Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

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I love making healthy salad dressing recipes because they avoid sketchy ingredients, save money, and taste amazing.

Healthy salad dressing recipes

These healthy salad dressing recipes are some of my favorite ways to save money and eat well. Especially during the summertime when my garden is bursting with vegetables, a light salad is a perfect side to any meal.

With less than five ingredients that I am willing to bet that you have in your pantry, you can make a salad dressing that your entire family will love. I love to use these recipes for side salads with my family after a busy day, or make a large salad to take to picnics. These dressings are so flavorful that they are always a hit. 

If you’re looking for more homemade condiments, check out my homemade ketchup, tartar sauce, and mayonnaise recipes.

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Making salad dressings at home is healthier and saves money

I love making my own salad dressings! Not only are they super easy to whip up, but the recipes come with so many benefits that it just makes sense to make your own. 

There are so many benefits to these healthy salad dressing recipes like:

• They are approved for the Keto Diet
• They are allowed on the GAPS diet
• The fat content in these recipes is not only healthy, but they will help your body absorb more nutrients and keep you fuller for longer
• These recipes are made with clean, organic ingredients so we are avoiding nasty chemicals
• The dressing is a side that is meant to complement any dish. When you make your own, you are able to create any flavors that you know will be a hit
• Chances are, you have all of the ingredients in your pantry for these recipes. If that is the case, then making your own dressing will save you money!

What you will need to make your own healthy salad dressings at home

I love making my own dressings for my salads because it’s just easier. All you need is a few quality ingredients that you can mix in a jar and serve immediately. 

Trust me, once you learn how easy it is to make your own dressings with ingredients that you already have in your pantry, you will wonder why you didn’t make them sooner!

Here are a few things that will help your homemade salad dressings stand out:

1. High-quality, cold pressed oils (these recipes call for either olive oil or avocado oil) will keep this recipe clean and provide the highest quality nutrients
2. Clean seasonings either from your garden or from a reliable place like Azure Standard to ensure that no additives are present.
3. Store in an airtight container like a mason jar with a lid

How to make healthy salad dressing recipes

Basic Italian vinaigrette

This light vinaigrette is perfect for a salad and is easy to customize for your and your family’s palette! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup oil (either olive or avocado)
• ¾ vinegar (I prefer raw apple cider vinegar, but a balsamic will work if you aren’t on a GAPS diet)
• 1 tsp salt

Optional: add seasonings like Italian seasoning, oregano, or dried basil.

Optional: make it a honey mustard dressing with a tsp of yellow mustard or Dijon mustard (make sure it’s an organic, all-natural mustard that is GAPs approved) and 2 tsp of raw, organic honey to the basic recipe above

Directions:

Mix in a jar. Drizzle over salad before serving.

Creamy ranch dressing

With only a few ingredients, this creamy ranch dressing is a breeze to put together and is practically a guaranteed hit at dinnertime. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of either homemade kefir or yogurt
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2-3 tsp of a blend of thyme, sage, parsley, or chives
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add to a bowl that can be whisked. Mix and let sit for 2 hours.  Optional: make a thicker ranch dip by substituting the kefir or yogurt for 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of mayonnaise.

Why do I avoid store-bought salad dressings?

Additives are used to help food last for a long time. In some cases, additives can be added to help food stay edible for years. While I understand that this can make it seem like a great thing, there are several studies that prove the opposite. 

Additives that are added to foods like store-bought salad dressings are found to harm our bodies through inflammation and potentially cause cancer. 

In addition, store-bought salad dressings are so expensive! When you look at recipes like the ones mentioned above, you know that it is just a few ingredients mixed together. So why not save your money and use the food already in your pantry to make a delicious salad?

What you need to do ahead of time to prepare to make homemade salad dressings

One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is how simple it is and how you probably have your ingredients in your pantry right now. After a long day, it is easy to whip up and serve alongside a soup or sandwich. 

If you really want to be prepared, there are a few things that you can do to make sure the dressing is ready to use. 

1. If you are using herbs from your garden to flavor the dressing, then make sure you take the time to chop them up finely. This can be done with herb scissors or even a food processor. Trust me – the finer your homegrown thyme is, the better your flavoring will be in your dressings.
2. The homemade ranch recipe is delicious and ready to serve as soon as the ingredients are mixed, but I found that they taste even better if you can let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. 

Healthy salad dressings video

More healthy recipes

GAPS Sour Cream 

GAPS Bread Recipe 

Homemade Kefir 

Have you ever made your own salad dressing before?

What are some of your favorite ingredients? Share in the comments!

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Olive oil
Avocado oil
Raw apple cider vinegar
Salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Mason jar with a lid

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GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

The information in this blog post is my personal experience and opinion. It is for general information purposes only, may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own physician’s medical care or advice. Always seek advice from your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding nutrition, medical conditions, and advice. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical care because of something you have read on this blog.