Creamy Cajun Salad Dressing

Creamy Cajun Salad Dressing is tangy, spicy and absolutely delicious. Made with only 4 ingredients, it’s super easy and quick, and better than any dressing you’ll find at a grocery store shelf.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredient notes
• How to make homemade Cajun salad dressing
• How to make it
• Tips & tricks for success
• Recipe FAQs
• Healthy salad and bowl ideas
• Recipe
• You may also like
• Meet the Author

As much as I like culinary shortcuts, bottled salad dressings are not my thing. They’re often filled with not-so-good-for-you oils and additives. Plus, I don’t think they taste good.

Homemade salad dressing will elevate any salad and this Cajun dressing is particularly good because it’s unique and you won’t find anything similar at the grocery store. It’s super creamy thanks to mayo and Greek yogurt, it has a wonderful tang from red wine vinegar and a bit of heat from cayenne pepper.

Try it on this Cajun Shrimp Salad and fall in love with the creamy, spicy flavor combo!

Why you'll love this recipe

• This salad dressing takes 2 minutes to make.
• It’s better and healthier than any salad dressing you’d get at the grocery store.
• No artificial dies, flavors or preservatives.
• It’s egg, nut, soy, sugar and gluten free.
• The base is Greek yogurt which gives it a nice boost of protein.
• It’s creamy, it’s tangy, and it has a nice kick of spice to it (or not, if you make the seasoning mild).
• It goes wonderfully with cooked chicken or shrimp.
• Make sure to also try my Vegan Greek Salad Dressing and Caesar Salad Dressing Without Anchovies for more great homemade dressing ideas.

Ingredient notes

• Greek Yogurt: I like using full fat or 2% fat Greek yogurt. Check ingredients’ list for any additives. The only ingredients you want are milk and bacteria. My ffavorite brand of Greek yogurt is Fage.
• Mayo: use any mayo you like. I like avocado oil mayo such as Sir Kensington’s.
• Red Wine Vinegar: it gives the dressing a great tangy flavor. If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can swap it for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Cajun Seasoning: I highly recommend making your own Cajun seasoning (recipe follows) but if you’re short on time or don’t have some of the spices, a good store bought blend will work great, too.

How to make homemade Cajun salad dressing

Ever since I started making my own taco seasoning, I am obsessed with creating my own spice blends. Not only are they cheaper than store bought mixes, but they also taste better AND you know exactly what goes in them!

Here’s what you will need to make your own Cajun spice blend:

• Salt: I like kosher salt
• Paprika: Hungarian paprika has a superior flavor and quality in my opinion
• Smoked Paprika: for a hint of smokiness
• Cayenne Pepper: you control how much to put in! Skip if you don’t want any spice.
• Dried Oregano: I like to use ground dried oregano in spice blends.
• Black Pepper: I like freshly milled pepper for maximum freshness
• Dried Thyme
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder

All you need to do is to mix all the spices in a small bowl or jar and there you have it! The BEST homemade Cajun seasoning ready in less than 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

How to make it

STEP 1: Place Greek yogurt, mayo, red wine vinegar and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl or wide mouth mason jar.

STEP 2: Mix everything together until smooth. I like to use a mini whisk for mixing salad dressings but a spoon will also do the job.

STEP 3: Serve immediately or store in a jar with a lid or an airtight container for later.

Tips & tricks for success

This salad dressing is super easy to make but its flavor will depend on the quality of ingredients you use.

Good quality yogurt and mayo are a must! Since you are not using oil in this recipe, I recommend full fat Greek yogurt without any additives or starches. Good mayo can be expensive but worth it, in my opinion. Or, make your own mayo. Here’s a recipe I like.

Homemade Cajun seasoning will give you best results. You can control the amount of heat by adding more or less cayenne pepper. If you eat low-sodium, reduce the amount of salt.

If you use store bought blend, start with ½ teaspoon. It may be saltier and/or spicier than my homemade seasoning. If the dressing tastes good to you, you don’t need add any more. If it’s not flavorful enough, add more seasoning.

If the dressing seems too thick, add a bit of cold water or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and give the dressing a good stir. It should be thick but pourable, like Ranch.

Recipe FAQs

Healthy salad and bowl ideas

• Chicken, Peach and Bacon Salad with Goat Cheese
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Shrimp Poke Bowl
• Quinoa Poke Bowl with Seared Tuna
• Spinach Caprese Salad with Strawberries

If you try my Cajun Salad Dressing recipe, be sure to leave me a comment and give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you and see how it turned out for you! You can also share and tag me on Instagram!

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