6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

BySamantha Rowland Posted on Updated on

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These 6 healthy salad dressing recipes are my favorite way to add flavor to salad! These recipes are easy to make, are full of healthy ingredients and are packed with flavor! Never have a boring salad again!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (1)

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Why you are going to love these recipes

  • These healthy salad dressing recipes are all so simple to make! All you need is a blender and about 5 minutes for each recipe!
  • These homemade dressing recipes are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, paleo and Whole30 friendly!
  • There is a salad dressing for every cuisine you might be craving! It’s going to be tough to pick a favorite!
  • Making your own salad dressing at home helps you save money! If you have ever bought a bottle of salad dressing that has good, quality ingredients, it will likely cost you about $6 per bottle!

Why should you make salad dressing at home?

Many of the store bought salad dressings on shelves are full of low quality ingredients. Many have artificial ingredients (colors, dyes, flavors), high fructose corn syrup, canola oils and other less than ideal preservative agents.

There are some great high quality salad dressing options now, however they are often very expensive per bottle. You can make homemade dressing for a fraction of the cost with ingredients you likely already have on hand!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (2)

How many servings do these make?

Each of these recipes as written makes between 1 and 1.5 cups of dressing, the perfect amount for a week of salads!

If you want to be able to enjoy 2 or 3 salad dressing recipes in a week, you can always cut the recipe in half!

How much is a serving of dressing?

The typical salad dressing serving size is 2 tablespoons, so that is the serving size of these recipes as well. One cup of dressing is 16 tablespoons, which is about 8 servings.

Storage

Most of these recipes are good for about a week in a tightly sealed glass container. NOTE: many of these dressings will separate a bit in the fridge. Just shake the dressing well to mix everything back up before serving!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (3)

Almond Butter Turmeric Dressing

This dressing is just like the almond butter turmeric dressing that you can buy at Trader Joe’s! I became a huge fan of this dressing pretty quickly, but I don’t always remember to pick up a bottle when I’m out shopping, so I had to learn how to make it at home! It’s bright and has a slight kick from the fresh grated ginger and turmeric.

What it’s good on: Salads, dip for fresh or roasted veggies (these roasted brussels are so good dipped in this dressing), vegetable wraps, pasta salad dressing.

Notes: Best texture if you blend this together in a high-speed blender! Store this almond butter turmeric dressing in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. To make this recipe Whole30 friendly, be sure to use 1-2 medjool dates instead of maple syrup!

  • TIP: Turmeric stains everything, so be careful when measuring it out and blending this up. Clean your blender immediately so it doesn’t stain your blender.
6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (4)

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Balsamic dressing is a classic! This creamy balsamic is my go-to dressing for my weekly salads! It’s thicker than traditional balsamic vinaigrette and it is great as a dip as well!

What it’s good on: Salads, sandwiches, as a dip for fresh or roasted veggies, pasta salad, tuna salad, dipping for pizza

Notes: This creamy balsamic dressing is best when blended in the blender for about 10 seconds. Store in a well-sealed glass container for about a week! Pour extra on your pizzas or take to work to dip your veggies in!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (5)

Creamy Italian Dressing

This zesty Italian dressing recipe is perfect for green garden salads or pasta salads! You are not going to believe how much flavor you get from this dressing!

What it’s good on: Salad, pasta salad, tuna salad, marinating shrimp or chicken, antipasto salads

Notes: This dressing can be made in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid, it doesn’t need to be blended! Store in the fridge for a week! The dressing continues to get more flavorful as it sits in the fridge! Great as a marinade as well!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (6)

Sesame Ginger Asian Salad Dressing

Sesame ginger Asian salad dressing is going to give the ginger dressing you get at your favorite Japanese steakhouse a run for it’s money! This sesame ginger dressing is packed with flavor! The sesame oil and fresh ginger are really important to the overall flavor!

What it’s good on: Salad, Asian salads, Asian slaws, tuna salad, marinating shrimp or chicken or as a dip for fresh or roasted veggies!

Notes: Best texture if you blend this together in a high speed blender! I buy fresh minced ginger in jars, since that is easier to use and measure in recipes. You can find fresh grated ginger in most grocery stores in the Asian cuisine area. You can buy it online as well! This sesame ginger dressing will last about a week in the fridge in a well sealed jar. This dressing will quickly separate in the fridge. Shake well before use!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (7)

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

This spicy chipotle ranch dressing is my favorite southwest salad dressing or dip! It’s thick, creamy and completely dairy free! You are going to love the kick from the chipotle chili powder in this recipe!

What It’s good on: salads, taco salads, drizzled on tacos or burrito bowls, as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or salmon bites, on slaw.

Notes: This dressing has to be made in the blender since the base is cashews! This dressing is thick, so feel free to add extra water once you test the consistency! Store in an airtight container for 1 week! If you have extra, this is really good on burrito bowls!

  • TIP: This recipe requires that the cashews are softened. The easiest way to do this is to soak cashews in clean water for 3-4 hours or to boil the cashews in water for 3-4 minutes. Rinse the cashews of the water they soaked in and use new water in the recipe!
6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (8)

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing

This avocado cilantro dressing is bright and fresh and makes any dish instantly pop! You will not want to use any other kind of dressing on your next taco salad after you try this dressing!

What it’s good on: salads, taco salads, burrito bowls, tacos, tuna salad, as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or salmon bites, as a dipping sauce for veggies (fresh or roasted), or on breakfast hash!

Notes: This recipe needs the blender to break up the cilantro! You can use the leaves and the stems from the cilantro! The avocado may start to go brown after 4-5 days in the fridge. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.

If you love these healthy salad dressing recipes, you should also try these homemade dressing recipes

  • Honey Mustard Dressing
  • Dairy free ranch dressing
  • Avocado Ranch Dressing
  • Vegan French Dressing
  • Greek Dressing (with kalamata olives)
  • Mango Lime Vinaigrette
  • Lime Tahini Dressing
  • Cilantro Tahini Dressing
  • Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

What equipment do you need?

Most of these salad dressing recipes could be made with just a mason jar and a tight-fitting lid (all but the chipotle ranch and avocado cilantro). However, I have discovered that a quick spin in a high-speed blender (I love my Ninja Bullet Blender), creates the best-emulsified salad dressing, making it more like store-bought!

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (9)

6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

Average Cost: $3.04 Recipe/$0.38 Serving

These healthy salad dressing recipes take any salad from boring to flavorful! These salad dressing recipes are easy to make, packed with flavor, vegan, dairy free, paleo and Whole30 friendly!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Save Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy salad dressing, vegan salad dressing, Whole30 salad dressing

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 48 servings

Author: Samantha Rowland

Guided Recipe Video

Ingredients

Almond Butter Turmeric Dressing ($3.11 Recipe/$0.39 Serving)

  • 1/4 cup almond butter - $0.92
  • 1 cup water - $0.00
  • 2 lemons, juiced - $0.84
  • 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger - $0.36
  • 2 tsp turmeric - $0.20
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (or 2 dates for Whole30) - $0.62
  • 1 tsp sea salt - $0.05
  • 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper - $0.02

Creamy Balsamic Dressing (2.26 Recipe/$0.28 Serving)

  • 1/4 cup tahini - $0.82
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar - $1.25
  • 1/4 cup water - $0.00
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard - $0.06
  • 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt - $0.03

Creamy Italian Dressing (3.75 Recipe/$0.46 Serving)

  • 1/3 cup avocado oil (or olive oil) - $1.94
  • 1/2 cup dairy free milk - $0.29
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar - $0.75
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustarrd - $0.12
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning - $0.50
  • 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt - $0.05

Sesame Ginger Asian Dressing (2.73 Recipe/$0.34 Serving)

  • 1/3 cup tahini - $1.13
  • 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar - $0.24
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - $0.12
  • 3 tbsp coconut aminos - $0.53
  • 1/3 cup water - $0.00
  • 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger - $0.36
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil - $0.30
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt - $0.03
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper - $0.02

Chipotle Ranch Dressing ($3.30 Recipe/$0.41 Serving)

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked - $1.86
  • 1 cup water - $0.00
  • 2 tbsp olive oil - $0.44
  • 2 tbsp dried chives - $0.50
  • 1 tsp Chipotle Powder - $0.10
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika - $0.10
  • 1 tsp dried parsley - $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill - $0.05
  • 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt - $0.05

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing (3.10 Recipe/$0.39 Serving)

  • 2 small avocado - $1.25
  • 2 limes, juiced - $0.66
  • 1/2 cup dairy free milk - $0.29
  • 1/2 cup water - $0.00
  • 1/4 cup cilantro - $0.65
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder - $0.15
  • 1 tsp sea salt - $0.05
  • .5 tsp cumin - $0.05

Instructions

  • Add the ingredients for the recipe to a high speed blender

  • Blend on high until fully incorporated

  • Store in a glass container in the fridge for 1 week.

Equipment

  • High speed blender

Notes

Serving Size: The serving size is 2 tablespoons of salad dressing. Each recipe makes about 8 servings (16 tablespoons).

Budget friendly tip: Substitute the avocado oil for olive oil and the Italian Dressing cost is $3.02 Recipe/$0.38 Serving.

Dairy free milk suggestions:

  • Unsweetened Almond milk
  • Unsweetened Cashew Milk
  • Oat milk
  • Coconut milk (in the refrigerated section)

How to soak cashews:

  • Soak in filtered water for 3-4 hours at room temperature
  • Boil in filtered water for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  • Drain the cashews after soaking. Use fresh water in the recipe.

Storage: Store the dressing in the fridge in mason jars or other easy to seal glass containers.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Amount per Serving

Calories

87

Fat

7

g

Carbohydrates

5

g

Fiber

1

g

Sugar

1

g

Protein

2

g

Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.

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6 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest dressing to put on your salad? ›

6 healthy salad dressings you can make in less than 3 minutes
  • Classic lemon and olive oil. This is a very easy dressing that is good with strong-flavoured leaf salads, such as rocket or kale. ...
  • Lime and chilli dressing. ...
  • Simple balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  • Raspberry vinaigrette. ...
  • Creamy cucumber dressing. ...
  • Creamy mint dressing.

Which salad dressing is the best option in terms of health? ›

Oil and vinegar.

In general, dressings with fewer ingredients tend to be healthier. And it doesn't get any simpler than oil and vinegar. “This is a great option, because it won't have any added sugar or salt,” says Allers.

What is the healthiest oil for salad dressing? ›

The good news is there are a couple brands out there who do use quality ingredients. The biggest thing to look for in healthy salad dressings is the oil it's made with. For the healthiest salad dressings, you want one made with a good, natural oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Depending on the ingredients, some dressings tend to be less healthy than others.
  1. Caesar. And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. ...
  2. Thousand Island. Next in line is Thousand Island. ...
  3. Blue cheese. The delicious crumbles that make blue cheese dressing a fan favorite can also make it dangerous for a balanced diet.
Oct 27, 2023

What to avoid in salad dressing? ›

5 Ingredients To Avoid
  • Palm Oil. Palm oil can pop up in both creamy and oily dressings, and it's a top ingredient that Taub-Dix said to avoid. ...
  • Sugar (but it's rarely called sugar) ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ...
  • Coconut oil.
Jan 24, 2024

Is salad dressing healthier than mayo? ›

Comparing the same 2-Tablespoon serving, regular mayonnaise has 180 calories, 3 grams saturated fat and 0 grams carbohydrate while salad dressing has 80 calories, 1 gram saturated fat and 4 grams carbohydrate.

What salad dressing has the most fat? ›

"The higher fat, higher calorie creamy dressings such as Caesar, blue cheese or ranch pack about 110-120 calories and 12g fat per 2 tablespoons, which is almost double of some vinaigrettes," says Harris-Pincus.

What is the most popular salad dressing in the United States per study? ›

Ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the USA due to its creamy texture, tangy buttermilk base, and blend of herbs and spices like garlic, onion, dill, and parsley.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

What To Avoid In Salad For Weight Loss
  1. If you want to lose weight, stay away from these salad ingredients:
  2. Creamy Dressings: Use vinaigrettes or lemon juice.
  3. Croutons: High in calories and often fried.
  4. Cheese: Don't use too much of it, and pick low-fat kinds.
  5. Creamy Dressings: Use vinaigrettes or lemon juice.

What salad dressing has the least amount of sugar? ›

Let's find out what dietitians recommend as the best low-sugar salad dressings you can find at the grocery store.
  • Bolthouse Farms Avocado Green Goddess. ...
  • Marie's Lite Chunky Blue Cheese. ...
  • Lemonette Sesame Tahini. ...
  • Sidedish Miso Caesar Dressing. ...
  • Annie's Naturals Goddess Dressing Lite.
Mar 18, 2024

What is the healthiest salad? ›

10 Nutrient-Dense Salad Recipes
  • Un-Cobb Salad.
  • Arugula Salad with Tomatoes, Corn, and Burrata.
  • Low-Carb Asian Chopped Salad.
  • Spicy Shrimp, Avocado, and Arugula Salad.
  • Tofu and Kale Salad.
  • Pear, Grape, and Feta Salad.
  • Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
  • Blood Orange and Quinoa Kale Salad.
Jul 20, 2021

What is the healthiest salad dressing you can eat? ›

8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
  1. Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
  2. Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  3. Avocado lime. ...
  4. Lemon vinaigrette. ...
  5. Honey mustard. ...
  6. Greek yogurt ranch. ...
  7. Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
  8. Ginger turmeric.
Jul 27, 2023

What is a healthier alternative to olive oil for salad dressing? ›

Vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, and sunflower will contribute less flavor than olive oil to salad dressings but bring the same body and texture. With so many oil options available, there's no reason to pause cooking for an emergency grocery run; one of these substitutes will fill in nicely.

What vinegar is best for salad dressing? ›

Balsamic vinegar: Makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches. Red wine vinegar: Packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, cabbage and more (think Greek salads).

What is the healthiest thing to put in a salad? ›

leafy greens such as romaine, arugula, kale and spinach. whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and bulgur. chopped or shredded vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, cabbage, and beets.

Is it better to eat salad with dressing or no salad at all? ›

But that doesn't mean you should skip the dressing. Studies have shown that fats — such as in avocados — actually help your body absorb the nutrients from some vegetables. The key is to choose the right ingredients and, ideally, make your own dressing at home.

Which is healthier, balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette? ›

So the next time you're dressing a salad, reach for the balsamic vinegar–in the long run, not ingesting that extra fat and sugar makes a big difference!

Which salad dressing has the least amount of carbs? ›

Olive Oil and Vinegar

The best part is that by opting for this low-carb salad dressing, you're avoiding other carb-heavy, store-bought versions. Most olive oil-and-vinegar dressings have zero net carbs, which is why they're recommended for followers of the keto diet.

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