5 Whole30 Salad Dressing Recipes (2024)

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5 from 18 votes

These flavorful Whole30 salad dressing recipes use healthy, accessible ingredients compliant with any diet! Choose between carrot ginger, sweet basil, creamy caper chive, tahini dill, and yogurt mint,
with textures ranging from light to creamy.

These naturally sweetened, dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan dressings make great marinades and dipping sauces, too! For more Whole30 meal prep recipes, try my smoked salmon salad with creamy caper dressing or these veggie-packed Whole30 breakfast hashbrowns.

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Ingredients for 5 Whole30 dressings for salads

Searching for a good Whole30 dressing recipe, I came across many Whole30 balsamic vinegar, Italian dressing, and ranch dressing ideas. I wanted to make some Asian-inspired recipes that my audience would love. Here are 5 whole30 dressings for salads ranging from light to creamy. Enjoy!

Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing

• Ingredients: Carrots, ginger, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, coarse sea salt, olive oil.
• Flavor: A light and zesty blend of finely pulsed carrots and ginger, enhanced with rice vinegar and coconut aminos. The toasted sesame oil adds a nutty finish, creating a dressing that’s both vibrant and rich in texture. Works great as a marinade.

Sweet Basil Citrus Salad Dressing

• Ingredients: Fresh basil, orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, coarse sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
• Flavor: This Whole30 compliant salad dressing sings with fresh basil leaves, sweet orange, and tangy lemon juice, with a hint of Dijon mustard. Whisked with olive oil, it’s a citrusy, herbaceous dressing that’s light yet flavorful. Also a great marinade.

Creamy Caper Chive Salad Dressing

• Ingredients: Dijon mustard, Whole30 mayo, red wine vinegar, shallot, capers, chives, coarse sea salt, and olive oil.
• Flavor: A creamy concoction featuring tangy Dijon mustard and mayo, combined with the briny punch of capers and fresh chives. It’s rich and luscious, perfect for enveloping greens in creamy goodness or using as a dipping sauce.

Herbed Tahini-Dill Salad Dressing

• Ingredients: Tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, apple juice, coarse sea salt, black pepper, ice-cold water, fresh dill, olive oil.
• Flavor: Nutty tahini meets zesty lemon and aromatic dill in this creamy, herby dressing. Adding apple juice brings a slight sweetness, making it a uniquely flavored, smooth dressing or dipping sauce.

Yogurt Mint Salad Dressing

• Ingredients: Unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic, coarse sea salt, fresh mint leaves.
• Flavor: Refreshingly tangy dairy-free yogurt combined with zesty lemon, pungent garlic, and cool mint. This dressing offers a creamy texture with a refreshing minty zing, ideal for a light, invigorating salad or as a dipping sauce.

Substitutions and variations

If you aren’t on a Whole30 reset and are okay with soy, you can also use regular soy sauce as opposed to coconut aminos. Start with half of the recipe quantity and taste and adjust.

How to make Whole thirty salad dressing 5 ways

These delightful Whole 30 dressings are so easy to whip up and store well in the fridge. Here are the instructions for making these dressings and sauces creamy and flavorful.

1. Whole30 carrot-ginger salad dressing:
   Pulse carrot and ginger in a blender or food processor until very finely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a few more times until the ingredients have almost been pureed.
2. Whole30 sweet basil citrus salad dressing:
   Pulse basil leaves a few times until finely chopped. In a bowl combine chopped basil with the rest of the ingredients except olive oil. Slowly whisk in olive oil to emulsify the dressing.
3. Whole30 creamy caper-chive salad dressing:
   Combine all ingredients except olive oil. Slow drizzle in the oil to the mixture while whisking at the same time to emulsify the dressing.
4. Whole30 herbed tahini-dill salad dressing:
   Combine all ingredients and whisk until creamy and smooth. Add more ice-cold water to thin the texture before serving.
5. Whole30 yogurt mint dressing/dip:
   Combine all ingredients and whisk until creamy and smooth. Different dairy-free yogurt has different acidity levels. Taste and make seasoning adjustments.

Choosing the perfect Whole30 dressings for different greens

Choosing the right dressing for your greens can be as nuanced as wine pairings, with each combination bringing out the best flavors.

For a creamier texture dressing, try it with greens like Iceberg, Romaine, Arugula, Bibb Lettuce, Radicchio, Watercress, Endive, Frisée, bok choy, as well as shredded or roasted/grilled cabbage wedges and steamed or blanched broccoli.

On the other hand, lighter and more citrus-based dressings pair wonderfully with Spinach, Spring greens, more Bibb Lettuce, Kale, Grilled asparagus, and again, steamed or blanched broccoli.

Generally speaking, delicate greens are enhanced by citrus-based light vinaigrettes, while heartier or more bitter greens match well with creamy and rich dressings.

Whole30 approved salad dressing brands

Tessemae’s, Primal Kitchen, Whole30 Brand, The New Primal, and Thrive Market offer salad dressings that are great for those on Whole30. To be certain, always take a peek at the labels. Typically, a Whole 30 diet salad dressing will have the Whole30 logo right on the packaging!

Whole30 compliant yogurt brands

Lavva Original, Anita’s Coconut Yogurt, GT’s CocoYo Pure, Kite Hill’s Almond Milk Yogurt (plain/unsweetened), Forager’s Cashew Milk Yogurt (plain/unsweetened), and The Coconut Collaborative Original Flavor are all delightful choices.

How to make ahead and store

All of these dressings are easy to whip up when you need them. Because they all store well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, I love to make them ahead of time so I always have them on hand for any meal.

• Make-ahead: Make the entire recipe and store it in the refrigerator.
• Storage: Store them in a mason jar or any airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Shake before serving.

What can I use Whole30 dressing on?

These recipes are fantastic on any salad or use them as whole30 sauces for dipping veggies, meats, and fries. The lighter dressings can also be used as a marinade for protein or veggies.

• Salad dressings: Try them with my Paleo kale salad, grilled peach avocado salad, shrimp avocado salad, Tatsoi salad greens, or this chicken apple avocado salad.
• Dipping sauce or sauces for noodles/bowls: Use as a sauce with my Paleo kofta kabobs or Whole30 roasted potatoes, cucumber noodles, or these Whole30 breakfast sandwiches.
• Marinades: The carrot ginger and sweet basil dressings are great for marinating chicken, shrimp, pork, steak, and more. Here are more yummy sauces for grilled chicken, too.

See our Whole30 Asian pantry guide and Whole30 recipes archive for more meal ideas!

Umami Tips

• Choose Quality Oils: Opt for high-quality oils such as olive oil, light olive oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil (in limited quantities). The oil forms the base of your dressing, so the better the quality, the tastier the dressing.
• Freshness Counts with Fruits: Always use fresh citrus like lemon, lime, oranges, or berries. Fresh fruits impart a vibrant, tangy flavor that can’t be matched by concentrates or processed fruits.
• Diverse Vinegars: Feel free to use a variety of kinds of vinegar, as most vinegar is Whole30 compatible. Choices like balsamic, rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar each add a unique tang and depth to your dressings.
• The Right Emulsifier: To get that perfect consistency, use Dijon mustard, whole eggs, or Whole30-compliant mayo as emulsifiers. They’ll help blend your dressing evenly and give it a smooth texture.
• Salad Green Choices: Match your greens to your dressing! Tender baby greens are delightful with light, citrus dressings, while robust greens like kale, bok choy, or chard are fabulous with creamy dressings. Check out our Chinese vegetables guide for more pairing ideas.
• Versatility Beyond Salads: Remember, these dressings aren’t just for salads. They double as Whole30 sauces or dressings for noodles, and even as marinades for meats and vegetables. Be creative and experiment with different uses!

FAQs

More Whole30 salad dressing recipes you might like

If you love these healthy and delicious sauces, here are some more whole 30 salad dressings you can try!

• Whole30 Asian peanut sauce made with almond butter for Whole30 compliance
• Creamy ginger dressing with zesty Dijon mustard and freshly grated ginger
• Whole30 ranch yogurt dressing made with dairy-free yogurt, milk, and mayo

Whole30 Salad Dressing Recipes (Paleo, Keto, Vegan)

Whole30 salad dressing recipes with 5 different flavors are an easy and healthy way to add more meal variety to your meal prep planning. Makes about 1 cup per dressing.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp, Calories: 47kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 42mg, Potassium: 26mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.3g, Vitamin A: 1184IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 0.1mg