Oil Free Salad Dressings

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DoubleUbea
DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
edited August 2018 in Recipes
I enjoy salads but the dressings are a lot of high fat/high calorie and oil based.

I was wondering if anyone has recipes for oil free salad dressings. I like fresh rather than bottled. This afternoon I came up with a buttermilk and Dijon mustard dressing. The only two ingredients, buttermilk and Dijon mustard. You can salt and pepper to taste on your own.
I suppose you could make it with yogurt, Dijon mustard and thin it with some lemon juice, it wouldn't be bad.

For those of you who don't know buttermilk is the tangy watery substance left over after making butter, it is about 1% milk fat. (I once saw a TV chef say he didn't want the fat in buttermilk so he used 2% milk.... which has more fat)
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Earlier this week I came across this page with some ideas.
https://ordinaryvegan.net/top-5-oil-free-salad-dressing/
(No I am not a vegan)

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    I usually put avocado in my salads - I mash it and mix with some vinegar/acid then stir it through the salad to kind of coat everything.

    I've also made yoghurt based dressings... I like those for something different
  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    I often use salsa on my salad instead of dressing. Its super low cal and you can find sweeter or spicier varieties...or make your own!
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
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    I like a good plain balsamic vinegar, also onion powder
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,623 Member
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    SE Asian salad dressings contain no oil at all but do have sugar. Here is an example. But google green papaya salad, Thai salad, or Vietnamese salad for other versions
    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/23/how-to-make-perfect-som-tam-thai-salad

    A lower oil asian-influenced dressing I like is 1 part nut oil (hazelnut, walnut or sesame), 1 part sweet vinegar (balsamico or pomegranate molasses) and 1 part soy sauce.

    If you like a creamy dressing, use the lower quantities of sour cream and mayo in this recipe for ranch. Buttermilk is very low fat, being what is left of the milk after butter is made.
    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/19/ranch-dressing-recipe_n_3769342.html
  • iowalinda
    iowalinda Posts: 354 Member
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    funjen1972 wrote: »
    I often use salsa on my salad instead of dressing. Its super low cal and you can find sweeter or spicier varieties...or make your own!

    I do this, too. It's yummy and low cal.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    Honey-mustard (just like it sounds, two ingredients, or you could add some citrus juice if you wanted. It goes really well with avocado, either in a green salad or an avocado & citrus fruit (grapefruit and/or orange slices).

    But most of the time I just use oil + acid (vinegar or citrus juice) + salt + pepper + any other herbs and spices I want. Since I'm making it myself, I control how much oil I use, and since I'm making the salad, I like everything I put in it, so I don't need lots of dressing to make it palatable.



  • divcara
    divcara Posts: 357 Member
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    I typically pick a citrus/vinegar/or both, and instead of oil pick a binder or stabilizer. I like using dijon or brown mustard, tahini, chickpeas or oil free hummus, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, nutritional yeast, or roasted cauliflower. Once you have a good base/consistency, you can play with different flavors. Fresh dill, a few capers, fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, chili flakes, sriracha, I like salt free seasonings, fresh or pickled ginger, roasted cherry tomatoes, and chipotle peppers, etc. etc. etc. Coconut amino is also a good option to add in the mix!
  • mariluny
    mariluny Posts: 428 Member
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    Tahini and dijon is amazing, or tahini, dijon and maple. yum!

    Avocado, cilantro and lime juice in the blender is also amazing.

    Balsamic and dijon is also a favorite of mine
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
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    I use just balsamic vinegar. There is a high end vinegar store (I know!) near my home and it has lots of different types. Cinnamon pear is one of my faves with goat cheese, watermelon and spinach salads.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I use red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Honestly, I can never taste the oil anyway.. no need to waste the calories.
  • kemoon0915
    kemoon0915 Posts: 113 Member
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    I use a cup of buttermilk, a cup of fat free greek yogurt and a packet of ranch dressing mix. It's low calorie, low fat, and tasty!
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
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    Lemon juice, or a home made pico de gallo.
  • MADgical72
    MADgical72 Posts: 81 Member
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    IMG_2447.PNGvsrg7uum6shr.png
    this recipe calls for oil, but I often omit it. It is low in calories and you really only need a table spoon or two.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Balsamic vinegar
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
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    I almost never use oil with my salads, I prefer to get my fats from nuts/seeds and cheese. If I'm out I just use balsamic vinegar on its own, I love the tartness, especially with goat cheese. If I'm at home I'll go with salsa or my homemade peanut sauce, the recipe is below but the "serving size" is for my pad thai, I only need half that for salad usually (I don't like super wet salads).

    sv1bun48a491.png

  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
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    I tried this recipe this evening:

    1.5 cup cooked white beans
    ½ cup (to 1 cup) water
    2-3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
    ½ tsp garlic powder
    2 tsp dried parsley
    1.5 tsp onion powder
    1 tsp dried oregano
    1 tsp sea salt (optional)
    (From: https://myplantbasedfamily.com/2014/04/30/creamy-italian-salad-dressing-oil-free/ )

    Via: https://nutriciously.com/oil-free-vegan-salad-dressings/
  • HereToLose50
    HereToLose50 Posts: 154 Member
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    I don't measure much when I make a dressing. My current obsession is a couple tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, probably about a teaspoon of soy sauce, decent sprinkle of dried ginger, slight dash of cayenne pepper, a little honey or whatever sweetener you can fit in for calories, salt pepper, a couple teaspoons of rice wine vinegar. I put it in a little jar and shake it until well blended.

    For me this is a couple portions.

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