10 Simple Recipes For No-Oil Vegan Salad Dressings (2024)

Salads are so easy to make, and they’re also great vehicles for incorporating a variety of vegetables into your diet. However, it is most unfortunate when the health benefits of eating salads are sabotaged by dressings loaded with fats and oils. This is why I am providing you with ten simple recipes for no-oil vegan salad dressings. So go ahead, make a decadent salad and enjoy them with the knowledge that they are truly healthy.

PIQUANT DRESSING

From Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed

Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients together.

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CREAMY DILL DRESSING

From Healthy Eating For Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 12.3-ounce package firm silken tofu
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Store any extra dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

From Healthy Eating For Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Makes 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed

Directions:

Whisk vinegars, ketchup, mustard, and garlic together.

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FAT-FREE VINAIGRETTE

From Fat-Free & Easy by Jennifer Raymond

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed or pressed

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together.

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ORIENTAL SALAD DRESSING

From The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook by John A. and Mary McDougall

Makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a covered jar. Shake to mix. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

Variation: To make this into a Dijon-oriental dressing, add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.

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McDOUGALL’S VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

From The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook by John and Mary McDougall

Makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons plain non-dairy yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a covered jar. Shake to mix. Use at once or refrigerate for later use.

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HUMMUS SALAD DRESSING

From Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.

Makes 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 2 heaping tablespoons no-tahini, no-oil hummus (I love the Good Neighbors Organic No Fat Simply Zero Hummus)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or vinegar of choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard of choice

Directions:

Mix and pour over greens.

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JANE’S 3, 2, 1 SALAD DRESSING

From Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.

Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons mustard of choice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

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CREAMY CILANTRO-GARLIC DRESSING

From The Starch Solution by Dr. John A. McDougall and Mary McDougall

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 package (12.3 ounces) silken tofu, drained in a fine-mesh strainer
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Directions:

Combine the tofu, vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend or process until smooth. Add the cilantro and process again just until the cilantro is chopped.

Pour the dressing into a jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 5 days.

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MAPLE-MUSTARD DRESSING

Recipe by Julieanna Hever from Forks Over Knives Cookbook

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • 1 tablespoon 100% pure maple syrup

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

In a blender, combine the cannellini beans, tahini, mustard, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon zest and juice, and 1/4 cup water, and blend on high until smooth. Add more water as need to achieve a smooth consistency.

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For the record, I have been topping my salads with the Hummus Salad Dressing every day for about one week, and I’m totally hooked!

10 Simple Recipes For No-Oil Vegan Salad Dressings (12)

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xoxox

10 Simple Recipes For No-Oil Vegan Salad Dressings (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of oil in a salad dressing? ›

Use 1 cup of tofu for every cup of oil called for in the recipe. The biggest downside to using silken tofu is that its flavor can affect the taste of the dressing, especially if you have a mild-flavored recipe. Unsweetened applesauce. This is my latest and favorite substitute for oil in a salad dressing.

What salad dressings can vegans eat? ›

Creamy Vegan Salad Dressings to Take Your Next Lunch Up a Notch
  • Simply Free. These creamy and healthy dressings come in four delicious flavors: Greek Feta Dill, Spicy Harissa, Zesty Garlic & Lime, and Moroccan Spiced Lemon. ...
  • Kraft. ...
  • Trader Joe's. ...
  • Follow Your Heart. ...
  • Newman's Own. ...
  • Organicville. ...
  • Annie's. ...
  • Daiya.

What can I put on my salad if I don't have dressing? ›

Drizzle about 1/2 a cup (118 mL) of plain Greek yogurt over your salad. Toss everything together to coat all the salad's ingredients in the creamy, tangy yogurt. Greek yogurt is also full of protein, healthy probiotics, and other vitamins, so your salad will get an extra nutritional boost.

What is the healthiest neutral oil for salad dressing? ›

If you want a neutral oil that won't overpower food, use avocado, canola, grapeseed, safflower, or sunflower oil. For a stronger flavor, try flaxseed or nut oil. A good way to experiment: try various oils in a salad or on bread.

What can be used instead of oil? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:
  • Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
  • Ghee. ...
  • Vegetable shortening. ...
  • Bacon grease. ...
  • Schmaltz. ...
  • Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
  • Tahini. ...
  • Sunday roast fat.
Apr 26, 2022

What are the healthiest dressings? ›

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

Why is Olive Garden Italian dressing not vegan? ›

Is Olive Garden dressing vegan? The famous house salad comes with tomatoes, olives, onions, and pepperoncini, though the default dressing from the menu has both eggs and romano cheese. Instead, grab the olive oil and vinegar for your salad.

What salad dressings at Chick Fil A are vegan? ›

Order your Spicy Southwest Salad sans chicken and cheese, and choose from Chick-fil-A's vegan-friendly dressings: Light Italian, Light Balsamic, or Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Give this Mexican-inspired salad a twist by dressing it with Chick-fil-A's vegan Polynesian Sauce.

Why is vinaigrette not vegan? ›

Generally, vinaigrettes are plant-based because they are a mix of an oil and an acid, like vinegar or lemon juice. A growing number of brands (even stores, like Trader Joe's) now make vegan versions of dressings that typically contain animal-derived ingredients, so you can keep on enjoying the flavors that you love.

How do you thicken salad dressing without oil? ›

One of the easiest ways to replace oil in a vinaigrette is to switch it out for a mixture of water and seeds: specifically, chia, hemp, or ground flaxseeds. Commonly used as egg replacers in vegan baking, these three seeds create a thickened “slurry” when mixed with water.

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

What can be used in place of dressing? ›

Fruit juice, fruit puree, and walnut or peanut oil. I've also made a warm dressing with bacon drippings in place of the plant based oil. You can try plain yogurt with fresh dill, garlic powder and black pepper, or stir in minced onions and garlic. Apple cider and/or balsamic vinegar are good as a spritzers.

What is a good substitute for olive oil in 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 salads? ›

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 cooking oil in 2024? ›

Olive oil has stood the test of time as a classic and healthy cooking oil. Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil is known to support heart health by reducing bad cholesterol levels. Extra virgin olive oil, in particular, retains the highest levels of antioxidants and beneficial compounds due to minimal processing.

What is a healthy substitute for canola oil in salad dressing? ›

Olive oil (for dressings or sauteing).

The best substitute for canola oil? Olive oil is well known to be a heart-healthy cooking oil (source). If you're making something savory like a salad dressing or sauteing, you can use olive oil as a 1 for 1 substitute for canola oil. It cooks similarly to vegetable oil.

What can I use as a replacement for olive oil? ›

The 9 Best Olive Oil Substitutions
  • Grapeseed Oil. Grapeseed oil isa neutral-tasting oil, so it won't add any noticeable flavor to your food. ...
  • Canola Oil. Canola oil is another neutral oil made from crushed canola seeds. ...
  • Sunflower Oil. ...
  • Peanut Oil. ...
  • Avocado Oil. ...
  • Walnut Oil. ...
  • Flaxseed Oil. ...
  • Sesame Oil.

Is olive oil necessary for salad dressing? ›

Using extra virgin olive oil as a dressing is very good for your health. So good, in fact, that eating it is essential to achieving a balanced diet. As you are probably aware, olive oil is made up of fatty acids that help to reduce bad cholesterol and also work as antioxidants.

Why do people put oil in salad dressing? ›

It provides a creamy texture and helps spread the flavour of the dressing throughout the salad. A salad oil coats the salad ingredients, improving the palatability of the salad by providing some lubrication and imparting a good mouth feel.

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