55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (2024)

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Use these oil free salad dressing recipes to make your salads healthy and delicious without adding extra fat and calories.

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (1)

Table Of Contents

  1. How Do I Make Salad Dressing at Home?
  2. Ingredients for No Oil Salad Dressing
  3. Tips for Making Oil Free Salad Dressing
  4. Weight Watchers Points for Salad Dressing
  5. Flavored Balsamic Vinegar
  6. Salad Dressing Recipes No Oil
  7. More Oil-Free Salad Dressings
  8. Oil Free Salad Dressing to Buy

How Do I Make Salad Dressing at Home?

Salad dressing is very easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

While most salad dressings have a base of oil (especially olive oil), none of our dressing listed here include oil. Oil is highly calorie-dense. While we’ve been told that some oils are healthy (like olive oil), the truth is that you can happily live without oil and get all the nutrition you need.

In fact, by using nuts, avocado, or even beans as a base for your salad dressing, you’ll get more nutrition and fewer calories (or WW points) per serving.

Many of our dressings are vinegar-free if you are sensitive to this ingredient, and almost all on our list are SOS – salt, oil and sugar free, too. Many are fat-free or low in fat.

All the dressings we included are plant-based (WFPB – Whole Food Plant Based) with no animal products.

Ingredients for No Oil Salad Dressing

If you aren’t using oil as a base for your dressing, what can you use instead? Here is the base for some of the recipes in our list of dressings without oil:

Tips for Making Oil Free Salad Dressing

Making your own salad dressing might seem like a pain but I promise it’s not that hard. The end result is worth it because you have a delicious dressing that is packed with nutrition and without unwanted chemicals, flavorings, and preservatives.

Here are some helpful tips to keep the process easy:

  • While some of our dressings can be made with a shaker bottle or even in a bowl with a whisk (such as the 3-2-1 dressing below), many require a blender.
  • You can use a basic blender but if you are blending ingredients such as nuts, you might consider a high-power blender like a Ninja Blender (what I own currently), a Blendtec or a Vitamix.
  • A smaller blender like a Nutribullet works well for many of these recipes.
  • If your blender isn’t that strong, soak nuts or dates in warm water for 30 minutes, up to overnight, to make blending easier. You can also add water and microwave for 1 minute to soften nuts and dried fruits for dressings. Drain or use the water as the liquid in your dressing.
  • If your blender doesn’t handle nuts well, consider using nut butter as an alternative. Choose nut betters without added oils, sugar, or salt.
  • I store my dressings in this Rubbermaid Pint Bottle with a pour spout.
  • Raw nuts (such as raw cashews) are a basic ingredient that blends well with many types of flavors.
  • Many of these recipes use dates or raisins for sweetness. Remember that dried fruit is like nature’s candy. It’s a delicious treat and fine as a salad dressing ingredient, but not meant to be snacked on if you have weight to lose.
  • Nuts are a healthy, wholesome food but very calorie-dense. Use nuts in your dressing, but I do not recommend snacking on them if you need to lose weight.
  • Nuts are great to serve with salad to help with vitamin absorption.
  • Blended white beans make a surprisingly good base to many creamy salad dressings such as creamy Italian, Ranch, or Caesar dressings. Canned or home-cooked beans both work equally well for this purpose.
  • Most of these dressing recipes are vegan and vegetarian.
  • Avocado makes a delicious, creamy salad dressing. Be sure to use your avocado when it’s soft yet not mushy, and include citrus or vinegar to keep the dressing from turning brown.

Weight Watchers Points for Salad Dressing

Weight Watchers is a lower fat, reduced calorie diet so dressings lower in calories and fat are lower in points for the WW Points plan. Some of the dressings listed below are low or zero points. Dressings with nuts and avocado will be higher in points.

For the lowest WW points, look for dressings that are:

  • Vinegar-based
  • Fruit-based
  • Bean-based
  • Touf-based

Feel free to enjoy dressings with nuts and avocado but plan to include the additional points. When I’m enjoying a salad with nuts or avocado in the dressing, I typically don’t add them to my salad too.

To reduce points for WW members, consider using sugar-free syrup instead of maple syrup in the recipes below.

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (2)

Flavored Balsamic Vinegar

High-quality flavored balsamic vinegars are incredible for health and weight loss. While pricey, they are worth it because you only need a small amount.

I personally love the vinegars from California Balsamic and have ordered from them many times. They do cost a bit, but a little goes a long way. Plus, the send 2 free sample bottles with every order! I love that feature because I can try new flavors.

Click here for check out California Balsamic flavored, oil-free vinegars.

Use in your favorite dressing recipe or simply right from the bottle. They are also great drizzled on oven or air-fryer roasted vegetables. A little goes a long way.

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (3)

Trust me that these are not like a typical vinegar that you purchase at the store. I couldn’t hack eating a salad with plain vinegar or lemon juice, but I would happily eat a salad with just one of these as the dressing.

I prefer ordering from California Balsamic because their vinegars are delicious and they also give 2 free sample bottles with every order. I’ve tried a number of their vinegars and so far my favorites are Teriyaki and Raspberry Flame.

Remember that these vinegars do have calories and are intense in flavor, meant to be used a teaspoon at a time.

Salad Dressing Recipes No Oil

3-2-1 Dressing

This incredibly simple dressing recipe is a favorite with many people because it takes 3 simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and comes together in a minute. You don’t even need a blender for this dressing.

Check out this recipe

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Oil Free Caesar Dressing from Plants Rule

This delicious oil free dressing uses pureed white beans as the base.

Check out this recipe

Oil Free Salad Dressing from Shane and Simple

This dressing without oil is similar to the 3-2-1 dressing with a bit of variety.

Check out this recipe

Dr. Fuhrman Walnut Vinaigrette

Dr. Fuhrman, creator of the Nutritarian lifestyle, created this tasty dressing with a healthy walnut base.

Check out this recipe

Dijon Date

This is one of my favorite oil-free dressing recipes. It tastes like a spicy and sweet honey mustard.

Check out this recipe

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (5)

Cream Corn Dressing

Surprise! Corn is the base of this deliciously sweet dressing.

Check out this recipe

Strawberry Vinaigrette – Oil Free

This dressing is deliciously sweet and savory. I’ve used frozen strawberries when I didn’t have fresh handy. Our family recently enjoyed this dressing on a spinach salad for Easter brunch, then used the leftover dressing to drizzle on roasted asparagus.

Check out this recipe

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (6)

Creamy Avocado Dressing

With just 6 ingredients, this simple dressing is so creamy and delicious.

Check out this recipe

Applesauce Oil Free Dressing

I really like that this dressing uses applesauce since it’s an ingredient I keep on hand. The recipe calls for miso, which adds a nice flavor but can be left out.

Check out this recipe

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (7)

McDougall Simply Honey Mustard

This dressing comes together in minutes. Dr. John McDougall is a pioneer in offering a starch-based, plant-based diet that has helped millions of people.

Check out this recipe

McDougall Tofu Island

This variation on Thousand Island dressing is made healthier with tofu as the base.

Check out this recipe

PB2 Peanut Stir Fry Sauce

This sauce is awesome on veggies, stir fry, or drizzled on a crunchy salad.

Check out this recipe

55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (8)

More Oil-Free Salad Dressings

For even more good choices, check out this post from No Meat Athlete with a 7 more tasty oil free dressings.

This link provides a Big List of No-oil Salad Dressings with 35 more dressing recipes that you can read or print.

Oil Free Salad Dressing to Buy

What if you really don’t have time (or desire) to make your own dressings? Here are some options to purchase.

With these healthy oil free salad dressing options, you can feel great about topping your next salad with something that tastes amazing and is good for your body, too.

Which oil free salad dressing will you try first? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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55+ Best Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes The Holy Mess (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 is the healthiest salad dressing? ›

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 the number 1 salad dressing? ›

Ranch Dressing

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

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 can I put on my salad instead of dressing? ›

Add herbs and spices to give your salad bold flavors of the world. Mix in different combinations of fresh and dried herbs and spices to achieve different flavors. Try fresh oregano, basil, and thyme for an Italian-style flavor, or cumin, coriander, and sumac for a Middle Eastern vibe, for example.

How can I thicken my salad dressing without oil? ›

Whisk together 1 teaspoon hemp hearts, chia seeds, or flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons warm water in a small cup or bowl. Let mixture stand for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken. Whisk in ½ to 1 teaspoon mustard (preferably Dijon); then whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

What is the most unhealthy 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

Is Newman's own oil and vinegar dressing healthy? ›

Classic Olive Oil and Vinegar. “One of my favorite store-bought salad dressings is Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing,” says Elysia Cartlidge, MAN, RD. “It is lower in sodium than a lot of salad dressings out there and contains no added sugar.

What salad dressing is best for lowering cholesterol? ›

Vinaigrette-style dressings are easy to make by mixing vinegar (such as balsamic, white or red wine vinegars) with oil. Switching from saturated fats to unsaturated fats like vegetable oils (including olive or rapeseed oils) can help lower cholesterol levels when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

What is the oldest salad dressing? ›

French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.

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 is the most popular salad dressing in the Midwest? ›

More than being uniquely American, ranch dressing has become the iconic condiment of the Midwest.

What is the healthiest salad dressing you can eat? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

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 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 is a neutral oil for salad dressing? ›

Generally speaking, any oils labeled "vegetable oil" or "salad oil" are fine for making a basic vinaigrette. You could also use any light, neutral-flavored oil like safflower, canola, or soybean oil. One of the most common variations is to substitute olive oil for salad oil.

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

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.

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.

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