Keto Salad Dressings: 5 Easy Recipes

These five keto salad dressings take 5 to 10 minutes each and have about 1 to 2 g of carbohydrate per 2 tablespoon serving: a lemon herb vinaigrette, a creamy herb dressing, a blue cheese dressing, an egg-free Caesar and an avocado lime dressing. They’re built on olive oil, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese and avocado, with lemon, lime and herbs for flavor and no added sugar. Many store-bought dressings, by contrast, contain 4 to 7 g of carbs per serving, mostly from sugar.

• Serves: each recipe makes 5 to 12 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
• Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes per dressing
• Cook time: none
• Total time: 5 to 10 minutes

Why make your own dressing on keto?

Store-bought dressings vary a lot. Per 2 tablespoon (30 g) serving, USDA FoodData Central lists about 7 g of carbohydrate in a regular honey mustard dressing, 5.6 g in French dressing, 4.4 g in thousand island and 3.6 g in Italian dressing, most of it sugar. Regular ranch has about 1.8 g and Caesar about 1 g. Homemade versions let you leave the sugar out and choose the oil.

1. Lemon herb vinaigrette

Makes about 150 ml (⅔ cup), or 5 servings.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or a mix of parsley and chives
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper

Method

1. Put the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a jar.
2. Add the olive oil and parsley, close the lid and shake hard for 20 seconds until the dressing looks cloudy and slightly thick.
3. Taste and add more lemon or salt if needed.

The mustard helps the oil and lemon stay mixed. Red wine vinegar or cider vinegar can replace the lemon juice.

2. Creamy herb dressing (ranch style)

Makes about 270 ml (generous 1 cup), or 9 servings.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
• ½ cup (115 g) full-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• A pinch of salt and black pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin

Method

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice and garlic together in a bowl.
2. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Add water a tablespoon at a time until it pours easily.
4. Chill for 30 minutes so the flavors blend.

3. Blue cheese dressing

Makes about 240 ml (1 cup), or 8 servings.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (58 g) mayonnaise
• ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
• 60 g (2 oz) blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• ½ small garlic clove, finely grated
• Black pepper

Method

1. Mash half the blue cheese into the mayonnaise and sour cream with a fork.
2. Stir in the lemon juice, garlic and pepper.
3. Fold in the rest of the cheese, leaving some chunks.
4. Thin with a spoonful of water if you want it runnier.

4. Egg-free Caesar dressing

Makes about 180 ml (¾ cup), or 6 servings. Classic Caesar dressing uses raw egg yolk, but this version uses mayonnaise instead, so there’s no raw egg.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 anchovy fillets, mashed (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water

Method

1. Mash the anchovies, if using, with the garlic to a paste.
2. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice and mustard.
3. Add water until it coats the back of a spoon, then season with pepper.

5. Avocado lime dressing

Makes about 360 ml (1½ cups), or 12 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado (about 150 g flesh)
• 100 g (scant ½ cup) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• A small handful of cilantro (coriander), about 8 g
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• About 60 ml (¼ cup) water

Method

1. Put everything except the water in a blender or food processor.
2. Blend until smooth, adding water until it pours.
3. Taste and add more lime or salt as needed.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Per 2 tablespoon (30 ml) serving, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the ingredients (anchovies not included):

Dressing	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium
Lemon herb vinaigrette	147 kcal	0.9 g	16 g	0 g	128 mg
Creamy herb	114 kcal	1.0 g	12 g	0.5 g	107 mg
Blue cheese	105 kcal	1.1 g	10 g	2 g	137 mg
Egg-free Caesar	170 kcal	1.1 g	18 g	1.4 g	206 mg
Avocado lime	49 kcal	1.7 g	4.5 g	1 g	53 mg

The avocado lime dressing is the lightest, because the avocado and yogurt replace much of the oil. All five are high in calories for their size, so measure them for a while if you’re watching your energy intake. Our guide to healthy fats on keto explains why olive oil and avocado are good everyday choices.

Contains:

• Lemon herb vinaigrette: mustard.
• Creamy herb and blue cheese: milk and egg (in mayonnaise).
• Caesar: milk, egg and mustard, plus fish if you add anchovies.
• Avocado lime: milk.

Storage and food safety

Keep all five dressings covered in the fridge. Dressings made with fresh garlic or herbs in oil need care: Oregon State University Extension advises keeping homemade flavored oils in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freezing them, to prevent botulism. Use the same 4-day limit for these dressings, and never keep them at room temperature.

The avocado lime dressing browns after a day or two. Pressing plastic wrap onto its surface slows this down.

Tips for better dressings

• Grate the garlic finely so there are no raw chunks.
• Season at the end. Cheese and mayonnaise are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
• Adjust the thickness with water for creamy dressings, or more oil for the vinaigrette.
• Add sweetness only if you need it. A few drops of liquid stevia take the edge off sharp lemon.

What to serve them with

• Green salads with avocado, cucumber and seeds.
• Grilled chicken, salmon or steak.
• Crunchy vegetables as a dip. Our list of keto vegetables has the lowest-carb choices.
• Lettuce-wrapped burgers, with the creamy herb or blue cheese dressing.

Common questions

Is balsamic vinegar keto?

In small amounts. Balsamic is sweeter than other vinegars, so use red wine or cider vinegar for strict keto.

Can I use light mayonnaise?

You can, but check the label. Some light mayonnaises use starch or sugar to replace fat, which adds carbs.

Safety note: Keto isn’t suitable for everyone. If you have diabetes, kidney or liver disease, take regular medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before cutting carbs this far (why it matters).

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.