5-Minute Oil-Free Vegan Salad Dressing that tastes delicious. Tangy, bright, and herby, this creamy dressing pairs well with any salad. Plus, it's meal prep friendly and packed with vitamin B12 and vitamin C.
Light and fresh tasting, this oil-free dressing is so good, that I guarantee you will be making it on repeat. Make a big batch for the week and enjoy it with all your salads, veggies, and grain bowls. It lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
This dressing recipe was inspired by my 3 Healthy Salad Dressing recipe on this site, as well as this 5-Minute Lemon Herb Tahini.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Lemon juice
- Nutritional yeast
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- Fresh herbs
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍋 Substitutions
- Thyme, dill - use fresh herbs you already have on hand or substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 1 tablespoon fresh.
- Maple syrup - substitute with agave or a sweetener of your choice
For more easy and healthy salad dressings, visit my Vegan Dressing Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Oil-Free Salad Dressing
Step 1. Combine: Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Dijon, maple syrup, herbs, and black pepper to a small bowl or jar.
Step 2. Whisk or shake to combine. Adjust maple syrup and salt to taste.
✔️ Expert tips
- Fresh herbs take this dressing to the next level! You can use any fresh herbs you have on hand. Cilantro, parsley, basil, and oregano would all be delicious.
- Be sure to add a heart-healthy fat to your salad such as seeds or nuts so you can absorb the nutrients of the salad ingredients. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K require a fat source to be absorbed.
- Storage: Refrigerate Oil-Free Vegan Salad Dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Any fruit juice can be used as an oil-free base in tangy salad dressings and sauces. This dressing which uses lemon juice. You can also replace oil in a vinaigrette with a mixture of water and seeds, such as chia, hemp, or ground flaxseeds.
1. Vegan yogurt or hummus mixed with salsa, harissa, or pesto.
2. Mashed ripe avocado with lemon juice and fresh herbs.
3. Vegan yogurt in place of sour cream or mayo in creamy dressings.
Tahini is an excellent substitute for oil. While it does contain natural oils from the ground sesame seeds, it's highly nutritious. It's rich in heart-healthy fats and minerals. Try my Balsamic Vinaigrette made with tahini instead of oil.
🫙 Related Recipes
🥗 Pairing
Try this dressing with one of these easy vegan salads:
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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I would love it if you would ⭐️ rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Oil-Free Vegan Salad Dressing
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Ingredients
- Juice of 1 small lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried (thyme, dill)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine: Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Dijon, maple syrup, herbs, and black pepper to a small bowl or jar.
- Whisk or shake to combine. Adjust maple syrup and salt to taste.
Notes
- Fresh herbs take this dressing to the next level! You can use any fresh herbs you have on hand. Cilantro, parsley, basil, and oregano would all be delicious.
- Storage: Refrigerate Oil-Free Vegan Salad Dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Liz says
This was super easy and delicious! I had very low expectations going in, but this dressing actually allowed me to enjoy a plain salad! I'm a very picky eater. Ty🥰
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awwww yayyyy! Yes the ingredients seem an odd combo but it works! Thank you.
Anne McCarthy says
The oil free salad dressing is delicious, thank you very much. First time I’ve used nutritional yeast. I’ll be looking for more recipes using it.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting and enjoy!