Sugar substitute to use in salad dressing recipes, or salad dressing recommendations?

KnitterNotAQuitter

Anyone have any advice for a good (preferably zero calorie, zero carbs/sugar) sugar substitute for like salad dressing recipes? I made a salad dressing that doubles as a good veggie dip and subbed Equal for the sugar ... and gah! Too sweet. I would rather eat the veggies plain -- which I guess isn't a bad thing, right?

I LOOOOOVE salad dressing, so I'm bummed about cutting the full-fat ones out of my diet (especially the Chick-fil-A Creamy Salsa and Salata's Chipotle Ranch), and I'm looking to replace them with the lowest-calorie, lowest-carb/sugar content possible. I'm trying to find some good replacements, so I'll be more likely to stick to it. Thank you in advance for suggestions!

Here's the recipe, if that helps (it's for a cucumber salad, but I make it as a dip for other veggies like carrots sometimes, so cucumber is listed just as a how much dressing to how much cucumber -- I think the original recipe was tripled):
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 tsp. salt (but you can salt to taste)
3 Tbsp. light sour cream
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery seed or dillweed (sometimes I use a 1/4 tsp. of both)

toxikon

Liquid stevia would probably work nicely.

Kalex1975

I use the Bolthouse Farms Cucumber Ranch dressing - only 35 calories for a 2 tablespoon serving. Here's their product listing.

iamthemotherofdogs

Balsamic vinegar.

kimny72

Did you try just using less Equal?
There are some pretty good low cal salad dressings out there, but I don't pay attention to carbs or sugar so no idea if they would even fit what you are looking for.

lemurcat12

My favorite dressings have no added sugar:

balsamic vinegar + olive oil (you can use much less than in a traditional vinaigrette)

a good red wine vinegar + olive oil (you can use much less than in a traditional vinaigrette)

For super low cal: a spicy or otherwise tasty mustard + red wine vinegar plus garlic or herbs if desired (I'd use a tiny bit of olive oil too).

Just balsamic also works.

ritzvin

KnitterNotAQuitter wrote: »

subbed Equal for the sugar ... and gah! Too sweet.

use less?

I usually use sucralose (splenda).

ritzvin

ooh..I miss cucumbers and cream (milk+mayo+pepper+sugar) now.

DX2JX2

The simplest answer is the right one...just use less sugar substitute. They're generally way sweeter than sugar for an equivalent volume so add a little at a time until it tastes like you want it to taste.

dwilliamca

I use very small amounts of Stevia, which is plant based rather than chemical, but still very sweet. My family never even notices the substitution.

COGypsy

You might even see if the dip even needs the sugar. I make what looks like a pretty similar dip and haven't ever added sugar. I didn't work from a recipe though, I just recreated a sauce I liked at a restaurant. I'd add everything except the vinegar and sugar. Taste before the vinegar, add that if needed and taste again to see if sugar is essential. If it is, I'd add just a pinch of sweetener at a time until it was balanced.

sarasmiles124

The dressing i make - olive oil, either balsamic or red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper, Dijon mustard and lemon or lime juice.

fishgutzy

Coconut palm sugar has a very low glycemuc index. It is a natural substitute for cane sugar.
Stevia is another good substitute.

Cbean08

For a creamy/spicy ranch, mix salsa with greek yogurt. If it's too thick, mix in little water.

Nikion901

Have you tried it without any sugar at all? Or cutting the sugar in half?

sssgilbe

Kalex1975 wrote: »

I use the Bolthouse Farms Cucumber Ranch dressing - only 35 calories for a 2 tablespoon serving. Here's their product listing.

Their Chunky Blue Cheese is amazing, also 35 calories. It was 2-for-1 at Kroger a few days ago.

Bolthouse is in the refrigerated dressing section of the produce aisle and the CBC has an expiration date about 2 months out.

Anon2018

KnitterNotAQuitter wrote: »

Anyone have any advice for a good (preferably zero calorie, zero carbs/sugar) sugar substitute for like salad dressing recipes? I made a salad dressing that doubles as a good veggie dip and subbed Equal for the sugar ... and gah! Too sweet. I would rather eat the veggies plain -- which I guess isn't a bad thing, right?

I LOOOOOVE salad dressing, so I'm bummed about cutting the full-fat ones out of my diet (especially the Chick-fil-A Creamy Salsa and Salata's Chipotle Ranch), and I'm looking to replace them with the lowest-calorie, lowest-carb/sugar content possible. I'm trying to find some good replacements, so I'll be more likely to stick to it. Thank you in advance for suggestions!

Here's the recipe, if that helps (it's for a cucumber salad, but I make it as a dip for other veggies like carrots sometimes, so cucumber is listed just as a how much dressing to how much cucumber -- I think the original recipe was tripled):
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 tsp. salt (but you can salt to taste)
3 Tbsp. light sour cream
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery seed or dillweed (sometimes I use a 1/4 tsp. of both)

This seems like it would be great if you just omitted the sugar. Or, I mean, a tsp of sugar is only 16 calories. I feel like you can probably find room for that in your diet?

If I really don't want to spend any calories on dressing I squeeze a lemon or lime on my veggies.

ritzvin

You might need such a small amount of sugar that you might as well just add the real thing. (The super high calories in creamy dressingss are from all the fat).

cmriverside

I still use the full fat dressings, too. They're good in small amounts if you also use a bit of balsamic vinegar at the same time. I love bleu cheese and oil and vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is really sweet, I've never used sweetener in dressing. Sometimes a little orange juice or pureed fruit...

LearningToFly13

Do we need sugar in salad dressings?

fidangul

Pomegranate molasses is sweet and sour tasting. So you can replace both the sugar and vinegar with it. I always use it for its strong flavour.