Just 4 ingredients, less than 5 minutes to make, this everyday oil-free salad dressing is my go-to! With a creamy, tangy, and zesty flavor, this easy to make dressing will also keep fresh in the fridge for a week! This simple dressing can go toe-to-toe with any vinaigrettes, vegan caesar dressings, or balsamic vinegar. It is the BEST way to amp up any salad! This dressing works wonderfully on mixed greens, but I also love to drizzle it onto wraps, grain bowls, pasta salad, beans, or any other dish that needs a little extra oomph! Or you can even use it as a dip (or sauce) and dip your favorite vegetables like baby carrots or cucumbers. This is bound to become one of your favorite vegan salad dressings.
I like to add a side salad to most of my meals. Even though I cook with small amounts of oil, I'm not a huge fan of dredging my salads in it. When you take a super nutritionally dense low-calorie dish such as a salad and then pour even just a tablespoon of oil on top, it quickly adds a ton of processed fat and calories without adding much flavour. Personally, I'm ok with oilier salad dressings on occasion, but for the most part, I like to keep my salads light, fresh, filled with veggies and fresh herbs, and healthy with this super simple lemony, oil free dressing.
Skip buying expensive store-bought dressings, oil-free salad dressing recipes like this will change your life! Just shake this dressing up in less than 5 minutes and you have the perfect dressing for all your green munching needs!
How to make My everyday oil-free salad dressing:
There is a reason this oil-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan salad dressing is my go-to: it's super simple! Just add the lemon juice, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, and agave (or maple syrup) to a jar or bowl, and shake it or whisk it up! I like to use these small jars, but you can also use a leftover jam jar. Pour over your favourite salad greens or store in the fridge to use later.
For more oil-free dressings try my Cashew Caesar Dressing, my Cashew Ranch Dressing, my Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing, or my Creamy Dill Pickle Dressing.
Bon appetgan!
Sam Turnbull.
My Everyday Oil-Free Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a jar or small bowl and shake well or whisk to combine. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Angela says
I have an inexplicable mental block about making my own dressings (I always envision that it’s going to be a tedious process even when I *know* it’s not). But I decided to “push through” my ridiculous block and make this. It’s SO good! AND SO EASY! 😛 I’ll definitely be making this on a regular rotation now!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, yes, dressings can be soooo easy!! 🙂
Julie says
Sometimes you just want something easy. This was it. Flavor ties the greens and other veggies beautifully. Love the tanginess of this super simple recipe. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it Julie!
David says
Nutritional yeast was overpowering. I changed it to two teaspoons rather than tablespoons. I even put some on my baked salmon. I loved it! This is a really good oil free dressing.
Heather says
I loved this! Totally my flavors. Thank you so much
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Heather! 🙂
Silva says
Yuck no thanks! This was too overpowering! I couldn’t even taste the other flavors of my salad. This is the second dressing of yours I don’t like
Sam Turnbull says
It sounds like you are adding too much dressing to your salad. I always recommend starting with just a tiny bit of dressing and mixing very well. The flavors will only overpower the salad if you use too much! Hope that helps 🙂
Silva says
You were right. I tried much less dressing and it was delicious this time
Sam Turnbull says
Fantastic!
Silva says
Yes you were right. I made it again and added very little and my salad tasted great. A little goes a long way and enhanced the other flavors
salad maker says
NO - tastes like stomach acid bubble gum. all these mustard, vinegar, and maple syrup DIY no-oil recipes taste awful - these trolling article clone bots have this awful recipe all over the search for DIY salad dressings without oil and it's disgusting.
Bob says
I wonder if anybody tried using honey in place of agave or maple syrup.
Kathy says
I did and it gave it a lovely honey mustard taste!
Donna Cieslak says
What can I substitute for nutritional yeast
Air says
You could try mushroom powder or I sometimes use miso.
Kathleen says
I accidentally used dijon mustard HORSERADISH and my husband loved it! Who knew?! Now I need to buy huge containers of the stuff to keep on hand. Thanks so much for these amazing ideas! I like make ahead meals and condiments so I'm planning on making all these to keep frozen or in the refrigerator. Can they be frozen?
Karen says
Love this easy dressing recipe! I have enjoyed some of your recipes so I just wanted to say Thank You!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww you're most welcome! So happy you're enjoying my recipes Karen 🙂
Loraine says
Super tasty and so quick to make. I had all the ingredients in the cupboard so that’s another bonus. Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Loraine! So happy you enjoyed! 🙂
Eve says
Made dinner for friends who are going through a renovation and don't have a kitchen right now. Served this with your enchiladas with mole sauce (which I've made before and love!!) - they loved everything!!
Inma Alemán says
Muchas gracias por las recetas Sam!
Comentarte que tengo intolerancia a la soja y semillas y entonces, se puede sustituir el Tofu por nueces? Si no te entendí mal, y el chucrut por aceitunas?
A la espera de su respuesta Saludos desde las Islas Canarias, España.
Tracey says
Warning! So good I ate the entire recipe myself with a whole box of mixed greens and assorted veggies in one sitting!!! I will use this dressing in the future to prep mason jar salads for work lunches. A delicious, oil free dressing with no nuts is hard to find.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing! Thrilled you loved it so much, Tracey!
James says
I never comment on recipes but this was too good to not comment. Thanks for posting this. So simple and delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it, James!
Karen Ackerman says
I enjoy your recipes. I made your Vegan Macaroni Salad tonight. I am sure you did explain in the recipe, but I did not see it. How long does it last in the refrigerator? Please respond...I did make too much and I am concerned it will spoil before it can be consumed.
Sam Turnbull says
It will keep for about 4 days. Enjoy!
Susan Poolarea says
This was terrific, and so simple and easy!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed, Susan!
Leslie says
So fantastic! I had a dijon mustard squeeze bottle where all that was left was stuck to the sides. Added the rest of the ingredients to the squeeze bottle and voila! Amazingness!
Sam Turnbull says
Love it! I do that all the time! 🙂
Belinda says
Wow! Thank you for your simple and easy great recipe.
Love it
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Belinda!
Claudia says
Delicious! Thank you for an oil free dressing!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Claudia!
Alix Mitchell says
This is hands down the most delicious and easiest oil and nut free salad dressing recipe out there. This is so good that I could just drink it. I’ll for sure be eating more veggies and salads thanks to this. Thank you again!
Jennifer says
This was delicious and easy! I made it even easier by using apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice and it was great! This was a timely recipe for me as I needed something low fat and didn’t want to break out the blender, lol! Thanks again for another great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it, Jennifer!