This oil-free dressing is tangy, bright, sweet, and filled with fresh herbs. Easy to make and ready in 2 minutes, it’s perfect for your favorite salad, grain bowls, or pasta salad.
Do you have a difficult time finding a decent vegan salad dressing without oil since you started pursuing a whole food plant-based lifestyle? I get it.
Plant-based foods have come a long way. But you still need to read those labels. And that’s especially true regarding vegan versions of your favorite salad dressing.
But, the weather’s getting warm, it’s salad season, and you want to enjoy that nice fresh salad. And the last thing you want to do is cover it in some oil-filled commercial salad dressings from the grocery store. What do you do?
I know, I know. It’s hard to find healthy salad dressing recipes that don’t taste like crap?
Good news, my friends! This delicious oil-free dressing is made with simple, healthy ingredients and contains no added oil. That’s right! It’s completely oil-free!
“But, Shane, what about flavor?” This salad dressing has so much flavor it should come with a disclaimer: “Warning: May cause sudden bursts of joy, spontaneous dancing, and uncontrollable cravings for more salad!”
Do you prefer creamy dressings? Check out my Vegan Ranch Dressing, vegan French Dressing, and other creamy oil-free dressings.
Table of Contents
Why you should make your own homemade salad dressings
Homemade salad dressings are much better for you and much more cost-efficient.
You can control the ingredients, so you always know it’s healthy. And the ingredients are cheap, which makes them a great addition to your weekly menu.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This simple oil-free dressing recipe uses only healthy ingredients; no blender or food processor is required.
- balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- maple syrup
- nutritional yeast (optional)
- basil and oregano
The recipe card at the bottom of the page contains a full list of ingredients, amounts, steps, and notes.
How To Make Oil-Free Salad Dressing
Whether you’re following an oil-free diet for health reasons or you just want something lighter with flavor, this is a good dressing for you. And it’s stupidly simple to make.
- Add all your ingredients to a mason jar with a lid
- Shake until the dressing is well mixed.
- Enjoy this sweet and tangy salad dressing on your favorite salad, side salad, or use it to add flavor to your favorite vegetables.
Yes, we know it’s great on your leafy greens. But you can also use it in my Tomato Cucumber Salad and Classic Three Bean Salad.
Oil-free Dressing Variations
This flavorful dressing is great as-is. But the original recipe is a great oil-free base for creating your concoction. Here are a few of my favorite ways to add to this recipe.
- Vinegar: You can change the flavor profile of this oil-free dressing by replacing the balsamic vinegar with rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar.
- Fruit Juice: a splash of fresh orange juice or apple juice is a great way to add a sweet depth of flavor.
- Spices & Seasonings: get creative with the flavor, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Seasonings like thyme, marjoram, oregano, and parsley add great flavor. Spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper add a bit more savoriness and a kick!
- Citrus: a light squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice adds more brightness.
- Savory: a little low-sodium soy sauce or miso paste adds a nice “umami” essence. But go sparingly, or it’ll be too salty.
- Sweetener: date syrup or agave nectar can be used instead of maple syrup.
- Fresh Herbs: fresh basil, oregano, or fresh parsley bring a fresh and herby vibe.
- Silken Tofu: try blending ¼ cup of lite silken tofu with dressing. It adds creaminess, almost like a Caesar dressing, without all of the extra oil. It also makes a great dip for your favorite vegetables.
Salad Dressing FAQs
Peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini are all great ways of adding healthy fats and flavor to this dressing.
Low-calorie and fat-free options that are plant-based and homemade are best for salads if you’re watching the waistline. This oil-free dressing is a great option for that huge salad if you want to drop a few pounds.
Yes, absolutely! You can make a big batch, divide the dressing evenly in an ice cube tray, and place it in the freezer. This is a great way to use only what you want or need. You can thaw it by heating it in the microwave or stovetop or letting it sit in the fridge overnight.
Pro Tips
If you’re going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
- Store in a glass jar with an airtight lid like a mason jar.
- This dressing is great for meal prep and making larger quantities because it keeps so well. You can store it in a jar with a lid in the fridge for up to 2 months.
- You can leave the maple syrup out of this recipe if you don’t like the sweetness.
- Toss in a tablespoon of sesame seeds for texture and presentation, and add a bit of nuttiness to your dressing.
More oil-free salad dressing recipes
Check out this delicious list of healthy salad dressings!
If you try this recipe be sure and let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #shaneandsimple on Instagram. Peace, grace, and good vibes.
PrintOil-Free Balsamic Salad Dressing
This balsamic Oil free Salad Dressing is so easy to make and ready in less than 2 minutes! It’s tangy with a hint of sweetness and absolutely delicious. Whole foods plant-based, nut-free, oil-free, and gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 2 mins.
- Total Time: 2 mins.
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads & Dressings
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. dried basil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a jar with an airtight lid and shake until everything is well combined. If you don’t have jar, add the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk.
Equipment
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
- Calories: 33
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 79.9 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.3 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sandi
Yum, yum, yum! Found this when looking for a lower calorie dressing. I don’t miss the oil at all. I made it yesterday and it was great. Eating it again today and it is even better! Thanks for sharing! This one is going into the archives!
Sheri
Hi Shane! I made this with Balsamic GLAZE which is really thick. Was I supposed to use the thiner Balsamic vinegar? Please share what you use when it come to the Balsamic. I did think it was really good! 🙂
Shane Martin
Vinegar and glaze are two different things. Balsamic vinegar is very thin.
Christopher Jones
Hello, I just made my second jar of this amazing dressing and it’s a huge hit! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shane Martin
Thank you so much!!!
Julie
I have finally found an oil-free dressing that I like. Thanks. You are the best!
ALICE
So good! So tasty! Thanks Shane.
Charlene
Took to our synagogue oneg to replace store bought dressing and everyone wants the recipe.
So amazing how good it can be without oil.
Thanks Shane!
Shane Martin
Thank you so much! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Lisa Sottile
WOW!!!!! Fabulous salad dressing! This one is moving to the top of my list!
Thank you, Mr. Shane!
Kathleen
My youngest son’s favorite dressing! I’ve started doubling the recipe, because he doesn’t want anything else. Thanks, Shane!
Linda
Love this dressing, just perfect , between sweet and tangy !! Love your recipes , so simple, and easy to make !! Thank you 😊
Paula
Wow. Didn’t even miss the olive oil. Thank you for this lovely dressing. Just discovered your website a few days ago and now can’t wait to try more of your creations.
Shane Martin
Thank you so much, Paula!!!
Kimber
So good. I was looking for something lower calorie than EVOO and this fits the bill without sacrificing taste. I add a little chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Perfect.
Shane Martin
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Sandi
This is THE BEST salad dressing EVER! I eat a salad almost every day for lunch and never get tired of this dressing! SO much better than any store bought brand and easy!
Shane Martin
Thank you so much!!!
Bobbie Shinehouse
Thanks for this tasty salad dressing recipe. Easy and nut free. Since I am a single person household, I love that it keeps in the fridge for 2-3 months.
Denice
So delicious! So easy! And oil free! Thanks so much!
Heather
Fabulous!!
Erin
I made this to use in pasta salad. It was great! So easy and delicious and I had all the ingredients on hand. I usually prefer creamy dressings for greens, but will definitely be using this for salads also. I look forward to trying so many of your other recipes that all look so amazing. Thanks Shane for sharing your passion for WFPB cooking in this awesome blog. I wish I had known you when you were here in Charlotte. I would have loved to cook with and learn from you. 😊
Shane Martin
Wow, thank you so much! Maybe we can meet when we’re back in town:)
Erin
Count me in! ☺️
Melva
Where has this dressing been all of my life? 😍. It is seriously so good. I’m only a week into my vegan journey and this dressing is totally saving me!!!!! Honestly, it’s better than the ones I eaten in the past with oil. Thank you so much for this recipe (and all the others)
Sharon Toney
Let me just say………..You knocked it outta park with this recipe! It even tastes BETTER than the oily ones!
Every time I need a recipe for something, I google you! Thanks for all you do to keep us on track!
I so appreciate you!
Shane Martin
Thank you!
Tasha
I was in the middle of making my salad. My option was a store bought dressing that was too oily for me. So I looked online and came across your recipe! I had all the ingredients and it was quick and easy! And it was pretty tasty! Thank you for sharing!
Shane Martin
Thank you!
Loretta
This was YUMMY! I made it with spicy brown mustard, because that’s what I had. I also used honey instead of maple syrup. (My brother-in-law is a bee keeper, and I like to support the honey bees!) I love the taste of this dressing, made without oil.
Shane Martin
Sounds great, Loretta! Thanks for reaching out.
Sandi
This shit is THE BOMB!!! Addicting. I love garlic and added a couple cloves and it is simply DELECTABLE. Thank you! No more olive oil! 🙂
Shane Martin
Hell yeah!
Terri Clinton
Delicious oil free recipe! I chose to make it without the maple syrup as I prefer a less sweet dressing. I used a dark aged balsamic from The Olive Station.
JoAnn M Lakes
WOW!!!! Tasty, easy to make with ingredients in every household! Who could ask for more? Did I mention that it keeps and can I use it as a formula so I can tweak the herbs, the sweetener, the vinegars, what mustard I want, and it keeps up to 2 weeks! Now that’s a winner.
Tangy,
Sweet,
Gluten-free,
Easy,
Versatile,
Fat-free,
& SO delicious!
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marlo
Love this dressing…delicious and so very easy to prepare!!! I inherited 2 of my mom’s Good Seasonings cruets from the 1960s/70s and when I double the recipe it fills one of the cruets…which is perfect…and I get about 8 servings!
Grisha Phillips
How long will this recipe stay fresh in frig? I live alone and will mot be using it everyday? LIVE YOUR recipes thank you
Shane Martin
2-3 weeks.
Linda
In the article it says 2-3 months – just to be sure is it weeks or months?
Shane Martin
Hi, Linda! It is for months.
Selina
Love this. So easy to make and the fact that it keeps for 8 weeks or more in the fridge. I’ll have it used long before that time. I used 1tbsp of deli mustard and 2 tbsp of Dijon. The deli mustard gives a bit more heat.
Valerie
I have now made this salad dressing a dozen times. I love it! I tweak the recipe each time with whatever fresh or dry herbs I have. This dressing also makes an excellent marinade. Looking forward to more oil-free dressings. In the meantime, all the dressings on this site are delicious and easy to make. Thank You!
Shane Martin
Thanks so much, Valerie! If you wouldn’t mind, I’d really appreciate you giving it a star rating. It helps me with the powers-that-be in Google land:)
Valerie
I have now made this salad dressing a dozen times. I love it! I tweak the recipe each time with whatever fresh or dry herbs I have. This dressing also makes an excellent marinade. Looking forward to more oil-free dressings. In the meantime, all the dressings on this site are delicious and easy to make. Thank You!
Dana G.
This was so flavorful. Hard to believe the dressing didn’t contain oil. I didnt feel a bit guilty for completely coating my salad. So satisfying. Thank you!
Shane Martin
My pleasure, Dana! Blessings.
Andrae
Perfect recipe to use up our abundance of zucchini from our garden. Really so quick and easy. My three year old loved it as well, though she didn’t want the dressing b/c she’s not a huge mustard fan. There was a lot leftover, so we just tossed it on pasta the next day and added a bit of olive our instead of dressing. Was also great.
Shane Martin
Awesome! Yes, it makes a great pasta salad:)
Lisa Nan
Who knew dressing sans oil could be so good. I made this to go stop the summer squash saute. First time I ever liked zucchini that wasn’t baked into bread.
Peg
Love the recipe! Wonder if you would share what brand of balsamic you use? I’m always trying to find a good source of balsamic. Thanks!
Shane Martin
Thank you so much! Honestly, it’s usually whatever I see first and grab:)
Katherine Torrington
Yum!!! Made this for a spinach/orange/red onion salad on a camping trip!!
Marge Teilhaber
I’m underweight and need to gain 7 more pounds, so I will use EVOO and delete the maple syrup since I don’t like a sweet & savory combo. Love maple syrup, of course, but only in pancakes or muffins. If I was looking to maintain or lose weight, maybe I’d throw in pureed cannellini beans and some aquafaba. The recipe looks like a winner.
Laura H
This dressing is amazing! I used half the maple syrup and added some garlic powder since I don’t like mine too sweet and love garlic. Had to share with a friend as well, so 4 people in total that loved it! We range from one who is completely Vegan, almost entirely WFPB, 2 of us working on being more plant based, & 1 Midwestern meat guy who is not interested in healthy eating at all but still raved about it!
Tammy
so simple. so good. just what I was l looking for to keep true to my new #WFPB-NO eating style
I had every single ingredient on hand. That never happens!
Shane Martin
Awesome! Thank you, Tammy!
Patty
This is a great salad dressing and the Dijon mustard took it to another level!
Shane Martin
Thanks so much, Patty!!! So glad you enjoyed it.
Melissa
Love this!!! Finally a great balsamic dressing recipe that is easy and tasty.
Lindsey
This is a perfect dressing. I love that it uses ingredients I always have on hand. Thank you.
Shane Martin
Lindsey, thank you so much! Happy New Year!
Luci
Shane, love this dressing, so quick, easy and yummy! And no blender needed, that’s worth 5 stars right there! 😉 Thank you!
Rebecca E Davidson
This is amazing & so quick & easy to make! Another staple in my kitchen Shane, thank you! This is a winner!
Shane Martin
Thank you!
Rebecca E Davidson
Amazing flavors. This is a winner!!
Sarah
This is very good. Can I replace the balsamic vinegar with a different type? I have other types of vinegar that I would like to make into a salad dressing.
Thank you
Shane Martin
I would try apple cider vinegar.
Kelly
Yum! Even my teens approved! The only addition I made was crushed garlic. Thanks for the terrific recipe Shane! 🙏🏼
Shane Martin
You can never go wrong with garlic.
Melanie
Delicious, thanks so much! I’m 3 weeks into my WFPBD and most surprising to me, oil has been the most difficult thing to give up. I was SO happy to see your oil free dressing and mayo.
Shane Martin
Congrats, Melanie! Way to go and so glad you liked the dressing. Keep it up. It gets easier. So excited for you.
Anne Henderson
Really delicious!!! Yay!! Salad dressing without oil and is so so yummy!!
Patti
I made this recipe a few weeks ago & it is so delicious.
HJE
Needs to be renamed: *The Best* Oil-Free Balsalic Dressing! By far the best oil-free balsamic dressing I’ve tried! I used some blueberry balsamic vinegar that I happened to have on hand. Thanks for yet another terrific recipe!
Shane Martin
Wow! Thank you so much!!!
Shay Crook
Love this recipe. So simple and tastes just like the oil laden store bought brand I have purchased in the past. Thank you.
Juliana
This was terrific, and so simple and easy!
Carolyn Wheeler
This is a great recipe!! So quick, easy, and simple!! What I especially like about it is that besides tasting good it keeps a long time. So many of the salad dressing recipes that can be found online only store for several days which makes them hardly worth the effort.
That being said, I am not a big fan of mustard. Can you suggest anything else to use in place of mustard? – maybe something that would give it a different flavor? Maybe something sweet or tangy? It seems like every WFPB vinaigrette recipe uses mustard. Surely there must be some vinaigrettes that don’t use mustard but still taste good and store a long time? I look forward to hearing any suggestions you may have.
P.S. I love the way your recipes print out in such an easy to read, simple, and clear format. Thank you for all your hard work!! Your site is stellar! =)
Shane Martin
Hi, Carolyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. You can totally leave out the mustard and add a little more maple if you like. Thanks for reaching out and the kind words.
Janice Spencer
This is really good. Thank you for a recipe that is not only delicious but so simple with on hand ingredients!
Shane Martin
Thank you, Janice!