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By Karo @ AllNutritious
on Feb 01, 2023, Updated Apr 20, 2024
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Salad dressings are a healthy person’s secret weapon. They’re the best way to transform a leafy bowl of greens into an addictive meal! Try these low calorie salad dressing ideas and enjoy more healthy foods!
Having some good healthy salad dressing recipes in your back pocket is essential in the fight for a healthier lifestyle and weight loss. If that’s what you’re hunting for, you’re in the right place!
Let’s dive into twenty-one low-calorie homemade dressing ideas to spice up that bowl of healthy greens.
Table of Contents
1. Blueberry Dressing
Source: nutriciously.com
Are the sounds of summer calling your name? This delicious blueberry dressing is light and sweet enough to give any salad a summery wake-up call.
There’s nothing like a blueberry’s fresh tartness to add flavor. Pick up this recipe on a warm day when your salad needs a little boost.
Store this dressing in a mason jar or other airtight container and enjoy your own dressing all week long!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 71
• Fats: 0g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 16g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 12g
2. Sugar-Free Salad Dressing
Source: fourscoreliving.com
Are you skipping the sugar? Lots of store-bought dressings come packed with hidden sugars, but don’t worry.
This super simple recipe with olive oil guarantees tons of flavor with absolutely no sugar, no matter the serving size, making it the perfect dressing.
This recipe features mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. This healthiest salad dressing has an outstanding balance you can enjoy on any salad with fewer calories!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 80
• Fats: 9g
• Protein: 0g
• Carbs: 0g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g
3. Tahini Dressing
Source: thesaltandsweet.com
If you are looking for creamy dressings, this is it. Tahini has a fantastic nuttiness that can transform any salad. But don’t feel restricted!
This dressing can top everything from sandwiches to a falafel plate. It also makes a good dipping sauce.
Best of all, you only need five ingredients to bring it to life. Whip this delicious dressing up in five minutes to kickstart your dinner party the right way. This is one of the best healthy homemade salad dressings.
This dressing would go lovely with arugula recipes!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 40
• Fats: 8g
• Protein: 3g
• Carbs: 4g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 0g
4. Everyday Salad Dressing
Source: herwholesomekitchen.com
Every salad eater needs a go-to salad dressing, and this light vinaigrette might be yours. Perfectly made for everyday salad, this dressing is light and fragrant with a honey mustard flavor.
With minimal sugar and carbs, these low calorie salad dressings add a ton of flavor without adding anything extra. This is also one of the best healthy dressings for pasta salad!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 81
• Fats: 8.9g
• Protein: 0g
• Carbs: 1.1g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 1g
5. Chilli Tamarind Dressing
Source: thedevilwearssalad.com
On the other hand, here’s a recipe for something a little special! The pairing of chili and tamarind is sweet and spicy at the same time. It is one of the best dressing options to create the best salads.
This tangy dressing adds a considerable boost of flavor, making any salad feel like a party waiting to happen. Try adding a crunchy element to crank things up even more for your taste buds.
Need salad inspiration for that crunch? These salad topping ideas are sure to help!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 40
• Fats: 1g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 10g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 8g
6. Santa Fe Ranch
Source: thenessykitchen.com
Whether you need a dip or a dressing, this greek yogurt ranch recipe has your back.
Santa Fe Ranch blends classic ranch flavors with punchy taco seasoning for the ultimate creamy sauce and a good dressing for healthy eating.
Instead of high fat sour cream, this recipe uses Greek yogurt as a base. That means this dressing tastes just as good as ordinary buttermilk ranch without the additional calories or grams of fat!
This ranch would also make a delicious healthy dip for this spinach feta wrap!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 18
• Fats: 1g
• Protein: 3g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 1g
7. Blood Orange Salad Dressing
Source: thedevilwearssalad.com
Blood oranges are known for their dark and addictive sweetness. This dressing is perfect if you need a kick of brightness in your day!
Its gorgeous color draws the eyes while promising amazing things to your taste buds. This quick and easy dressing is sure to impress guests in the summertime.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 69
• Fats: 7g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g
8. Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Source: lovefromthetable.com
The blackberry balsamic combination in this dressing recipe is out of this world. The rich balsamic and tart, sweet berries play off each other beautifully!
This is ideal for harvest or root vegetable salads to help balance the earthy flavors. Not to mention, the color screams fall.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 94
• Fats: 9g
• Protein: 0.3g
• Carbs: 3g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g
9. Yuzu Dressing
Source: thedevilwearssalad.com
Are you craving some Japanese influence? Yuzu is a Japanese citrus with a bright, tart flavor that perfectly suits fresh salads. This yuzu dressing is proof of how tasty citrus fruit can be.
Try pairing this with a plain leafy green salad to add a counterpoint to your dinner table. Or, better yet, try it on a chopped salad to bring out the flavor of the vegetables.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 49.32
• Fats: 3.54g
• Protein: 2.89g
• Carbs: 2.07g
• Fiber: 0.21g
• Sugar: 0.49g
10. Grape Vinaigrette
Source: plantbasedwithamy.com
Grape juice is light and sweet, offering a great base for the perfect salad dressing. I love this recipe because it’s at home on every kind of salad.
Whip this up in advance and keep it in your fridge for any last-minute bowls of goodness. Even if you haven’t, this dressing comes together in seconds. So you won’t have to wait long.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 48
• Fats: 2g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 7g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 6g
11. Dairy-Free Caesar Dressing
Source: eatingworks.com
If you’re skipping dairy, that doesn’t mean you must miss out on Caesar salad. This fantastic recipe lets you enjoy a creamy Caesar salad without getting near the dairy.
You only need quality time with your blender to get this dressing done. Use it as a dressing, or keep it as a dip!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 29
• Fats: 2g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 1g
12. Vegan Italian Dressing
Source: eatingworks.com
Some of the best salad dressings come from the classic line-up. In this case, this recipe puts a vegan spin on the traditional Italian dressing! Enjoy bright, acidic flavors with a creamy base and no dairy.
Vegan or not, this is the creamiest Italian dressing on the market. Best of all, it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 74
• Fats: 7g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 3g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g
13. Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
Source: eatingworks.com
Miso is a unique ingredient known for its strong salty flavor. Thanks to its creamy texture, it’s a great base for salad dressings. That’s how this carrot and ginger miso dressing came to be!
The carrot and ginger help balance the intense saltiness, creating an addictive salad dressing. With only five ingredients and a single step, this is a super simple dressing that packs a punch.
These other delicious low calorie recipes can help you easily stay in your caloric deficit!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 78
• Fats: 7g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 1g
14. Turmeric Tahini Dressing
Source: gatheringdreams.com
Next up, we have a dressing with flavors from around the world. Tahini, lemon, and turmeric combine perfectly in this delicious recipe.
If you’re searching for a perfectly balanced dressing that uses simple pantry ingredients, you’ve found it!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 71
• Fats: 6g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbs: 4g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Sugar: 2g
15. Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
Source: veggiefunkitchen.com
Kick things into high gear with a jalapeno ranch dressing to spice up your salad. This dressing is creamy and light, with a kick of spice at the end to wake up your tastebuds.
This plant-based recipe means everyone at the table – vegan or not – can enjoy a delicious creamy dressing.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 84
• Fats: 4g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbs: 9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
16. Healthy Ranch Dressing
Source: hungryhealthyhappy.com
Speaking of ranch dressing recipes, here’s another take! This is a healthier version of a classic Ranch dressing. Instead of cream, the secret is to use Greek yogurt to create a light yet creamy base.
From there, it’s up to a few herbs and condiments to impart flavor to the dressing. This tastes like a classic Ranch dip but without the extra calories!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 22
• Fats: 0g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 1g
17. Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
Source: veggiefunkitchen.com
Step boldly into summer with a deliciously balanced strawberry vinaigrette. This is a great recipe to make when strawberries are in season!
Medjool dates add an extra touch of sweetness to balance the dressing without needing any refined sugar in the sauce. It’s the perfect summer salad dressing to enjoy on a warm day.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 55
• Fats: 0g
• Protein: 0g
• Carbs: 13g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 11g
18. Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing
Source: yummymummykitchen.com
This oil-free tahini lemon dressing is light yet rich. Thanks to the simple ingredients, this is easy to whip up quickly. Plus, it suits almost any salad under the sun!
From harvest salads to leafy greens, the earthy tahini and bright citrus are at home no matter what.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 67
• Fats: 0g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbs: 11g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g
19. Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
Source: veggiefunkitchen.com
This recipe goes out to all the vegans who miss the addictive flavor of blue cheese. Achieve that flavor with vegan ingredients! This is perfect for buffalo wings, sandwiches, and on top of salads.
This recipe doesn’t feature any vegan mayo. So, it’s light on the calories but big on flavor!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 99
• Fats: 6g
• Protein: 7g
• Carbs: 5g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 1g
20. Greek Salad Dressing
Source: flavorthemoments.com
Greek salads are known for their fresh flavor and potent ingredients. This light and bright dressing is the perfect way to cap one off.
Round out your bowl of Mediterranean flavors with a super simple dressing you can prepare in minutes.
Per Serving:
• Calories: 75
• Fats: 8g
• Protein: 0g
• Carbs: 1g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g
21. Vegan Pink Sauce Ranch Dressing
Source: veggiefunkitchen.com
A Tik Tok famous dressing inspires our final dressing recipe! Where the viral Tik Tok version of this vibrant sauce is full of dairy, this one is vegan and just as tasty.
While the ingredient combination might seem odd, this is a tasty dressing with a great flavor balance. Plus, it’s a real showstopper on even the simplest salads!
Looking for salad inspiration to try out these scrumptious dressings? Check out these simple lettuce salad recipes!
Per Serving:
• Calories: 54
• Fats: 4g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbs: 4g
• Fiber: 0.4g
• Sugar: 2g
