This sugar free salad dressing recipe is easy to make, tastes fresh and delicious, and is ready in minutes.
Do you know what makes a salad a REALLY good salad? The dressing.
But, do you know what makes a salad a PHENOMENAL salad? A homemade sugar free salad dressing, using clean and healthy ingredients, like we do in this recipe.
Use this dressing on our meaty grinder salad or as a dip for our instant pot artichokes.
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Why you're going to love this recipe
This sugar free salad dressing recipe is great on its own, but it’s also the perfect starting point to experiment around with different flavors.
It can be adjusted for all types of cuisines, like Thai, Italian, and Mexican with the addition of different herbs and spices.
Use it as a marinade on a steak or roast. The acids in this dressing are perfect for tenderizing meat.
Or drizzle it on a side salad to accompany this Chicken Fritta Recipe, which is comfort food at its best.
And it doesn’t end at just leafy greens. This dressing is also delicious with this Keto Broccoli Salad.
If you love salad, you might want to try this pineapple salad or our Burrata caprese salad next.
What's In Your Salad Dressing?
There are so many advantages to making your own salad dressing at home. First, it’s less expensive and contains ingredients found in most pantries.
Second, you have full control over what is in your dressing. Most store-bought salad dressings contain industrial seed oils, added sugar (like corn syrup and cane sugar), and preservatives.
In one popular salad dressing, there was 14 grams of sugar in just 2 tablespoons.
Even the dressings labeled sugar free can be problematic because they still might contain preservatives and industrial seed oils.
This recipe has no preservatives, industrial seed oils, or sugar, and is beneficial because of the healthy fats and probiotics it contains.
Another healthy recipe that we love is this Chicken and Brussels Sprouts recipe that can be cooked on one sheet pan for easy clean up!
Dressing ingredients
When using such simple ingredients, it is always best to try to find the highest quality ingredients that you can afford to maximize the flavor.
Lemon Juice- Lemon has been used in almost all cultures to add brightness and freshness to their dishes. And it does the same here.
Garlic- Garlic is pungent and adds a hint of bitterness to the dressing.
Dijon Mustard- Dijon mustard acts as the emulsifier in this dish, which helps everything blend together without separating.
Apple Cider Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is the vinegar of choice, because of its delicious fruity and sharp taste. We love using it in our easy keto coleslaw recipe.
If you are unable to use apple cider vinegar, you may also use balsamic and red wine vinegar.
Salt- This elevates all the other ingredients in the dish. You don’t need much to bring balance to the dressing.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil- When purchasing extra-virgin olive oil at the store, avoid buying oil that is stored in a clear plastic container as it can become oxidized.
If you can’t find a quality source of extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil can work as well. But we love that additional flavor olive oil brings to this dish.
If you have any questions about this no sugar salad dressing recipe, please leave a comment below and we will get back to you.
Variations
This dairy free, sugar free salad dressing is great on its own, but why stop there? There are so many ways to customize this dressing.
Once everything is mixed together, try adding freshly chopped herbs, such as basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, dill, cilantro, mint, or chives.
Or, you can use spices like black pepper, red chili flakes, dried rosemary, Italian seasoning, celery seed, tarragon, or sumac.
Get creative!
How to make a sugar free salad dressing
Add all the ingredients to a jar.
- Add the lid and secure, and shake to combine.
- Serve over your favorite salad.
- Store In the refrigerator in a glass container for up to a week.
For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the printable recipe card below.
A side salad with this dressing and our chicken paillard recipe will make a perfect, light meal.
Expert tip
Always use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice does not taste the same, plus many brands have preservatives.
We love using fresh lemon juice in our keto lemon bars with coconut flour.
FAQs
Our no sugar salad dressing recipe includes dijon mustard, which is an emulsifying agent that allows the oil and vinegar to stay together and not separate. Other common emulsifiers are egg yolks and yogurt.
We don't recommend using white vinegar as it lacks flavor. If you don't want to use apple cider vinegar, use balsamic or red wine vinegar instead.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Since you are making the dressing in a glass jar, it is best to simply store in the same jar in the fridge for a week.
Freezer: We do not recommend freezing.
For another super simple sugar free recipe, make our keto chocolate mug cake. It's ready in a minutes.
More great keto condiments
LET'S GET SOCIAL, you can follow Four Score Living on Pinterest. You can also leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Did you make this no sugar salad dressing recipe? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought!
📖 Recipe
Sugar Free Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard sugar free
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a jar.
- Add the lid and secure, and shake to combine.
- Serve over your favorite salad.
- Store In the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- Always use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice does not taste the same, plus many brands have preservatives.
- You can add freshly chopped herbs, such as basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, dill, cilantro, mint, or chives to add additional flavor.
- Since you are making the dressing in a glass jar, it is best to simply store in the same jar in the fridge for a week.
avis
Is it o.k. to omit the salt?
Four Score Living
Hi Avis,
Yes, you can leave out the salt when making the dressing. Wishing you all the best for 2024.
The Four Score Living Team
Curtis Epperly
I made this recipe yesterday, however, when I looked in my refrigerator this morning, I noticed that it has congealed. Is their a specific reason as to why this took place? It seems that the EVOO is separating itself from the other ingredients. Can you assist?
Four Score Living
Hello Curtis,
Thank you for reaching out! It may be a thickening agent in your mustard that is creating this effect, as the garlic and mustard in this recipe are already natural emulsifiers and some mustard products contain a small of amount of added thickeners. Also the EVOO may have "solidified," as some refrigerators run colder than others. If this is the case leaving your dressing out to come to room temperature before serving should help to thin the consistency.
Regarding the separation, oil and vinegar based dressings will naturally separate into layers with the oil on top. Even when using a food processer to blend, oil and vinegar still undergo a natural separation when stored. Whisking the dressing will help to breakup the oil droplets and remix its components prior to use.
I hope this is helpful!
The Four Score Living Team
Reeter
Most Dijon mustards have sugar in them, so technically this is not sugar free. It may not be a lot of sugar, but it is sugar.
Four Score Living
Hi Reeter,
Thanks for pointing out that there are some Dijon mustards that have added sugars, but the most popular brands - Grey Poupon, Maille, 365 by Whole Foods and Trader Joe's all have zero added sugars and will work perfectly with our sugar free recipe. As with any diet, reading the nutrition label and ingredients list of any product before purchasing is a must.
The Four Score Living Team
cindy
maybe add to your listed recipe beside dijon mustard to use the kind that is sugar free,as the way you have it listed assumes any type of dijon mustard. Very confusing as you have listed this recipe as sugar free and it isn't
Dane & Becky
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for taking the time to let us know. I have done as suggested and put a note next to the ingredient. Our recommended brand is Maille which is sugar free.
Dane and Becky