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10 Salad Dressing Recipes That Make Salad Great Again

Let’s face it:

A salad is only as good as the dressing.

If the dressing is great, even a boring bowl of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato can satisfy, and if it’s bad, even the best concoction of ingredients will fall flat.

Unfortunately, many of the dressings that we love most are also full of sugar and calories.

Yes, many store-bought Caesar and Ranch dressings are mouthwatering, but the macros are eye-watering.

That’s why you need a good rolodex of recipes for homemade, low(ish)-calorie dressings that you actually enjoy.

And that’s exactly what you’re going to find here. 🙂

There’s something for everyone, ranging from the exotic, like the Sweet and Spicy Orange Tahini Dressing, to the simple, like the Sour Raw Apple Cider Vinaigrette, to the classic, like the Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing, and Best-Ever Caesar Salad Dressing.

Enjoy!

Korean Yuzu Dressing

Serves 8

Try this citrus salad dressing for a simple salad dressing that’ll liven up your menu. It takes just four ingredients, but one of them may surprise you.

Yuzu dressing, popular in Japan and Korea, is made with marmalade and tastes great with a seafood salad. And this recipe can be made with any kind of marmalade, including orange and meyer lemon.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

130

Calories

0 g

Protein

10 g

Carbs

11 g

Fat

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. yuzu marmalade

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice)

Get the Recipe

Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Serves 8

You’d think at a place called Olive Garden that you’d be eating olives, right? But the addictive salad dressing is actually made with soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup. No, thanks.

Luckily it’s easy to make this healthy Italian salad dressing with olive oil, which has the flavor you love without any unexpected ingredients.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

173

Calories

0 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

19 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 Tbsp. water

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pure honey

1 Tbsp. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp. water

Get the Recipe

Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing

Serves 8

If you love avocado, you’re going to want some in every single bite of salad. Instead of just dicing it up and mixing it in, try this spicy avocado salad dressing.

It’s got that fresh lime guacamole flavor, only with olive oil as well to thin it out enough to pour onto your favorite fresh greens. For a mild version, use a bell pepper instead of the green chilies.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

119

Calories

1 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

13 g

Fat

Ingredients

1/2 large avocado

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

1–2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded

Handful of fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

Get the Recipe

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Serves 6

Some meals just aren’t complete without ranch dressing. It’s great as a dip for everything from carrots and celery to chicken wings and even pizza. And you’ll love this buttermilk ranch more than anything out of a bottle because it has fresh dill and a kick of Sriracha.

This is a mayonnaise salad dressing, but you can substitute Greek yogurt if you prefer leaner macros.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

208

Calories

2 g

Protein

12 g

Carbs

17 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. Sriracha

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

2 Tbsp. chopped chives

Get the Recipe

Best-Ever Caesar Salad Dressing

Serves 5

You won’t believe the secret ingredient in this lighter Caesar salad dressing. Not only does it keep it creamy, but it adds extra protein too.

Cottage cheese might not seem like it belongs in a salad dressing, but once you blend everything together, you’ll have a creamy Caesar perfect for any chicken salad.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

65

Calories

2 g

Protein

1 g

Carbs

6 g

Fat

Ingredients

1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 tsp. minced garlic

1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 small filets anchovy, patted with a paper towel

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Get the Recipe

Greek Salad Dressing

Serves 6

This is a classic pasta salad dressing recipe: olive oil, lemon, garlic, and seasonings. It’s great for garden salads too, of course, and can even be a delicious dressing for a sandwich.

Because of the fresh garlic, it’ll only keep for a few days in the fridge before being unsafe to consume. If you want it to last longer, just use a pinch of garlic powder instead.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

149

Calories

1 g

Protein

1 g

Carbs

17 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 large cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Get the Recipe

Raw Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Serves 8

Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar has so many health benefits that people sometimes drink it in a glass of water. That’s because it can reduce acid reflux, improve nutrient absorption, and regulate blood sugar and cholesterol.

But if you don’t want to gulp it down, you can enjoy the same nutrient boost in a simple salad dressing like this one, which is delicious on almost any salad.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

84

Calories

1 g

Protein

3 g

Carbs

9 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp. raw honey (or to taste)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Get the Recipe

Chickpea & Orange Tahini Dressing

Serves 8

When you’re craving hummus but don’t want to fill up on carbs from pita, whisk up this chickpea-tahini salad dressing.

It can also be made a food processer or a blender, but instead of the classic dip, this recipe includes orange juice and a splash of lemon to turn chickpeas into a bright salad dressing.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

82

Calories

3 g

Protein

10 g

Carbs

4 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 Tbsp. tahini

1/2 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Get the Recipe

Protein Curry Dressing

Serves 4

Dress up plain kale and carrots with a flavorful mix of curry powder, ginger, coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar. And believe it or not, this healthy salad dressing recipe has more protein than fat. That’s because it uses a scoop of protein powder. If you’re not following a vegan diet, try it with unflavored whey protein powder like Legion.

You can add protein powder to many creamy dressings, but to keep it from being grainy, you may want to blend it into water or juice first – or just use a high-powered blender to prepare it fast.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

90

Calories

5 g

Protein

10 g

Carbs

4 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 scoop Garden of Life raw protein powder

1 banana, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

1/2” fresh ginger

1 tsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

Get the Recipe

Creamy Balsamic Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette

Serves 6

This healthy salad dressing will be your go-to recipe. It’s easy to make and tastes delicious on green salads, pasta salads, and fruit salads. You can make a batch, stash it in the fridge, and use it throughout the week on a variety of meals.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

63

Calories

1 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

5 g

Fat

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. pure honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Get the Recipe

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