Salad Dressing

Looking for salad dressing ideas? What brands? Which ones taste good?
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Replies

  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,900 Member
    I am simple and do balsamic vinegar mixed with sicilian olive oil! Not all olive oils are created equal. Sicilian is a bit more expensive but I could drink it straight outta the bottle. :p
  • Jeremy4193
    Jeremy4193 Posts: 4 Member
    I use Mrs. Dash and balsamic vinegar.
  • vickster18
    vickster18 Posts: 3 Member
    Nothing beats making your own but you did say “brands” so I’ll throw these two in. Maple Grove Farms Sugar Free Raspberry Vinaigrette available in grocery stores. The other ready made one we use on occasion is Primal Kitchen Ranch but you have to order that one online. Mostly we make our own with balsamic vinegar.
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    I like Newman’s Own sesame ginger, Hidden Valley spicy ranch, forgot the brand Lite Hiney Mustard (on its own or mixed with balsamic vinegar), forgot the brand raspberry vinaigrette. I also recently made a Greek yogurt ranch mixed with salsa, and it came out very delicious.
  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    Olive Garden Light Italian - yum!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,721 Member
    I always make my own, because I get bored with commercial ones long before a bottle is gone.

    Sometimes I just use a decent quality vinegar, maybe add nuts or seeds to the salad for fat, and add flavor to the salad itself with fresh herbs, a tablespoon of fresh-grated parmesan, or some blue cheese.

    Vinegar & oil is fine, too, and mixing in some prepared mustard (especially brown or dijon) is good, too. Mustard/vinegar combo is good on oven-roasted veggies, also.

    Other good bases for a dressing are Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Yogurt with dried herbs (thyme, oregano, that sort of thing), minced garlic, salt and fresh-ground pepper is Ranch-like. Anything with minced garlic, mince very fine, make it when you start cooking so the flavor blends. Dried herbs have more effect when it sits a bit, too.

    Salsa makes a good dressing alternative.

    Tahini and white wine vinegar, maybe with some finely chopped sweet onions, is good (let it steep a little so the onions' flavor blends and mellows).

    Rice vinegar or ume plum vinegar with a little sesame oil, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger is tasty, especially in a salad with toasted almonds. Ume plum vinegar is salty. If you use rice vinegar, a little soy sauce won't hurt.

    If you like tomato-y dressings, V8 juice is a good base for vinegar/seasoning.

    As long as you don't go wild with oil, nuts/seeds or cheese, homemade dressings tend to be quite calorie efficient, and can be very affordable, too. Quick and easy to make.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Kimma41 wrote: »
    Looking for salad dressing ideas? What brands? Which ones taste good?

    Walden Farms makes tons of calorie-free dressings
  • berky06
    berky06 Posts: 209 Member
    I like Italian dressing-but to cut down the calories I use 1T dressing and 1T vinegar instead of using the 2T serving size. Still get the flavor, but less calories. I use different types of vinegar-whatever I have on hand.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    Ken's Steakhouse Light Northern Italian with basil and romano. It's so good and all 3 of my young kids approve!
  • kelly_stevens81
    kelly_stevens81 Posts: 79 Member
    I go with the Maple Farm brand dressings, they have fat free raspberry vinaigrette, fat free cranberry vinaigrette, Fat free balsamic vinaigrette, and fat free wasabi Dijon at the Kroger near me. All are delicious and low in calories and fat.
  • acbraswell
    acbraswell Posts: 238 Member
    I like the Simple Truth brands of organic vinaigrettes. Right now I'm loving their Orange Cranberry dressing. Lots of flavor in the 2 Tbsp serving size.
  • Kalex1975
    Kalex1975 Posts: 427 Member
    I'm also a fan of the Bolthouse Farms dressing.

    Lately, I've been using the Panera Bread poppyseed dressing... 25 calories in 2 tablespoons.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    For a creamy dressing I like to use a bit of greek yoghurt with some seasoning or spice paste mixed in (eg Moroccan, tandoori, harissa etc). Low cal and heaps of flavour. Otherwise it's usually a spray of olive oil and a bit of sticky balsamic reduction (which you can buy already reduced - and is awesome).
  • shortie555
    shortie555 Posts: 37 Member
    any type flavor of hummus - really good and so many options!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    I use cholula hot sauce. Basically no calories.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Blue cheese. There is nothing diet about my salads.
  • dressagerider1020
    dressagerider1020 Posts: 106 Member
    Skinny Girl honey mustard and also poppyseed. Fat free, sugar free, and I can pronounce most of the ingredients :smile:

    water, cider vinegar, dijon mustard (distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, white wine, citric acid, tumeric, tartaric acid, spices), maltodextrin, mustard seed, salt, cellulose gel, honey, mustard flour, dried onion, lemon juice concentrate, xanthan gum, granulated garlic, natural flavors, cellulose gum, sucralose, potassium sorbate and calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness).
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
    Honestly, after learning how many calories were in most salad dressings, I learned to go without. I'd rather have more food. Try using some different lettuces or adding different diced fruits and filling low-cal toppings. If you MUST have dressing, a good balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of some nutritional yeast on top can go a long way.
  • kt9052
    kt9052 Posts: 17 Member
    It's not really a dressing but I find if I put all my salad veggies in a bowl with a lid and use a couple table spoons of cottage cheese and shake my salad up I use next to no dressing because every piece gets coated!! You get a little protein from it too :)