Homemade Healthier American French Dressing: A Lower Sugar Recipe for Vibrant Salads
Experience a super easy, lower sugar American-style French dressing for salads, naturally sweetened with honey and brightened with fresh onions. This incredible dressing is perfect for transforming taco salads – or any green salad – into a truly memorable meal.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support helps keep this blog running – thank you!
Salad dressings are often the unsung heroes of our meals, capable of elevating a simple bowl of greens into a culinary delight. While store-bought options are plentiful, nothing quite compares to the fresh, vibrant taste of a homemade dressing. Today, we’re diving into a classic American favorite – French dressing – but with a healthier, homemade twist. Forget the overly sweet, processed versions; this recipe focuses on real ingredients, lower sugar, and incredible flavor that will make your salads sing.
A Culinary Awakening: My College Days and the Secret Salad
My journey into the world of homemade salad dressings began unexpectedly during my college years. For a time, I lived with a wonderful family who opened their home to several students each year. Beyond providing a roof over my head, they offered a wealth of wisdom, from practical kitchen tips (like peeling and slicing broccoli stalks instead of discarding them!) to unforgettable recipes, such as a delicious French Beef Stew.
Our “house-mom” was a fantastic cook, and one of her unique lunch traditions involved a special salad she adored. It was usually just for her and me, if I happened to be around – a little quirky, but utterly charming. This wasn’t your average side salad; it was a hearty, flavorful concoction featuring crisp lettuce, crunchy Frito chips (a non-negotiable ingredient, as she wouldn’t make the salad without them!), a generous sprinkle of shredded cheese, diced fresh tomatoes, and sometimes, for an extra touch, briny olives.
But the true star of this eccentric yet delicious salad, besides the dressing itself, was a can of saucy beans – specifically, Ranch Style Beans. What always struck me, even back in the 1980s, was the tagline proudly displayed on the label:
Husband Pleasin’
This tagline felt incredibly old-fashioned and always brought a smile to my face. I recall thinking about the “poor husband” who, to my knowledge, never actually got to enjoy these beans in his own meals, as she seemed to reserve them exclusively for her special lunch salad. It’s funny how such small details stick with you over the years. Interestingly, these beans are still available today – they continue to be sold, now with an updated, more inclusive “Appetite Pleasin’” slogan, though the original persisted well into the 1990s, if my memory serves. A thoughtful reader, Holly, even pointed me to an article that delves into the history of these beans, revealing them to be a beloved Texas staple!
The Revelation: A Blender-Made French Dressing
The true game-changer for me, however, was the dressing. Over all those delightful salad ingredients, she would generously pour a homemade, tomato-based “French” dressing, prepared effortlessly in a blender. I use quotes around “French” because, as many culinary enthusiasts know, this Americanized version bears little resemblance to traditional French vinaigrettes, which are typically oil and vinegar based with herbs. It makes one wonder how this specific, sweet, tomato-forward dressing earned its “French” moniker in the U.S. – perhaps a historical marketing decision or a distant, perhaps misinterpreted, inspiration.
As a college student in the 1980s, accustomed only to bottled dressings lining supermarket shelves, the idea of making salad dressing from scratch was utterly foreign. “Didn’t all salad dressings come from the store?” I thought. Seriously, this was likely the very first time I witnessed someone creating their own dressing. (And no, simply drizzling oil and vinegar over lettuce, which some “odd” people did in restaurants when they couldn’t find a dressing they liked, didn’t count in my young, inexperienced mind!).
Yet, I was instantly captivated. I loved everything about it – the dressing, the unique salad, the entire experience. I made sure to write down the recipe, and while I don’t recreate that exact “college salad” often, this homemade American French dressing has become a beloved staple in my kitchen. Whenever I crave a rich, tomato-based dressing, reminiscent of a classic American French or even its darker, tangier cousin, Catalina, this is my go-to recipe.
American French Dressing, Reimagined for Health: Less Sugar, More Flavor
Despite my affection for the dressing, one aspect of traditional American French dressings always bothered me: the often excessive amount of sugar. The original recipe from my college days was less sugar-laden than some other homemade versions I’ve encountered (some even called for equal parts sugar and oil, unbelievably!), but it still contained a significant quantity. Furthermore, it relied on ketchup, which itself is often packed with added sugars.
My goal was to “healthify” this classic without sacrificing its signature tangy-sweet profile. I achieved this by making a few key adaptations. Instead of ketchup, I opted for concentrated tomato paste, which delivers a deeper, richer tomato flavor without the added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup commonly found in commercial ketchups. For sweetness, I turned to a small amount of honey – a natural sweetener that also brings its own unique flavor nuances and a host of potential health benefits.
To further enhance the flavor and complexity, I introduced fresh garlic and a touch of Dijon mustard. The Dijon adds a welcome tang and a subtle spice that balances the sweetness. However, the true secret ingredient that makes this dressing exceptional, in my opinion, is fresh, diced onion. The onions not only contribute a bright, pungent flavor that truly elevates the dressing but also act as a natural thickener when blended with the olive oil, creating a beautifully smooth and emulsified consistency.
Making this dressing is, as with most homemade dressings, almost ridiculously easy. The process couldn’t be simpler: you gather all your ingredients, add them to a blender in any order you prefer, and blend until the mixture is perfectly smooth. That’s it! In fact, it would likely take you more time to drive to the grocery store and locate a bottle of French dressing than it would to whip up a fresh batch in your own kitchen.
In about five minutes, you’ll have a vibrant, flavorful dressing ready to enjoy. And you don’t always need to create an elaborate “special salad” to savor it. With the inherent flavors of tomatoes and onions already in the dressing, a simple bowl of freshly picked garden lettuce becomes a perfectly delicious and satisfying salad, just as pictured here. For an added touch, I often incorporate olives, thinly sliced sweet onions, and occasionally a sliced hard-boiled egg. This dressing is also an outstanding homemade alternative for those who love using Catalina or French dressing on their taco salads – a delightful full-circle moment, as it brings me very close to that memorable college salad experience!
I have even recreated that specific college salad, opting for my plain cooked beans and organic chips (since the prevalence of GMOs has regrettably changed my enjoyment of Fritos for health reasons), and I can confirm it’s still incredibly good. And when I do indulge in it, it often becomes my special, secret lunch salad (shhh, don’t tell Brian!).
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
SaveSaved!
Healthier American French Dressing for Salads
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste*
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon water plus more if needed to reach desired consistency
Instructions
-
Add all the ingredients to the jar of a blender.
-
Blend until smooth. Adding more water, a teaspoon at a time, if needed until desired consistency is reached.
-
Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate. Keep in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Easy & Delicious Homemade Salad Dressings to Try
If you’ve discovered the joy and flavor of homemade dressing with this American French recipe, you’ll be thrilled to explore more options. Making your own dressings from scratch is not only simple but also allows you to control the ingredients, avoiding unwanted additives and excess sugars often found in store-bought varieties. Here are a few other fantastic, easy-to-make salad dressings that are sure to become favorites in your kitchen:
Classic Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
Easy Classic Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
This timeless favorite is surprisingly simple to whip up at home. Forget the raw eggs and anchovy paste; this recipe offers a simplified yet incredibly authentic flavor that’s perfect for a traditional Caesar salad, or as a versatile dip for vegetables. It’s creamy, tangy, and bursting with savory notes that will elevate any meal.
4 Vinaigrette Salad Dressings from 1 Basic Recipe
4 Vinaigrette Salad Dressings from 1 Basic Recipe
Mastering a basic vinaigrette is a fundamental skill for any home cook. This versatile recipe allows you to create four distinct, flavorful vinaigrettes from a single base, using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. From zesty lemon to herbaceous creations, these dressings are perfect for green salads, grain bowls, and even as marinades for meats and vegetables.
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ranch dressing is an American icon, beloved by many. This homemade version surpasses any store-bought bottle, offering a creamy, herb-packed flavor that’s both fresh and deeply satisfying. It’s fantastic on salads, as a dip for wings or vegetables, or even spread on sandwiches. Once you try this homemade ranch, you’ll never go back to the bottled stuff!
Note: This healthier American French dressing recipe was originally published in 2011 and has been thoroughly updated with larger, more enticing photos, a new pinnable image for easy sharing, improved formatting, and a convenient printable recipe card. We hope you enjoy this refreshed classic!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links and making a purchase, you help support An Oregon Cottage at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I genuinely love and believe in. (You can always read our entire disclosure page here.)