Oil-Free Salad Dressing & Veggie Dip

If you eat a lot of salad and raw veggies like I do, you need a good inventory of salad dressings and veggie dipping sauces. I'm constantly experimenting with different ingredients to come up with dips and dressings that have big flavor but aren't too heavy or rich. This oil-free salad dressing and veggie dip is one of my go-to sauces.

When I first started eating more salads, I just bought bottled salad dressings at the grocery store, but I soon realized that many were super high in sodium, contained several grams of added sugar, and were made with refined oils that can upset your body's delicate balance of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids (one of the variables that can lead to the development of disease). Not ideal.

So, I decided to make my own. This oil-free dressing is almost always in my refrigerator and comes together in five minutes. I munch on carrots and radishes when I make dinner and this makes the perfect dip. It's super light in texture and is a great counterpoint to my herby citrus dressing if you want to mix them together (which I do all the time).

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Related
• Ideas to Consider

Ingredients

All you need is a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. There are a couple of ingredients you may not have used before, but recipes should add a little adventure and let you explore some new-to-you ingredients, don't you think?

• Lemon juice: Meyer lemons or regular lemons both work in this recipe. You'll adjust to taste at the end either way. If you want to make your own salad dressings, get in the habit of buying lemons when you shop.
• Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard is a foundational ingredient in my kitchen. I like the Maille brand because it doesn't contain added sugars or flavorings and it has a creamy texture, spicy taste and smooth finish. It's perfect in this recipe.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that just so happens to have a great nutty, savory flavor. (It's also great on popcorn).
• Coconut nectar: Coconut nectar is a sweet syrup-like liquid extracted from the sap of coconut blossoms. It's a natural sweetener and is often used as a healthier alternative to sugar or honey, but unlike either of those sweeteners, it has a low glycemic index so it doesn't spike your blood sugar.
• Dried thyme: I use dried thyme here, but you could experiment with other herbs like oregano, rosemary, or basil.
• Salt and pepper: I used himalyan pink sea salt and freshly ground black tellicherry peppercorns.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This is a simple one-step recipe. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. You don't need a blender. Just a spoon.

The biggest problem with this dressing is that it doesn't last long. I always make a double batch. And, because the ingredients are so light, you end up eating more veggies, which is really the whole point.

Variations

I like this dressing just as it is in the orignal recipe, so I haven't experimented with too many variations, but here are a few things I've tried:

• Make it spicier: The dijon mustard is already spicy, but if you like a more burning type of heat, add red chili flakes - carefully, to taste.
• Make it sweeter: On the other hand, if you want to calm down the tartness of the lemon juice and the spiciness of the mustard, you could add a little extra coconut nectar to mellow it out a bit.
• Change the citrus: Instead of using lemon juice, try making it with lime juice (which is more intensely sour) or with orange juice, adjusting the coconut nectar up or down to taste.
• Mix it with another dressing: As I mentioned above, this sauce is great dabbed onto a salad dressed with my herby citrus salad dressing. Make both and let me know what you think!

Equipment

This is one of those recipes that you can make with a bowl and a spoon. So easy. If you're looking for a great set of kitchen bowls, these are the ones I use.

Storage

This dressing stores well in an airtight glass storage container in the refrigerator for five to seven days.

Related

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Ideas to Consider

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