When it comes to salad dressings, Trader Joe’s is full of flavorful options. But which ones are actually worth buying, and which ones should you leave on the shelf? To find out, Food Republic’s taste-tasters tried and ranked 13 Trader Joe’s salad dressings. And while they noted that there were plenty of delicious options, its Organic Ranch ended up on the losing end.
While our taste-tester noted that a positive attribute was its thickness and ability to coat lettuce well, that’s where the praise ended. She said overall it was very bland, even mentioning that the cashier at Trader Joe’s made a point to say it wasn’t as loved as other options. One TikToker even listed it on his “Top Must NOT Haves” round-up, citing that it’s too vinegary and not very ranch-y, with commenters on his video agreeing. When checking out the ingredients, we also noted that organic distilled vinegar was above buttermilk and egg yolks, making the vinegar a bit more prominent. In other beloved ranch options, like Whole Foods 365’s Classic Ranch and Hidden Valley’s Original Ranch, these ingredients are flipped, with buttermilk outweighing the vinegar. While we aren’t scientists, we think this could be a reason why reviewers call out Trader Joe’s version as tasting too much like vinegar.
The Trader Joe’s salad dressing we’re obsessed with instead
While the Organic Ranch was underwhelming, Trader Joe’s is still chock-full of delicious salad dressings that are totally worth the trip. Its Goddess Dressing (which isn’t to be confused with TikTok’s viral green goddess dressing) is a top contender (and it took our number two spot). But the one that we really love is none other than its Cilantro Dressing. And it looks like other customers agree, with Reddit posts and TikToks dedicated to how yummy it is. According to our taste-testers, this dressing is packed with fresh flavor that’s balanced with notes of tanginess and an ultra-creamy texture. Ingredients include cilantro, of course, along with lemon juice, cotija cheese, mayo, and spices like onion and garlic.
This dressing works beautifully on salads, but its uses don’t stop there. You can also serve it alongside a crudités platter or use it as a dip for French fries. One TikToker used it to top their homemade Chipotle bowl, while another used it as a dressing for their chicken tacos. Trader Joe’s even recommends using it to drizzle on tostadas (like these chicken tinga mini tostadas), or to use as a flavor marinade for chicken, beef, or fish.
