6 healthy salad dressings you can make in less than 3 minutes (2024)

FAQs

What is the simplest form of dressing? ›

This is equally true for even something as simple as a salad dressing, which a vinaigrette is as simple as it gets. Vinaigrettes are an emulsion of 3 parts vegetable oil (usually olive oil) and 1 part acid (usually vinegar or acidic fruit juice), seasoning, and sometimes other flavourings.

The four main salad dressings are vinaigrette, emulsified vinaigrette, mayonnaise-based, and mayonnaise.

Extra-virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils varieties, but it has a low smoke point; therefore, we recommend using it for raw food preparations (i.e. salad dressing) rather than cooking.

Salad cream has around half the calories, and a third of the fat compared to mayonnaise. The sugar and salt are increased because of this, but not to the level of some other dressings we looked at. So, using a small amount of salad cream instead of mayonnaise could make quite a significant difference.

"The higher fat, higher calorie creamy dressings such as Caesar, blue cheese or ranch pack about 110-120 calories and 12g fat per 2 tablespoons, which is almost double of some vinaigrettes," says Harris-Pincus.

French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.

Whether you're choosing a suit or a casual hoodie, applying the Golden Ratio by proportioning your outfit into one-third top and two-thirds bottom, or vice versa, can significantly elevate your look.

Fashion is also a visual medium, and while we don't divide our outfits in 9 equal sections, applying the Rule of Thirds requires diving our outfit in three equal parts to visually create a ratio of 2:1. This ratio is basically the Golden Mean, simplified.

Toss your salad with tahini for an alternative to creamy salad dressing. Add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 mL) of tahini to your salad. Toss the salad using tongs or a salad spoon and fork until it is coated evenly. Tahini has a very strong flavor, so it's a good idea to start with a little bit and see how your salad tastes.

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

What dressing is healthy for salads? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to stick to oil-based dressings, as the creamier options are typically made with calorie-dense and fat-laden mayonnaise, sour cream, or buttermilk. On the other hand, oil-based dressings are made with heart-healthy fats like olive oil and canola oil.

But that doesn't mean you should skip the dressing. Studies have shown that fats — such as in avocados — actually help your body absorb the nutrients from some vegetables. The key is to choose the right ingredients and, ideally, make your own dressing at home.

Best: Spinach or Kale Salad

They have the most nutrients. Case in point: Kale and spinach have over 10 times more immune-boosting vitamins A and C than iceberg lettuce.

So the next time you're dressing a salad, reach for the balsamic vinegar–in the long run, not ingesting that extra fat and sugar makes a big difference!