Here are 5 irresistible recipes for low-calorie salad dressings! It's easy to turn a boring salad into a delicious meal!
Salad is healthy, we all know that. A colorful salad has few calories, provides lots of nutrients and tastes mega delicious.
Those who want to lose weight therefore like to pack a lot of salad on their plate.
But did you know that salads can also be real calorie bombs? They can even make our weight loss plans fail.
The salad dressings are to blame.
Because such a dressing can make even the healthiest salad unhealthy and very high in fat. Salad dressings with lots of mayo, sugar or oil can even exceed the calorie content of a normal candy bar!
Today we tell you Low calorie salad dressingswith which this can no longer happen to you! These recipes for light dressings are for those who are watching their figure and are looking for a little variety in the salad bowl - for example on the quinoa salad with sweet potatoes!
You will learn in this post
- Why are store-bought dressings not a good choice?
- How to make low-calorie salad dressings yourself
- Why not avoid vegetable oil in salad dressing?
- The basic recipe for healthy dressings
- 5 quick and low calorie salad dressings
- Light yogurt dressing with herbs
- Balsamic mustard dressing
- Buttermilk dressing with garlic
- Light vinaigrette
- Basil dressing
- Which low-calorie dressing goes with which salad?
- When to put the dressing on the salad?
- What is the shelf life of a homemade dressing?
Why are store-bought dressings not a good choice?
Well, but why is it actually worth having a Dressing to make yourself? There are several good reasons for this.
Have you ever looked at the Ingredients of ready dressings viewed? In addition to a large pile of sugar and flavor enhancers, many preservatives also end up in it; they ensure that the dressing lasts forever.
For taste, there's a big helping of salt and fat on top. And that makes your salad really unhealthy and high in calories. One of the most popular herb dressings from the supermarket contains 20 ingredients. If you make it yourself, then you come to 4 to 5 ingredients.
You're miles away from a low-calorie salad dressing when you buy a dressing.
Yes, you could just buy a light dressing. But again, you should look at the label. Products in the light version contain less fat, but much more sugar or several sugar substitutes.
Many of these substitutes are suspected of promoting appetite and causing cravings. In other words, exactly what no one really needs. Since even a healthy High Protein Salad Bowl suddenly become a sugar trap.
You can recognize very high-calorie dressings on the one hand by the calorie information on the label and on the other hand by the sugar content. Sugar is a very cheap flavor enhancer. But sugar really has no place in salads.
They consist mostly of water with a little milk powder and the cheapest oil added.
You'll find flavorings in any herb dressing, but not fresh herbs. Spice extracts are often used to spice up products that are boring in taste. Healthy, low-calorie salad dressings really look different.
Yet it could be so delicious if you made your own salad dressing.
Low-calorie dressings are ready mixed in no time. And they taste really delicious.
You don't have to be afraid now that it will be mega elaborate. Low calorie salad dressings are very simple and quick to prepare. You can mix them the day before and store them in the refrigerator.
Tip: If you're interested in more delicious low-calorie recipes, you might also like our Nutrition plan from We Go Fit please! Simply register and enjoy a delicious and healthy meal.
In the mood for something fruity? Try this DIY pomegranate dressing!
How to make low-calorie salad dressings yourself
If you prepare your own dressing, you know what ends up in the salad bowl. You have control over the amount and the ingredients. Another advantage is that you always have variety at the table with the DIY variant.
Who wants to eat the same dressing from the tube for 14 days? That gets boring!
Good to know: Low calorie salad dressings always have a Low fat base. These can be yogurt or buttermilk, among others. Oils (in small quantities!) are flavor carriers.
It's especially delicious when you combine a little sweetness with salty and sour ingredients.
If you want to make a low calorie dressing, there are a few great basic ingredients that will do the trick.
Great ingredients for low calorie salad dressings
- Low fat yogurts
- For creamy dressings: Greek yogurt in the low-fat version.
- All kinds of vinegar
- Lemon instead of vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Mustard
- Fruit puree or fruits like lemon, orange, lime, melon, apricots
- high-quality vegetable oils (in small quantities!)
- Buttermilk
- fresh herbs - chopped or pureed
- Herb salt, chili salt
- Spices
- Vegetables like bell bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, radish
- Garlic, onion
- Spring onions
- Organic honey*
- Grated ginger
- Herbal salt
- Vegetable broth
You can use these ingredients creatively as you like. And thus prepare a different low-calorie dressing every time.
What we want to say: It pays for you to be willing to experiment. Because just by swapping out a small ingredient, low-calorie salad dressings taste completely different. That way, your salad will never be boring again.
Tip: Prepare a delicious wild herb salad too! Many wild herbs contain bitter substances that stimulate your digestion and metabolism. In addition, they contain many more nutrients.
Do you already know our Summer salad recipes? Or ideas for Salad in glass? Or are you rather the Chickpea salad type? How about Quinoa salad? Here a homemade dressing goes wonderfully with it!
Already tried? Oriental chickpea salad!
Why not avoid vegetable oil in salad dressing?
When it comes to oils, the basic rule is: it's better to use a little less of them and use high-quality oils instead. Our body needs vegetable oils to function properly.
High-quality oils contain unsaturated fats (omega 3 and omega 6) that lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and fight inflammation in the body. Antioxidants such as vitamin E can help protect cells and strengthen the immune system.
Important: Choose high-quality vegetable oils that have been cold-pressed. Don't use cheap oil from discount stores, and certainly don't use frying oil or tasteless oils (they are usually hot-pressed and lack healthy ingredients). A cold-pressed sunflower oil is packed with healthy fats and adds flavor to your salad.
Considered the healthiest vegetable oils:
- Linseed oil
- Olive oil
- Rapeseed oil
One tablespoon of vegetable oil comes to about 90 calories.
But that doesn't mean you have to eat vegetable oils every day. There is a whole range of low-calorie salad dressings that taste wonderful without oil.
The basic recipe for healthy dressings
No matter whether it is a low-calorie salad dressing or a classic one. The structure of the basic recipe is always similar.
A dressing consists of
- 1 part vinegar
- 2 parts oil
- Sweetness to balance the acidity
- Spices
If you understand this building block principle, then you can always make your own dressing.
Tip: Oil is added to the dressing at the end
If you're making a liquid dressing, the oil always comes last to the recipe. You can make it with a powerful Blender* Whisk to combine with the other ingredients.
This step is not mandatory. However, it has advantages in terms of taste when the oil and vinegar do not separate. If you want, you can even whisk the herbs with vinegar and oil. Or you can sprinkle them fresh on the salad just before eating.
How you do that is up to you.
How do I turn this salad dressing into a low calorie dressing?
We briefly mentioned before that oil is very high in calories. I would now like to show you this again with an example and explain what you can use instead.
In this example, we assume that 5 tablespoons of dressing will end up on a salad:
- 435 calories: a classic vinegar-oil dressing (olive oil and apple cider vinegar).
- 31 calories: a DIY, low-calorie yogurt-based salad dressing with vinegar.
It is worth reducing the oil content or replacing it completely with other ingredients.
5 quick and low calorie salad dressings
As a first inspiration, here are 5 delicious dressings with few calories. You can refine them according to your mood.
Good to know:
- Instead of fresh herbs you can also use frozen ones. Some herbs also taste very good dried (savory, oregano, marjoram).
- The yogurt dressing is also perfect for a Oven potato recipe suitable and makes a good spread on breads.
- If you want to save even more calories, replace cream with milk.
- The lowest calorie salad dressing is vegetable broth. You can use 2-3 tablespoons of it per salad bowl and season with a little lemon.
Light yogurt dressing with herbs
Ingredients
- 100 g Low fat yogurt
- 1 EL Lemon juice
- 1/2 EL Cream
- 2 EL Herbs (dill, chives, parsley)
Anleitung
- Mix yogurt and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Chop the herbs into small pieces. Fresh herbs are best, but frozen ones also do the job.
- Finally, add the cream. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Nährwerte
I love the yogurt dressing with herbs. It fits over any salad. Of course, you can also choose other herbs. But it's best to use fresh greens from the garden or balcony. Very many herbs also thrive in the apartment!
Did you know that you can grow lettuce from a stalk?
Balsamic mustard dressing
Ingredients
- 25 ml Balsamic vinegar
- 1 EL Mustard
- 2 EL Milk
- 2 EL Olive oil
- Pepper and salt to taste
Anleitung
- Put all ingredients except salt and pepper in a dressing shaker. Or mix them with a hand blender.
- This makes the consistency very creamy and the ingredients combine better.
- And your dressing is ready!
Nährwerte
Low-calorie salad dressings like these are very thin. They lack the creamy ingredient like yogurt or buttermilk. Still, the dressing is very flavorful. Use just a little of it!
Buttermilk dressing with garlic
Ingredients
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/2 EL Low fat milk
- 50 ml Buttermilk
- 1/2 EL Lemon juice
- 1 EL Chopped chives
- Chili powder and salt
Anleitung
- Cut the garlic clove very finely. The finer the better. It is even better if you press it through a garlic press.
- Mix all the ingredients together and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. This way the buttermilk takes on the flavor of the garlic.
Nährwerte
The buttermilk dressing adds a bit of spiciness to your salad dishes. But you can also leave out the chili. Try for yourself what you like best.
Light vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 50 ml Fresh orange juice
- 1 TL Dijon mustard
- 1 EL White balsamic vinegar
- 4 EL Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Anleitung
- Bring the orange juice to a boil until only about half is left.
- Take the pot off the stove and add mustard and vinegar.
- Season the salad dressing with salt and pepper.
- Finally, stir in the olive oil. Let the dressing get cold. Done!
Nährwerte
The orange juice in this dressing provides a slightly fruity taste. Especially for hot days I like to use it. It fits great on the salad and tastes refreshing.
Basil dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 Lemon
- 1 Handful Basil leaves
- 3 EL Olive oil
- 1 TL Mustard
- 1 TL Honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Anleitung
- Grate the lemon peel. Squeeze the juice from the lemon.
- Pluck off the leaves of the basil.
- Blend oil, mustard, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and honey with a hand blender.
- Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Nährwerte
The basil dressing goes great over caprese. You will love the low-calorie salad dressing!
Do you already know these edible wild herbs?
Which low-calorie dressing goes with which salad?
Not every dressing is suitable for every salad. For example, a bitter leaf salad deserves a different dressing than a potato salad. Dressings can be sour, fruity, tart or taste like herbs, garlic and many other things.
Let's take a bitter salad - like radicchio, sugarloaf or chicory. They go quite wonderfully with mild and sweet dressings like salad dressings with orange juice. Dressings with yogurt and other dairy products soften the bitter taste.
If you have a neutral salad in front of you - such as lamb's lettuce, lettuce, iceberg lettuce or another leaf salad, then the salad dressing can be more intense. It is the dressing that brings flavor to the salad bowl. With strong, spicy, hot you are right here.
However, as we all know, tastes are always different. So you should try out what suits you best. If you have some time, you should also look at these 9 dressing variations for lamb's lettuce drop by. With these Salad dressings you value boring iceberg lettuce on.
When to put the dressing on the salad?
That depends very much on what kind of salad you want to eat. There are types of lettuce that are better left to infuse even overnight until they have developed their full flavor.
These include green bean, beans or potatoes.
Leaf salads are dressed fresh. The salt in the dressing removes the water from the lettuce. This is also the reason why lettuces and lettuces wilt quickly if left to stand. If you take the salad to work or college, store the dressing separately in a small jar or tightly sealed container.
What is the shelf life of a homemade dressing?
Fresh dressings can last up to three days in the refrigerator, depending on the ingredient. Vinegar-oil based dressings have a longer shelf life than salad dressings that contain fresh ingredients such as fruits, vegetables or fresh herbs. I like to prepare dressings the day before and put them in the refrigerator. This allows them to infuse and be ready to use the next day.
Of course, it's always best to prepare only small amounts. That way you can always be sure that your low-calorie dressing won't go bad.
You can also store dressings. Simply place them in the refrigerator - preferably in a jar with a tight screw cap. Yogurt dressings in particular dry out quickly otherwise.
Our conclusion
It always tastes best when you make it yourself! Low-calorie salad dressings are super tasty, very quickly mixed yourself and bring a lot of variety to the plate. Be careful not to use too much dressing. Because even a low-calorie dressing can become a calorie bomb in large quantities.
Add low-calorie vegetables to the salad to get fuller. These include cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, but also peppers.
Good luck and enjoy it!
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more
