Easy Poppy Seed Dressing

This Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing is creamy, sweet yet tangy, and incredibly easy to make. It is naturally sweetened and oil-free, making it a healthy homemade dressing that will liven up your salads without any guilt!

Poppy Seed Dressing is a creamy, tangy dressing loaded with poppy seeds for crunch and a bit of flavor. Typically this dressing is filled with sugar and mayonnaise, and while delicious, it is pretty heavy and high in fat and sugars.

My version of Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing is made with yogurt in place of mayonnaise and sweetened with honey instead of granulated sugar. It is significantly lightened up, yet all the delicious, classic flavors remain.

Notes on Ingredients

• Greek Yogurt: To give this dressing its creamy base, use plain Greek yogurt. Use any fat percentage you like. 
• Honey: You only need a small amount to sweeten the dressing and balance out the acidity and tanginess of the dressing. Feel free to replace the honey with maple syrup if desired.  
• Shallot: The secret to the BEST poppy seed dressing is a little bit of grated shallot. The mild onion flavor of the shallot helps to balance out the sweetness of the dressing.
• Mustard: Use Dijon, whole grain, or brown mustard, NOT yellow mustard. The flavor is not comparable.  
• Vinegar: Champagne vinegar is my first choice for this dressing, as it is mild and slightly sweet. You can use apple cider or white wine vinegar in place of the champagne vinegar if desired.
• Poppy Seeds: Poppy seeds add a nice texture to the dressing.

How to Prepare Poppy Seed Dressing

• Whisk together the vinegar, honey, Greek yogurt, mustard, poppy seeds, grated shallot, and salt together. 
• Using a Microplane, grate 1 teaspoon of shallot into the dressing. 
• Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

• Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. This allows the flavors time to marry together.
• Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up 10 days, whisking or shaking prior to use.

Serving Suggestions

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing pairs beautifully with side salads, chicken salads, and even fruit salads. Below are a few of my favorite ways to use this simple, wholesome salad dressing.

• Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing is the perfect choice for Strawberry Spinach Salad. And it is delicious paired with Roasted Butternut Squash Salad or Caribbean Chicken Salad.
• I love using this Poppy Seed Dressing to dress a fresh fruit salad for a creamy, tangy, delightful punch of flavor. 
• For a creamy, yet still, mayo-free version of Broccoli Salad, replace the citrus dressing with this poppy seed dressing.  
• Toss with shredded chicken and wrap up with some spinach in a tortilla for a quick, flavorful wrap for lunch. 

More Salad Dressing Recipes

• Homemade Raspberry Dressing
• Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Caesar Salad Dressing

If you tried this healthier version of Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below. 

This recipe for poppy seed salad dressing was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2022.