3 Make-Ahead Dressings That Change How You Meal Prep

Having a few good dressings ready in the fridge is a total game changer. When flavor is already handled, throwing together salads and bowls during the week becomes fast and effortless instead of feeling like an afterthought. This is one of those habits that makes eating at home feel easier and way more exciting.

We’re doing three different dressings here, each with its own purpose and flavor profile: a bright, tangy fattoush dressing, a nutty and savory sesame ginger dressing, and a creamy Italian that’s very much an Olive Garden–style copycat. Once you get into the habit of prepping dressings ahead, you can use this same idea for any dressing you love — these just happen to be three I always come back to. Having multiple options on hand means salads never get boring, even if you’re using the same base ingredients all week.

Fattoush Dressing

This fattoush dressing is bright, herby, and packed with flavor. It’s the same recipe that’s already on the blog and works best with crunchy, chopped salads where every bite gets coated evenly.

To make it, add the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, minced garlic, sumac, dried mint, black pepper, salt, and allspice to a large jar. Make sure the garlic is finely minced so it blends smoothly. Use an immersion blender directly in the jar until the dressing emulsifies, or seal the jar tightly and shake really well until everything comes together.

This is a dressing where tasting as you go really matters. If you like it extra tangy, add a little more lemon. If you want more depth, an extra pinch of sumac goes a long way. Letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours helps the flavors meld even more.

Salad ideas for this dressing:

• Chopped romaine with tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, fried pita, and fresh mint
• Grilled chicken fattoush bowls
• Roasted vegetables tossed with greens and crispy pita chips

Sesame Ginger Dressing

This sesame ginger dressing is nutty, savory, slightly sweet, and incredibly versatile. The walnuts blended into the dressing give it body and help it cling to lettuce, noodles, and vegetables.

Add the soy sauce, avocado oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, honey, garlic paste, chili flakes, and walnuts to a large jar. Feel free to use any neutral oil, it doesn’t have to be avocado oil. You can also swap the walnuts for tahini or almond butter to help make it creamy. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, or transfer everything to a regular blender. You can also shake it really well in a jar if you prefer a looser texture.

Once blended, taste and adjust based on how you’ll use it. A little more honey adds sweetness, extra chili flakes bring heat, and a splash more vinegar brightens everything up.

Salad ideas for this dressing:

• Create a chinese chicken salad with chopped lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, and green onions
• Wonton strips, sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and cilantro
• Add grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a full meal

Italian Dressing (Olive Garden–Style)

This Italian dressing is creamy, herby, and inspired by the classic Olive Garden version. It’s rich without feeling heavy and works beautifully on traditional salads as well as pasta salads.

Add the neutral oil, grated Romano, distilled white vinegar, water, egg, garlic, mustard, Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley, sugar, black pepper, and salt to a large jar. Blend with an immersion blender or a regular blender until thick, smooth, and fully emulsified.

If you prefer not to use a raw egg, you can substitute about 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise instead. It gives a very similar creamy texture and still tastes great. Once blended, taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed. This dressing thickens slightly in the fridge, so give it a good shake before using.

Salad ideas for this dressing:

• Make the Olive Garden salad with butter lettuce, pepperoncini, red onion, tomatoes, olives, and croutons
• Pasta salad with rotini, olives, and mozzarella
• Grilled chicken Italian-style salad bowls

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Once each dressing is blended, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge. The dressings keep well for 5 to 7 days in the refridgerator. If a dressing separates slightly after chilling, just shake or stir before using.

I like storing these in clear airtight glass jars so they’re easy to grab and shake — these are the exact jars I use: 8 ounce glass sauce jars.

Having a few jars of dressing ready to go makes salads and bowls faster to assemble and a lot more enjoyable during the week.

Craving More Salad? Try These Recipes Out!

• In-N-Out Burger Salad
• Avocado Quinoa Salad Mendocino Farms Copycat
• Egg, Tuna, and Chicken Salad
• Taco Salad
• Cowboy Caviar

If you make this recipe, make sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out — I love hearing from you! And if you snap a photo, don’t forget to tag me over on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations too.

You can also find this recipe and so many more on my Pinterest — perfect for saving to your board for later. And if you’re more of a visual learner, check out my YouTube channel, where I walk you through recipes step-by-step just like this one.