. It pairs nicely with the vinegar that tastes good poured over a grain or rice bowl, but you could also use it as a marinade for meat or veggies. Mix roasted garlic into Caesar dressing or sprinkle garlic powder into ranch.

A creamy ingredient can make store-bought dressing taste richer and smoother. But depending on the creamy element, it also offers nuanced flavors like a hint of tang from sour cream or buttermilk. A dollop of sour cream can easily step up creamy store-bought dressings by cutting through any heaviness with its classic zing. You can control how much you want to add, whether you want a small dollop or a hefty one included in ranch or Caesar. Thoroughly mix it with the dressing so you're not left with gobs. Greek yogurt works similarly and also has a protein element if you want a different option.

Waldorf salad can get an upgrade with a bit of mayo, Greek yogurt, whipping cream, or sour cream. A splash of buttermilk can help to thin out an overly thick ranch. It goes to show that there are plenty of creamy ingredients to work with, so you can easily use what you have to give your store dressing a luxurious flavor pop.

Literally spice things up by adding a hot factor to your dressing. Add a dash of hot sauce when your condiment needs a zhuzh. You probably have a bottle at home, or perhaps a packet or two stashed away from a fast food restaurant. This allows full customization based on the type of hot sauce, how spicy it is, and what ingredients it has. Some might have more prominent garlic or vinegar notes, which also complement salad dressings. Try it in chili lime avocado dressing or vinegarettes. 

Other spicy ingredients could include adding chili powder, chopped jalapeños, or cayenne pepper to ranch that you can spread onto a tasty sandwich or dip carrots in. Use sriracha as a well-rounded choice in an Asian dressing. It brings a hint of spice, vinegar, and sweetness that you can devour with cucumbers or edamame. Heat might be exactly what your dressing is missing. Not only are there plenty of spicy ingredients to work with, but they also go well with a range of dressings.

An inconsistent dressing can be rectified with a touch of oil, but this tip does more than smooth the consistency. It can also deliver a rich mouthfeel and subtle flavor to your salad or dish. Sesame oil has a distinct nutty taste that can enrich your food. Try it in a sesame or Asian-style dressing paired with cooked or raw vegetables. 

If a vinaigrette tastes too tart, try mixing in a drizzle of olive oil for balance. But you could get a similar effect with hazelnut oil, which offers a light, nutty essence and elegance. Place this upgraded dressing over an herby tabouli or side salad. Whisk in a bit of avocado oil to ranch or green goddess dressing for a mild, barely-there taste that can give a creamy quality to your condiment. These oils can be a flavorful way to make store-bought dressing taste luxurious and homemade, especially if you're working with a quality product. 

A nut butter can bring on its unique flavor as well as a creamy texture to your sauce. Consider including a tablespoon of almond or cashew butter in a honey mustard dressing for a rich condiment to pour over salad or cold noodles. But you could use less, based on how bold you want the nutty notes. This is a wonderful way to utilize the last scrapings of your nut butter jar when you don't want to throw it away, but there's also not enough to make a sandwich out of.

Plop in a bit of peanut butter for a stronger Thai peanut dressing to coat noodles or use as a dipping sauce for foods like spring rolls. Place both your dressing and nut butter in a bowl and whisk to fully combine. Get out any clumps, especially if you're using the end of a jar, which tends to get hard and dry. Creamy nut butters are easier to work with, but crunchy works perfectly fine and can also offer texture to salads or dishes.

If you're like us and liberally add mustard to sandwiches and foods, then this tip is for you. An obvious way to include this yellow condiment is in honey mustard dressing, especially if the store-purchased one needs a punch. This can help you use up leftover mustard that you weren't sure what to do with. Gather your dressing — a vinaigrette or Caesar also work well — and pour some into the mustard container. Pop the lid back on and give it a vigorous shake. It should easily pour out to dress your salad, leaving you with a near-clean and empty bottle.

Mix honey mustard with ranch for a fresh spin on a beloved dressing. Use it as a dip for pita chips, carrots, or celery sticks. There's a whole world of mustards out there to use. A classic yellow deli mustard brings a pop of color with vinegar notes, while something like Dijon or spicy brown mustard offers a smidge of heat.

We have a deep love for pesto. It perfectly blends various flavors of basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan for a rich, herby, nutty, oily addition to dressing. You're welcome to make it from scratch but you can also add flavor to store-bought pesto to transform it to suit your dish. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and pesto to pre-made vinaigrette as a quick way to jazz up a bed of greens or pasta salad. It's a delicious match for Italian dishes, too, like Caprese salad or bruschetta.

Spoon in a bit of pesto into ranch for a makeshift green goddess dressing, or add it into the latter for an herbal boost. Since there are plenty of powerful flavors in pesto, the green-hued condiment heightens the taste and aroma of any dish you use it in. It's easy to work with since you can just whisk it into the dressing, but it also provides a slight change in consistency from the basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan.

Give your dressing a creamy characteristic without including dairy. Avocado can bring on richness as well as shade change to enhance your dish. This is a good option for a vinaigrette or ranch as a way to bring something new to the table. Its mild taste won't overwhelm existing flavors like vinegar or buttermilk. Blend an avocado and your dressing in a blender or immersion blender to ensure the green fruit is fully incorporated. This helps achieve the creamy, thickening aspect without any lumps along the way. 

It's unexpected and transforms the condiment so it looks nothing like the store-bought version. While you will find store dressings with avocado, it's usually listed as 2% or less. Your inclusion of fresh avocado, no matter how much, will likely be more than anything you'd find at a grocery store. It doesn't hurt that avocado also pulls in fiber, healthy fats, folate, and vitamins C, E, and K with it (among other nutrients) for a nutritious upgrade. 

When it comes to ways to transform store-bought salad dressing, sometimes the simplest ingredient can help the most. If you happened to purchase the worst store-bought Caesar salad dressing or have a not-so-great condiment sitting in your fridge that you can't bear to waste, this tip might satisfy. This repairs a couple of issues you might find in store-bought dressings: consistency and flavor. Thin out thick dressings with water. This is ideal for those sauces that are too viscous and seem more like a dip than a dressing. You know the type. The ones that get stuck in the bottle despite tapping it ferociously with all your strength. 

When you manage to scoop some out, place it in a bowl and add a bit of water. It will thin out the consistency and can also tone down overpowering flavors. Pour a bit of water at a time because adding too much can turn the condiment into water that has a hint of dressing, rather than the opposite. Use the water method in conjunction with other ingredients as needed, such as adding grated Parmesan to Caesar.