7 Creamy gluten free dairy free salad dressing recipes suitable for vegan and clean eating diet as well. Enhance your salad with this collection of healthy soy free dairy free gluten free salad dressing recipes made with whole clean ingredients without processed dairy free or vegan substitutes – ready in 5 minutes – low carb and paleo approved.
Choose between a creamy avocado, healthy anti-inflammatory dressing, dairy free raspberry vinaigrette, homemade vegan ranch, creamy dairy free Greek and Italian Salad Dressings, or a soy free Thai salad dressing (+ nut free option). Also try a honey mustard dressing with your favorite salad or a smoky honey mustard sauce for your roasted veggies.
Gluten Free Dairy Free Salad Dressings (Vegan)
I was on the hunt for a clean healthy vegan or dairy free salad dressing for a long time (because I’m avoiding dairy, gluten, soy and refined sugar), but, I just gave up. Even if the front label said – gluten free, vegan, dairy free dressing, I was shocked how much junk they actually had on the back label.
It’s not fun eating a bland salad. Especially when you’re transitioning to a cleaner diet. So I’m determined to find the perfect gluten free dairy free vegan salad dressing recipes that can be made without dairy, soy and refined sugar. That could brighten up the flavor of the dish and also deliver the best nutrition possible without processed ingredients.
To find more gluten free and dairy free salad dressing recipe ideas, check out this vegan “honey” mustard or my cookbook!
Why Make Homemade Gluten Free Dairy Free Salad Dressings
- Store bought salad dressings usually contain genetically modified ingredients, corn syrup, MSG, “natural” flavors and colors. There are only a few brands with clean ingredients (see listed brands below).
- Making them without any processed (vegan or dairy free) substitutes (low quality processed oils like canola or soybean) will make them even more healthier and nutritious. When I make my homemade gluten free dairy free salad dressing recipes I like to use wholesome organic ingredients (vegan or not) so I could freely feed my child too.
- Making your own dairy free gluten free salad dressing allows you to control fat, sugar and sodium plus the quality of ingredients.
- Homemade salad dressings are usually cheaper to make.
These 7 healthy creamy dairy free salad dressings are some of my favorite to make, they go well with a a lot of things, like coleslaws, leafy green salads, steamed veggies, roasted vegetables, chicken, as topping for baked root veggies or cooked grains – or as dips with crudités.
Gluten Free Vegan Avocado Dressing Recipe (Green Goddess)
(see recipe card below)
The healthy fats of the avocados in this creamy dairy free avocado dressing will increase the nutrient absorption from all the greens in your meal.
It also make a really nice nut free creamy dressing if you’re allergic to nuts and their butters. For extra benefits, instead of using olive oil, I opted for hemp oil, which is high in antioxidants and omega-3.
I like to use it whenever I want to enhance the taste and the nutritional profile of a salad, like this Beet Salad With Black Radish And Cranberries or a regular cabbage slaw.
To make this gluten free dairy free avocado dressing, add all of the ingredients in a tall container and mix with an immersion blender, or with your regular blender. Blend until you have a creamy consistency, add more plant milk if you want it on the thinner side.
Creamy Dairy Free Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (Vegan)
(see recipe card below)
This recipe makes a smooth and creamy raspberry vinaigrette dressing that goes well with any mixed green salad. The taste is out of this world good! You can make it with fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries.
In order to get a more concentrated flavor I also like to use freeze dried raspberries, it makes such a huge difference!
To make this raspberry vinaigrette creamy and dairy free I used plant yogurt. To get a thicker consistency – coconut yogurt is the best.
Related: Peach Vinaigrette – Creamy Peach Salad Dressing
Vegan Creamy Italian & Greek Dressing
(see recipe card below)
The Greek and Italian salad dressings, are actually quite similar in composition.
The key to making healthy creamy gluten free dairy free Italian and Greek dressing is really in the quality of ingredients beginning with a creamy base and ending with flavorful herbs like oregano, thyme and basil.
In order to have a distinctive Greek salad flavor I added some kalamata olives and rosemary.
Creamy Gluten Free Soy Free Thai Salad Dressing (Vegan)
(see recipe card below)
Unlike the famous peanut Thai dressing that would be served over a crunchy Thai salad, this creamy dairy free dressing uses different ingredients.
Instead of using peanut butter (I don’t tolerate well peanuts) this dressing gets its creamy texture from cashew butter.
For a totally nut free version I also like to use sunflower seed butter, hummus or sesame seeds. It needs to be blended very well if you use the whole seeds.
Related: Smoky Honey Mustard Sauce
Dairy Free Gluten Free Ranch Dressing Recipe (Vegan)
(see recipe card below)
Wait, does ranch dressing have dairy and gluten? That’s what I hear people asking all the time. It depends on the brands, but usually they do, especially the thick ones!
If you’re looking for a gluten free dairy free ranch dressing recipe, this is my favorite! It’s slightly sweet, slightly acidic, with just the right kick from garlic and herbs.
You don’t have to use any mayo to achieve that wonderful creamy taste, which also makes it vegan. It also has no additives or gums like the store-bought versions.
Next time you want a healthy creamy and dairy free ranch dressing made totally from scratch, make this one, you will not regret it. I like to mix it with most of my salads like this creamy chickpea salad or radish salads or this shrimp cabbage salad whenever I don’t use mayo.
Gluten Free Creamy Anti-inflammatory Salad Dressing (Vegan)
(see recipe card below)
Most anti-inflammatory turmeric based dressings are tahini based however I don’t tolerate it well when consumed in large quantities, so I came up with some modifications.
I like that this gluten free dairy free salad dressing is creamy, packed with flavor and has a really nice color too.
Plus all the ingredients used in this anti-inflammatory dressing are known for aiding inflammation in the body. I usually like to dress my Radish, Dandelion And Egg Salad with it.
Tips To Make The Best Gluten Free, Dairy Free Salad Dressing Recipes
- To make these dairy free salad dressings – creamy, choose as base: whole nuts and seeds, their yogurts or butters.
- To sweeten the dressing up choose between pure maple syrup, honey, dates, or stevia.
- Start with less liquid and slowly move up from there until you get the desired consistency.
- Dried herbs are more potent than fresh. When substituting one for the other in a recipe use 1 part dried herb to 3 parts fresh.
- Chill the salad dressings for 30 minutes prior to use in order to develop more flavor, especially if you used dry ingredients.
- To make these homemade dressings gluten free, avoid soy sauce and spice blends. Buy individual herbs and spices.
Storing Tips
Refrigerate and store your salad dressings in a covered container for up to 10 days if you use dried ingredients.
If you use fresh ingredients and fresh herbs it has to be consumed within 5-6 days.
If it solidified put the bottle in a bowl of hot water and give it another good stir, it should liquify in a matter of minutes.
Video: How To Make Gluten Free Dairy Free Salad Dressings
More Healthy Salad Dressings To Try
Healthy Gluten And Dairy Free Salad Dressing Brands
If you try these creamy gluten free dairy free salad dressings please let me know.
Leave a comment and star rating below, your feedback is super helpful for me and readers. Thank you!
7 Creamy Gluten Free Dairy Free Salad Dressing Recipes (Vegan)
Ingredients
Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
- ¾ cup plain cashew yogurt or thick coconut yogurt
- 2 tbsp champagne vinegar - or lemon juice
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard - or Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp dried onions - chopped or onion powder
- 1 tsp dried dill - (or fresh)
- 1 tsp dried parsley - (or fresh)
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- pinch stevia extract powder - or 1 tbsp honey if not vegan
Avocado Dressing "Green Goddess"
- 1 large avocado
- 1 medium lime - (the juice)
- ¼ cup plant milk - I used hemp
- 2 tbsp hemp oil
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1 tbsp dried onions - chopped (or 1/2 fresh shallot)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp maple syrup - or honey
- 1 tsp coriander - or basil
- handful of fresh parsley
- ⅓ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Creamy Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¾ cup plant yogurt - coconut or cashew works well
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
- ⅓ cup mashed frozen raspberries with a little water - (seeds removed)
- 2 tbsp freeze dried raspberries - (for a more concentrated flavor)
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried onions - chopped
- pinch of stevia extract powder - (or 2 tbsp of honey)
- salt and pepper - to taste
Healthy Anti-inflammatory Salad Dressing
- ½ cup plant yogurt - tahini and cashew butter works well too
- 4 tbsp lemon juice - or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp organic raw honey - or maple syrup (vegan)
- 2-3 tbsp plant milk - to thin it out
- salt + pepper - to taste
Creamy Thai Salad Dressing
- 4 Tbsp cashew butter - (you can also use almond or peanut butter, hummus, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds)
- 3-4 tbsp coconut aminos - (soy sauce alternative)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp dried mustard - (powder)
- 1 tsp dried onion - (chopped)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ⅓ tsp black pepper
Creamy Italian Salad Dressing
- 3-4 tbsp watermelon seed butter - (you can also use sunflower seed butter, cashew butter or a plant yogurt)
- ⅓ cup plant milk
- 3 tbsp lemon juice - or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - or grape seed oil
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1 tbsp dried onion - or 1/2 fresh shallot
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 tsp oregano - dried or fresh
- 1 tsp thyme - dried or fresh
- 1 tsp basil - dried or fresh
- salt + pepper - to taste
Creamy Greek Salad Dressing
- To all ingredients in the previous Italian Salad Dressing, add:
- 1 tsp rosemary - dried or fresh
- 5 kalamata olives
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and blend with an immersion blender until well combined and smooth.
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days if you use dry ingredients. If you use fresh ingredients and fresh herbs it has to be consumed within 5 days.
Video
Notes
- If using fresh herbs, grab a large handful, their flavor is less concentrated than in the dried ones.
- If you want a dip like consistency for your dairy free salad dressing, use nut or seed butters or thick coconut yogurt.
- For a smoother texture I like to use butters instead of whole seeds or nuts.
- Start with less liquid and slowly move up from there until you get the desired consistency.
- To sweeten the dressing up choose between pure maple syrup, honey, dates, or stevia.
- Chill the salad dressings for 30 minutes prior to use in order to develop more flavor, especially if you used dry ingredients.
- To make these homemade salad dressings gluten free, avoid soy sauce and spice blends. Buy individual herbs and spices.
- Use a jar not much wider than the head of your immersion blender.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Sheryl
Saturday 9th of November 2024
I made the Avocado Green Goddess dressing! Wow! So good! I'm eating it on your zucchini fritters! Yum! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Olga Caz
Sunday 10th of November 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Tricia
Sunday 25th of July 2021
Anti Inflammatory dressing with cashew butter and apple cider vinegar is AWESOME. Somehow it tastes like honey mustard dressing. I am excited to try all them, thank you!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Sunday 25th of July 2021
Awesome! I'm really glad you gave it shot, I hope you try more :)
Tina
Wednesday 23rd of October 2019
Oh my GOD! The raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing is absolutely fantastic! I will definetly make it many times it takes your salad from meh..to whoa....
Lauren
Friday 27th of March 2020
I'm excited to try your salad dressing recipes but I can't have nuts. When you have sunflower seeds as an alternative, am I to grind them up? The ranch dressing calls for cashew yogurt, so do I just use ground up sunflower seeds instead?
HealthyTasteOfLife
Wednesday 23rd of October 2019
I love it too, this dressing is one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Sarah
Wednesday 5th of June 2019
I'm going dairy free due to health issues and I was so worried I won't be able do enjoy tasty salad dressings anymore until I found out these recipes and I'm eager to say that the avocado and ranch dressing are the best thing I ever made in my kitchen. I shared them with a few of my dairy free friends and the rest of the family who are not dairy free and they also liked them a lot!!! Thanks for sharing!!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Wednesday 5th of June 2019
These dairy free dressing are my favorite too, plus the raspberry vinaigrette which I make on special occasions. I'm really glad you found something you like. Thank you for your feedback!