Trader Joe's Salad Dressings, Ranked

Anyone who's made a great homemade Caesar or fresh batch of buttermilk ranch can tell you that there are plenty of reasons why you should avoid buying salad dressings at the grocery store. Besides tasting better, the ingredients are usually a lot less mysterious, too, meaning you can feel good about the salad you're eating (and that's the point, isn't it?). The truth is that many dressings require a lot more time to prep than we can often fit into our busy routines; Trader Joe's has the answer to that in the form of 14 bottled dressings, some made with unique ingredients such as tofu, miso, and cauliflower. The best part, as with most Trader Joe's products, is that the dressings are reasonably priced – meaning that the convenience doesn't even come with a price tag.

How good are dressings made with cauliflower, though? I headed to Trader Joe's to find out. Taking into consideration the taste, texture, and ingredient list, I tried each of the 14 dressings offered by the grocer and ranked them from worst to best. Which ones are worth adding to your basket might surprise you — that cauliflower is better than you think.

Not to be confused with green goddess dressing, the Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing resembles a creamy Caesar dressing with a taste similar to a vinaigrette. The creaminess comes from tahini — a nutty paste made from sesame seeds — and the tang comes from a combination of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Tahini is a great way to add creaminess to dressings, the nuttiness usually balancing acidic flavors like lemon. In this case, however, the tahini manages to hide behind the brightness of the vinegar and the density of the herbs, causing a surprisingly acid-forward dressing with a hint of earthiness.

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As with any ranking, something has to be at the bottom of the list, and that had to be the Goddess Dressing. I found the earthy aftertaste unpleasant and the vinegar biting and intense, something I noticed in other dressings, but none as much as this. Mixed into a salad, the flavor mellows; the acidity is less intense but still overpowering, and the dressing is overall pretty salty. It's not a dressing I'd reach for again, so it takes the last ranking.

Trader Joe's offers quite a few Caesar-ish dressings, which isn't a bad move considering how popular the salad is. The Romano Caesar Dressing is a shelf-stable offering and the closest to a true Caesar the store has. It even uses capers as an ingredient to replicate the typical anchovy. The color is also similar to an authentic Caesar dressing: a yellow hue with flecks of peppery seasoning. The dressing is unusually thin for a creamy dressing, though, almost resembling a vinaigrette, which gave me some hesitation right away.

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As I suspected, the liquidy consistency is a hint at the flavor. While the dressing is reminiscent of Caesar and a great vegetarian alternative to the typically anchovy-laden dressing, it is distinctly acid-forward. Taking a look at the ingredient list, it's no wonder why: Not only are there the typical Caesar add-ins like lemon juice and Dijon, but also cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, both contributing to the acidic flavor. Spread throughout a salad, the flavor is better, but more similar to a vinaigrette with Caesar flavoring. For that reason, the Romano Caesar falls near the bottom of the list.

One can assume that the Organic Ranch Dressing is the Trader Joe's version of classic Hidden Valley Ranch: Both are similar in color, texture, and even bottle shape. It's not exactly healthier, though: The calorie count and organic ingredients are the only factors considerably better than the original ranch. So maybe you're loyal to Trader Joe's — or you simply don't want to make another stop — but is this ranch even the best among Trader Joe's own ranch selections?

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The Organic Ranch Dressing is the kind of ranch you'd dip carrots or pizza (yes, pizza) into, the thick and creamy kind with a robust flavor that makes salty foods and crunchy vegetables pop. The Trader Joe's version is flavorful and garlicky, but almost overly tangy, the citric acid and lemon juice prominent despite the layers of creamy buttermilk. The buttermilk isn't a forward flavor like the Buttermilk Ranch, making it the ranch I'd reach for last, likely only for dipping (pizza, of course).

The Cilantro Dressing is an unusual ranking. The flavor itself is good, the cilantro a burst of herby flavor followed by salty, creamy cotija cheese – but as a dressing it doesn't quite hit the mark. Perhaps like the others at the bottom of the list, it's the fault of the acid, the ingredient list once again riddled with vinegars and lemon. Or maybe it's simply the cilantro itself that doesn't quite work here.

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The dressing has a vinegar-forward flavor and thin consistency. Drizzled on salad, the flavors get a little lost, the cilantro becoming overly herby mixed with leafy greens. The reason I did like this dressing, however, is because it does have all the delicious flavor of a salsa verde, cilantro crema, or chimichurri and can be used in similar applications. For example, drizzled over a protein like chicken or fish, this dressing would shine, and used in tacos, the cilantro would be better enhanced than in a leafy salad. Like many on the list, this dressing works a little better as a sauce than a dressing, and because of the forwardness of the vinegar, I ranked it lower on the list.

Ranking this fan-favorite so low might get me in trouble, but hear me out: Side-by-side against 13 of the store's dressings, it falls a little flat. It's pleasantly nutty thanks to sesame oil and seeds, with a balance of acid and umami coming from white vinegar and soy sauce. I can understand why it may be some customers' favorite dressing, especially for those using it on things like soba noodle bowls, spring rolls, and marinated ahi tuna steaks. The reason I'm ranking it lower than a few others comes down to its overt tanginess and strong sesame flavor.

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The sesame aroma fills the air the second you open the bottle. I expected a dressing titled for its main ingredient to be forward in that flavor, but this was almost too much so — it nearly overwhelmed the lettuce and cucumber I tested it with. It's not quite as balanced or versatile as some of the other dressings on the list, and one I'd likely pass up if I were shopping for salad-making ingredients again; but a good one to consider if you are a sesame superfan.

This dressing is exactly what it advertises: an Italian vinaigrette blended with Romano cheese. The addition of cheese gives the typical tangy vinaigrette a creamier mouthfeel and saltier flavor, the Romano reminiscent of Caesar dressing in a subtle way. This dressing is as straightforward as it is versatile, which landed it closer to the middle of the rankings. Though it's not as interesting, flavorful, or fresh-tasting as some of the higher-ranked bottles on the list, it's a perfectly good vinaigrette to keep around for easy, simple salads. The best part: It's 80 calories per serving, way less than its Toasted Sesame sister.

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With it being ranked ninth, there are a few reasons why it doesn't quite crack the top Trader Joe's best dressings. Besides being a little on the tangy side (are you tired of the word tangy yet?), the dressing is also noticeably more salty than the others, especially when compared against the refrigerated versions. That saltiness is reflected in the nutrition label, with a whopping 460 milligrams of sodium—for reference, dieticians recommend dressings with sodium content lower than 200.

As with the Italian Dressing ranked before it, the Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinaigrette is a straightforward and easy-to-love dressing that tastes exactly as advertised. It's your standard balsamic vinaigrette, nothing more, nothing less. As with many Trader Joe's dressings — and coincidentally, the cheese — the vinaigrette leans tangy, the bitter and acidic nature of the ingredients prominent in the classic dressing. Grab this if you love strong, robust balsamic vinaigrettes, especially in the summertime over leafy green salads and grilled marinated chicken.

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Though any of the dressings in the top 10 are bound to be good enough to buy again, the balsamic vinaigrette doesn't quite top the list when compared to the newer, more interesting dressings found in the refrigerated section. It's tasty enough and low in calories, but a relatively plain dressing; one I'd skip in favor of the creativity Trader Joe's is known for.

That aforementioned creativity is exactly the reason the Vegan Caesar Dressing deserves a ranking in the top 10. The ingredient list is unique, made up of things like tofu, white miso, capers, and shiitake mushroom powder; ingredients that almost never grace the labels of salad dressing containers. It even lists rice koji as an ingredient, a fermented mold most notably used for whisky in Japan. With an ingredient list like this, you know Trader Joe's isn't messing around: But is all the effort worth it?

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If I were a vegan with no real Caesar experience, I might not know the difference, and this dressing may rank even higher. The truth is, though, that this does taste like a Caesar that's a little off — or, in other words, a Caesar made with tofu and miso. With a salad test, this is much less noticeable, the classic flavors of the Caesar coming through on every crunchy bite, but not so much as to disguise the unusual ingredients it's made up of. Because I'd reserve this recommendation for my plant-based friends, I ranked it lower on the list at number seven.

The Balsamic Glaze is another simple, straightforward, no-nonsense dressing, but this one gets the highest ranking of the shelf-stables because it's the bottle you most need in your pantry. Thick, glossy, and inky black, the dressing is a little different than the others, one you can use sparingly thanks to the density of flavor. The flavor is high-quality despite the bottle being less than $3, tasting both expensive and luxuriously smooth. It isn't overly acidic like many of its dressing counterparts, leading to its higher ranking.

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The glaze is also low-calorie, topping out at only 35 calories per serving. The drawback, like so many store-bought dressings often have, is the sugar content. The dressing has a total of 6 grams worth of sugars, 4 of them added. This isn't bad compared to some store-bought dressings, but compared to other dressings at Trader Joe's? That's a high number, and one that lends to it being a little lower on the list.

This dressing represents the Trader Joe's bread and butter — popular flavors used in unexpected ways. Like the Everything but the Elote or Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend, the Hot Honey Mustard Dressing reimagines something familiar and gives us a new way to enjoy it. The Hot Honey Mustard was made for people who dunk their chicken nuggets into honey mustard instead of ranch, and those who do will appreciate this flavorful dressing. It's punchy, with a strong mustard flavor balanced by sweet honey, but also a little spicy with a warm, lingering heat. It's something I'd keep around for dipping with veggies, pretzels, and chicken nuggets, but the strong flavor did make me wonder if it could hold up when mixed into a salad.

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Drizzled over lettuce, cucumber, and tomato, the dressing doesn't disappoint — in fact, it's quite the opposite, the mustard taking center stage over the flavors of the vegetables. Though this dressing is delicious, it's best used on specific salads that have prominent proteins like breaded chicken, grilled salmon, or fried shrimp. Though delicious, the dressing doesn't quite crack the top three for that reason — it's a little less versatile than the top few.

This dressing has such an impressive flavor, I originally ranked it a little bit higher (yes, it almost made the top three) until I glanced at the nutrition label. Being that the ingredient list is a necessary part of the rankings, it was hard to rank the sugar-filled Peanut Dressing higher than the health-powerhouse that is the Green Goddess, even if the ingredient list is just as impressive. Made with real ingredients like peanut butter, agave syrup, soy sauce, and ginger puree, the dressing is fresh-tasting and flavorful — a better version of the overly-tangy, nutty Toasted Sesame (see, there was a reason for its low ranking).

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The other reason this intensely-flavorful dressing just barely lands outside of the top three is its versatility: Compared to the three at the top that also have fresh flavors and healthy nutrition labels, the Thai Style Peanut Dressing is best paired with things that aren't necessarily salads, like chicken satay, spring rolls, coleslaw, and grilled steak. Because this qualifies it as a dip more than a dressing, it lands at number four in the rankings; a must-buy, but not one of the best dressings of the pack.

The Buttermilk Ranch Dressing finds itself in the top three for all of the reasons the shelf-stable, Hidden Valley dupe version could not. The consistency is thinner and the buttermilk is more present, this time combined with fresh herbs that give the dressing a homey, scratch-made flavor. It's not quite as buttermilk-forward as a ranch you might have at a farm-to-table type of restaurant, but the flavor is far less tangy and more artisanal than many of Trader Joe's other dressing options.

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This ranch is already a staple in my refrigerator and something I almost always have on hand for snacking, salads, and wings. Even with the preconditioned bias, the ranch only clinched third in the rankings because, compared to the other square-bottled options, it falls just a little short on flavor, nutrition, and texture. If you're a big fan of ranch, this is the bottle you need in your fridge — but you might want to pick up the following two options, too.

Unlike the bottom of the list's creamy, tahini-style Goddess Dressing, this goddess dressing is bright and vegetal — the version we typically think of when there's a "goddess" in the label. The ingredient list is one of the healthiest, freshest you'll find in any dressing, composed entirely of vegetables, vinegar, water, and olive oil. The freshness of the ingredient list pays off, too: Each serving is only 20 calories, with no added sugar and very little sodium.

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The question is, does dressing this healthy actually enhance a leafy salad — or drown it? On its own, the dressing is flavorful, a little thin but weighty thanks to the addition of creamy avocado. The chives, basil, and garlic make up most of the flavor, giving it a more savory taste than a salsa verde made up of similar ingredients. Mixed into a salad, the flavor is earthy and vegetal but bright, acting as a punchy vinaigrette with more character. It would work on just about anything, and with a picture-perfect nutrition label, it lands solidly in the top three best dressings you can buy at Trader Joe's.

I've seen the hype for the Toasted Sesame and read all about the love for the Green Goddess, but it's about time to give Vegan Creamy Dill its flowers, too. Made with cauliflower, almond butter, herbs, and shallots, it's admittedly an unusual mixture that I wrongly assumed would taste equally as strange. Instead, the cauliflower is so well-concealed that you'd never guess it was a star ingredient, and it didn't even take added sugars or mysterious ingredients to get there.

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Unlike the Vegan Caesar that doesn't quite perfectly replicate a traditional Caesar, the Vegan Creamy Dill is creamy, rich, and full-bodied in a way both vegans and carnivores can appreciate. Though it isn't allergen-free, the ingredients are all fresh, real ingredients, and combined, they taste like a dill-forward ranch with a more savory flavor. There's no tang in this dressing at all, the vinegar and lemon juice perfectly balanced by the cauliflower and almond butter. It can be used as a dip but also makes a perfect creamy dressing, making it my top pick and the best dressing in the store.

To avoid flavor bias, I not only examined the overall taste and texture, but also the freshness, acidity, saltiness, and intended flavor presence. If something is labelled as dill, does it taste like dill? Is buttermilk present in the buttermilk ranch?

After initial spoon tests of just dressing, I also tested the dressings on simple salads of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato. This allowed some denser dressings to disperse and mellow out, while others' delicate flavors got lost within the leaves of the lettuce. This also helped determine which dressings were really best left as dips, a factor I considered when ranking each against each other. Finally, I considered the nutrition labels, because there are some genuinely healthy choices that should get credit for their ingredient lists, which you'll notice from the rankings benefits the flavors, too.