Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

Many people are under the impression that salads are one of the healthiest foods you can eat but yet, if you dress it up poorly, they can be devastating to your diet.

The wrong fix-ins coupled with a creamy salad dressing that’s full of saturated fat can sabotage any well-meaning salad in seconds.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. There are plenty of delicious salad dressing recipes you can use to prepare your own so that salad is something you feel good about eating.

Let’s give you some examples to get you started.

Honey Balsamic Dressing

This one has a sweet and tangy taste you’ll be sure to love and will provide you with a solid dose of healthy fats. While there is some sugar coming from the honey, it is a natural sugar and if you are only drizzling a little dressing over the salad, you won’t need to worry.

¼ cup virgin olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and then whisk until well combined. Store in a sealed container for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Chances are you’ve had a raspberry vinaigrette before, but was the one you had a healthy choice? If not, we have you covered with this recipe. This one packs in antioxidants from the raspberries and doesn’t contain any unwanted artificial additives or fillers.

2 cups frozen raspberries
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. low fat plain Greek yogurt (optional, if you want a creamier dressing)
2 tbsp. chia seeds (this will make the dressing thicker)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.

Cilantro Dressing With a Kick

This recipe earns top marks for giving you a delicious creamy taste with a little zing that will surely have you coming back for seconds. If you struggle to get your veggies in, this one is a must-have. The Greek yogurt will provide some added protein to this dressing, so if you struggle to meet your daily nutritional needs, is an easier way to get those requirements met. In addition to that, it also delivers a good dose of calcium.

2 cups cilantro leaves, stems cut off
1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
4 cloves minced garlic
2 limes, juiced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the cilantro, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and lime juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the olive oil slowly and pulse blend occasionally while doing so. Season with salt and pepper, blend once more and then chill and serve. This will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

Healthier Caesar Dressing

Do you love Caesar salad but hate the fat and calories it comes with? Try this supercharged recipe instead. Not only is it lower in fat (and the fat it does contain is healthy fat), but it’s also going to pack in some protein as well.

Finally, a dressing you can feel good drizzling on your salad! If you like, you can also sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over top of the salad after you prepare and dress it to provided added texture.

½ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan Cheese
3-4 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or regular milk if you prefer)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. anchovy paste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Whisk all the ingredients together with a whisk or an electric mixer. If you like a thinner consistency with your salad dressing, simply add more milk to thin it down. Place in the fridge to chill. This dressing will keep for about three days.

Sesame Dressing

Sesame seeds offer a unique light taste that many have come to love and enjoy. By including sesame seeds in your diet plan, you’ll also up your intake of healthy fats while providing some additional dietary fiber.

This dressing works well with just about any salad and is one that you’ll be sure to enjoy time and time again.

¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
½ small onion, minced

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Low Fat Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

If you’re looking for a low-fat dressing to include in your diet plan, this one is a great choice. Made almost entirely with balsamic vinegar, it’ll definitely pack a bite so a little goes a long way.

1 tbsp. honey
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Place in the fridge to chill and then serve immediately.

So there you have a few of the best dressing recipes to add into your diet plan. Remember that with a little creativity, you can come up with some fantastic options that will do both your health and your taste buds proud.

Experiment with these, creating your own variations or come up with something totally unique on your own. Either way, you can rest assured you’re on the right track to healthy eating.