For those embracing a ketogenic lifestyle, salads can be a cornerstone of the diet. As a registered dietitian, I recommend salads as a quick and tasty way to squeeze more vegetables into your day. This low-carb way of eating has become increasingly trendy thanks to its promising results for weight loss. This diet boils down to extremely low-carb, high-fat eating to achieve a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body uses fat as its main energy source instead of carbs. One of the best keto dishes for beginners is salad. However, the key lies in choosing the right dressing, as many store-bought options contain hidden carbohydrates. Luckily, there are plenty of easy-to-make, keto-friendly salad dressings that will keep you on track.
Why Make Your Own Keto Salad Dressing?
While it might be tempting to grab a bottle of salad dressing from the grocery store, many commercially available dressings are loaded with sugar and unhealthy additives, making them unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. Unfortunately, most salad dressings are unsuitable for a keto diet due to excess carbs. The exception would be sugar-free salad dressings or simple vinaigrettes. By making your own, you have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring that your dressing is not only delicious but also aligns with your dietary goals. Better flavor than store-bought dressing. Easy to customize. No seed oils. Works with all kinds of salads. Stores well.
Essential Ingredients for Keto Salad Dressings
Creating delicious keto salad dressings starts with understanding the key ingredients that form the base and contribute to flavor.
- Oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil are excellent choices for keto salad dressings. This is one of the only types of oil I’ll use for salads, the other being avocado oil. They are rich in healthy fats and add a smooth, rich texture.
- Acids: Vinegar (such as red wine vinegar) and lemon juice provide tanginess and balance the richness of the oils.
- Emulsifiers: Dijon mustard helps to emulsify the dressing, preventing it from separating and creating a creamy consistency.
- Sweeteners (Optional): If you prefer a touch of sweetness, use keto-friendly sweeteners like Swerve Confectioners. This is a keto-friendly sugar substitute found at most grocery stores.
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh or dried herbs and spices add depth and complexity to your salad dressings. Your best options are basil, thyme, parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, scallions, ginger, garlic, onion, shallot, red pepper and black pepper.
Basic Vinaigrette Recipe: The Foundation of Keto Salad Dressings
Vinaigrettes, or olive oil-based dressings, are the perfect keto-friendly option. This is because they’re extremely low-carb and high-fat, thanks to their simple ingredients. Plus, olive oil supports healthy cholesterol levels and overall heart health. This Italian Vinaigrette Recipe is a very simple, quick and easy salad dressing recipe made with olive oil, lemon juice, and a blend of seasonings. Here's a basic recipe to get you started:
Italian Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Basil
- Oregano
- Cumin
Instructions:
In a small container with a lid, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, basil, oregano, and cumin. Tighten the lid on the container and shake well to combine. Use a small airtight jar to store the Italian Vinaigrette recipe in. Store unused vinaigrette in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
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Keto Italian Dressing
Looking for a delicious and keto-friendly salad dressing? Look no further than this easy Italian dressing recipe. It's perfect for salads or even as a marinade for chicken or fish. You make this keto Italian dressing with simple ingredients like olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and seasonings.
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Swerve Confectioners
- Dried Parsley
- Dried Oregano
You can adjust the amount of vinegar and mustard to taste. To emulsify the dressing without a blender, simply whisk all ingredients together until they are well combined. This dressing will last in the fridge for about two weeks, so feel free to make a batch ahead of time.
Other Keto Salad Dressing Recipes
Once you've mastered the basic vinaigrette, you can experiment with different flavors and ingredients to create a variety of keto-friendly salad dressings. Here are a few ideas:
- Keto Caesar Dressing: Everyone raves about Caesar salad, but few realize it is so simple to make at home. Add this Caesar dressing on top of chopped romaine lettuce and parmesan cheese for a perfect salad.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: Versatile and delicious, this lemon vinaigrette is a favorite among homemade salad dressings. The fresh lemon flavor is great on simple green salads as a dressing or as an addition to fresh steamed vegetables, like broccoli, green beans and cauliflower.
- Blue Cheese Dressing: Our rich, creamy blue cheese dressing recipe might just be the most decadent salad topper.
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing: Made with fresh ingredients, it’s a real treat compared to store-bought dressing. This zesty blend is delicious over greens or fresh garden vegetables. I love that it’s a healthier alternative to the oil-heavy versions sold in stores.
- Asian Salad Dressing: This Asian salad dressing is delicious in a salad or on stir-fried vegetables. It will last, sealed in a Mason jar, in the refrigerator for about six weeks. A tablespoon of ground ginger may be used in place of fresh.
- Basil Vinaigrette: A splash of this delicate dressing lets the goodness of fresh spring greens shine through. It’s also excellent drizzled over wedges of vine-ripened tomatoes.
- Keto Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette: Try adding this delicious dressing to your keto food list. For the best results, start with all the ingredients at room temperature. If the oil is cool or cold, it is much more difficult to form the emulsion.
- Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Ginger Salad Dressing: I love this flavorful keto salad dressing because it’s super easy to make and uses pantry staples. It’s a quick fix to serve with salad greens or veggies on a weeknight.
- Tarragon Salad Dressing: Whisk together tarragon, chives, parsley and Dijon mustard for a delightful vinaigrette. This fast-to-fix keto dressing will add a fresh tang to any bowl of mixed greens.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Keto Salad Dressing
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home.
Step 1: Whisk. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until combined.
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Step 2: Serve or store. Pour over your favorite salad or store away to use later.
Storing Your Keto Salad Dressing
- To store: Salad dressing should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze: Place leftover dressing in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let it thaw completely before whisking and using.
Common Questions About Keto and Salad Dressing
- Does vinegar affect ketosis? No, vinegar does not impact ketosis because it is free of carbs.
- Can you have store-bought salad dressing on a keto diet? No, not all salad dressings support ketosis. In fact, many don’t! This is because they include carbohydrate-rich ingredients like milk, cane sugar, honey, maple syrup and other sugar derivatives like maltodextrin, fructose, dextrose and sucrose.
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