How to Make Oil-Free Salad Dressings (2024)

ROCK YOUR SALADS THE HEALTHY NATURAL WAY!

If you’re anything like me, dressings are often the best part of the salad – or at least it’s what I most look forward to! The right dressing can be the highlight of the salad or even get us to eat more veggies!

Unfortunately, though, those commercial salad dressings we’ve come to love are USUALLY loaded with calories, oils, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, and lots of other unhealthy ingredients… but not anymore!

With my oil-free, worry-free, quick, and easy salad dressing formula, you’ll have the best, most delicious, and healthiest salads of your life in no time at all.

After all, why go to all the effort of making a beautiful salad with veggies and greens only to drown it with too much oil, salt, sugar, and chemicals that no one needs?

Keep in mind that oil-free doesn't mean fat-free, but if you're looking for fat-free options, I have you covered on this, as well.

Let’s build a new habit of making your own salad dressing without oil alongside fresh, beautiful, and healthy salads.

The good news is that it usually takes no more than 5 minutes to make your own homemade oil-free salad dressing – and you’ll probably save some money while you’re at it. With the tips and instructions below, making fresh oil-free salad dressings will be old hat in no time!

Salad DRESSINGS Without Oil IN JUST FIVE MINUTES!

Once you master the basic oil-free salad dressing formulas, you are free to adjust them to your taste. Add a little more or less of this or that, and keep tasting as you go along until it’s “just perfect!”

Then store your dressing in cute containers (see below), and you’re ready to rock your salads!

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Keep in mind that you may be so used to the taste of oil or mayonnaise that you might find these dressings a little less satisfying at first. Yes, there’s a certain mouthfeel to oil, but I’m betting that once your taste buds adjust, you’ll find the substitutions of nuts, tofu, and beans to your liking.

As we get over the familiar feel and taste of unhealthy foods, we discover how much better the healthier stuff truly tastes! Give it a try! All you have to lose is your poor diet!

In fact, I’ve become so used to vegan salad dressing without oil that any addition of oil or mayo now just doesn’t taste right.

If you just can’t get around making a salad dressing without added oil, try reducing the amount of oil each time you make a salad dressing until you gain a new appreciation for healthy, natural flavors and feel.

If you'd like toreceive my weekly newsletter with helpful articles and recipes, sign up here and receive this FREE OIL-FREE SALAD DRESSING FORMULA.

Oil-Free Salad Dressing Formula

Let’s talk a bit about oil-free for a moment. In this case, I’m referring to dressings made without added processed oils like olive, canola, or sesame. As you probably know, whole foods such as nuts, avocados, and tahini (sesame paste) all have natural fat.

Sooo, if you’re cutting back not just on oil but on other types of naturally-occurring fats as well, you’ll want to stick with beans as a base or go for vinaigrette dressings, which are clear and not creamy, instead.

Dressings are made up of a base, an acid, an optional sweetener, and flavorings or spices. Traditional dressings use oil as a base. For our oil-free versions, we’ll be substituting nuts or nut butter, seeds, cannellini beans, or avocado.

These whole food ingredients will make your dressing naturally and healthfully creamy. For a vinaigrette, omit the “creamy” ingredients and stick with the acids such as vinegar or acidic juices. Remember, sweeteners are always optional.

NOTE: ¼ cup of dressing is usually enough for four servings of green salad. For pasta or potato salads and heavier vegetable salads, you’ll need more as these tend to soak up more of the dressing.

Here They Are...
1. OIL-FREE BASIC SUBSTITUTION FORMULA

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot + 1 cup water

To replace oil in a 1:1 ration in any traditional salad dressing recipe:

Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot with 1 cup water over medium heat. Mix until thickened. Cool and use as an oil substitute. This gives the mouth-feel of oil and also helps the dressing stick to greens.

2. OIL-FREE CREAMY SALAD DRESSING FORMULA

• CREAMY BASE + ACID + FLAVORINGS + SWEETENER + SALT + PEPPER

Creamy Dressing Proportions: 3 parts base + 1 part acid + flavorings, sweeteners, and salt & pepper to taste

Base Options: Tofu, cannellini beans, soaked cashews, soy yogurt, tahini (sesame paste), avocado, nut butter such as almond, cashew or peanut

Acid Options:

• Vinegars:apple cider, balsamic, red or white wine, champagne, rice wine, sherry, or flavored like raspberry
• Juices:lemon, lime, orange

Sweetener Options:Maple syrup, fruit (such as apple sauce, peaches or berries), stevia

3. OIL-FREE VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING FORMULA

• ACID (VINEGAR OR JUICE) + FLAVORINGS + SWEETENER + SALT + PEPPER

Vinaigrette Dressing Proportions: 1 part acid + 1/2 part liquid + flavorings, sweeteners, and salt & pepper to taste

AcidOptions:

• Vinegars:apple cider, balsamic, red or white wine, champagne, rice wine, sherry, or flavored like raspberry
• Juices:lemon, lime, orange

Sweetener Options: Maple syrup, fruits such as apple sauce, peaches or berries, stevia

FLAVORING AND SPICE OPTIONS:

• Garlic
• Onion
• Mustard
• Ginger
• Dried or fresh herb: basil, dill, oregano, parsley, etc
• Powdered spices: onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, curry, etc.
• Miso (dark or light)
• Nutritional yeast
• Hot sauce
• Chipotle (very spicy, but a lovely unique flavor)
• Tamari (like soy sauce)

I hope you’re up for experimenting. Adjust these wonderfully healthy oil-free dressings to your taste preferences, and you’ll be a happy salad eater before you know it.

OIL-FREE SALAD DRESSINGS TO GET YOU STARTED

VINAIGRETTE DRESSINGS

Classic Vinaigrette

Examples: red wine vinegar dressing no oil, apple cider vinegar dressing without oil, white wine vinegar dressing no oil, tamari vinaigrette

Whisk together:

• 3 tablespoons vinegar: balsamic, white wine, champagne, apple cider or red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons mustard: yellow, brown or spicy
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or equivalent sugar substitute like Stevia)
• 1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
• 1 clove garlic, crush or minced
• 2 tablespoons water
• Salt & pepper to taste

Sesame Miso Dressing

Whisk together:

• 2tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon miso
• 2 teaspoon tamari (like soy sauce)
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Mexican Lime Cilantro Dressing

Whisk together:

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoonsmaple syrup
• 1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (optional)
• 2 teaspoonsfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Creamy Caesar Dressing:

Whisk together:

• 1/4 cup hummus either homemade or store-bought (or use about 1/3 cup cannellini beans)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoonnutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2teaspoonsmaple syrup

Annie's Organic Vegan Worchestershire Sauce

Ranch Dressing:

• 1 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water to cover for at least 30 minutes (or 3/4 cup unsweetened, non-dairy milk + 1 Tbl chia seeds for a version of an oil-free chia dressing)
• 3tablespoonapple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill weed, or 1 teaspoon dried
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Place the cashews (or non-dairy milk and chia seeds), water, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a high powered blender and process until smooth and creamy.
2. Remove to your container and add the minced basil and dill weed.
3. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

See more salads and dressings here in

Anchor Hocking 10 oz
Glass Cruet with Stopper

• Capacity: 10.25 oz
• Height: 6-1/2"
• Top Diameter: 1-5/8"
• Bottom Diameter: 1-1/2"
• Maximum Diameter: 3-1/2"

Glass Bottles with Lids
8 oz. Glass Bottles

• Opening
• Dishwasher safe
• Styled after retro milk jars and topped with removable metal caps

Square Glass Bottle

• Hermetic closures that helps preserve the fresh taste of vinegars, dressing, sauces and beverages.
• Clear glass allows you to instantly identify the contents

Enjoy these plant based diet salad dressing recipes without oil.

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