25 Amazing Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes (GF)

I don’t buy bottled salad dressing, which to most of the world isn’t too weird, but as an American it is more unusual. Why? Bottled salad dressing just aren’t as fresh, flavorful, or tasty as homemade dressings. They’re also often more expensive, and loaded with sugars and preservatives. But I do like to go a little bit beyond the whole “oil and vinegar” for my salad, so I’ve teamed up with some of my favorite vegan bloggers to bring you this collection of vegan salad dressing recipes.

Salad Dressings- For Salad and Beyond!

A great vegan dressing can really change a salad from boring to incredible. But you don’t need to limit your dressings to salad. A good dressing is essential for your Buddah bowls, and is fantastic on roasted vegetables. Throw some on pasta for a no-mayo needed pasta salad. Use it to marinade your tofu to add a little flavor there. Salad dressing is amazing on potatoes, of basically any kind- roasted, baked, wedges, fried, chips, and more. Use it to dress your sandwiches and wraps, or you can dip your wraps instead. In fact, they make a good dipping sauce for most things. And I know I’m not the only one who uses salad dressing on my pizza crusts.

Oil, or Oil-Free?

We’ve marked which of the recipes here are oil-free, but we’re not necessarily advocating for a oil-free lifestyle. There’s a time and a place. Oil is, as I’m sure you know, very high in calories, so some people try and avoid it. However, many greens contain fat-soluble nutrients, such as Vitamin K, that you’re body can’t adsorb properly without a source of fat. Now, that doesn’t have to be oil, but there’s no reason it can’t be. Oil is very good at making thick, luscious, creamy dressings that are frankly delicious. Now if you’re making a dressing to dip your fries or vegan pizza in, maybe a oil-free dressing is the right approach. Or maybe not, I’m certainly not going to say that’s a rule I follow. But if you’re looking to add a little flavor and substance to your chopped kale salad, indulging in a creamy, oil-based dressing can help you to absorb all the nutrients that kale has to offer, and really enjoy your meal.

25 Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes

We’ve divided these recipes into six sections for you- Great Nut-Free Salad Dressings, Creamy and Savory Umami Bomb Dressings, Pink and Fruity Salad Dressings, Cashew-Based Dressings, Vegetable-Based Dressings, and Oil-Free, Nut-Free Salad Dressings. All of these recipes are gluten-free, with the exception of one or two which contain soy sauce (you can easily substitute tamari). Many of the recipes are Nut-Free (NF) or Oil-Free (OF), so we’ve marked all of those for you as well. In addition, we gave you a few words for each recipe to describe each dressing, so you can find the perfect salad dressing for you and how you’re feeling right at this moment.

Great Nut-Free Salad Dressings

One common way to get a creamy, vegan dressing is to use cashews- but you won’t find any cashews in these recipes. Or any walnuts, peanuts, pecans, or any other nut. It turns out, even when keeping it dairy-free, you can get a lovely, creamy dressing that’s still nut-free. Crazy, right?

1. Homemade Ranch Dressing, (NF), Very Vegan Val. Creamy, Rich, Thick, Savory, Mild.
2. Whole30 Balsamic Mustard Dressing, (NF), The Fiery Vegan. Sweet, Deep, Peppery, Fresh.
3. Vegan Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe, (NF), Lettuce Veg Out. Tangy, Sweet, Maple, Creamy.

Creamy, Savory, Umami-Bomb Recipes

While we used to say there were four flavors- sweet, sour, salt, and bitter- a fifth has joined their rank- welcome umami, also called savory. These dressings are flavor-bomb recipes, that all have a great umami flavor, but also highlight some of those other flavors. Big, bold flavors are the common thread that ties these vegan salad dressing recipes together.

1. Almond Butter Dressing, (OF), Plant Based Jess. Nutty, Sweet, Garlicky, Thick, Creamy.
2. Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing, (NF), Watch.Learn.Eat. Creamy, Thick, Herbed, Rich, Savory.
3. Next-Level Amazing Vegan Caesar Dressing, (NF), Very Vegan Val. Creamy, Savory, Bold, Complex, Flavorful.
4. Savory Garlic Dressing, (OF), A Plentiful Path. Garlicky, Nutty, Creamy, Savory, Briny.
5. Creamy Harissa Dressing, (OF, NF), My Quiet Kitchen. Smoky, Thick, Nutty, Spicy, Creamy.

Pink and Fruity Vegan Salad Dressings

Food doesn’t have to be too serious- sometimes it can be bright, vibrant, and pink! These dressings are all fruity, colorful, and fun. Think tart and sweet. They do all happen to be nut-free, as well.

1. Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, (OF, NF), My Plant-Based Family. Fruity, Tangy, Sweet, Bright, Fresh.
2. Creamy Pink Hibiscus Dressing, (NF), Very Vegan Val. Bright, Tart, Sour, Fruity, Creamy.
3. Oil-Free Strawberry Vinaigrette, (OF, NF), A Virtual Vegan. Fruity, Bright, Sweet, Summer, Fresh.
4. Sweet Cherry Vinaigrette, (NF), Yum Vegan Food. Sweet, Fruity, Bright, Acidic.

Cashew-Based Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes

Cashews are basically vegan magic- they can be blended up to create the richest, thickest, creamiest dressings. Cashews can get a little pricey- if you live near a Trader Joe’s, they tend to have more affordable prices. I’ve also found great prices at Indian grocery stores. Once you’ve got your cashews, you’ll be ready to make these perfectly creamy, cashew-based vegan salad dressings.

1. Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing, Eat What You Sow. Garlicky, Cheesy, Creamy, Savory.
2. Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing, (OF), Vegan Huggs. Zesty, Creamy, Healthy, Citrus.
3. Asian Salad Dressing, (OF), No Sweat Vegan. Creamy, Savory, Nutty, Oil-Free, Spicy.
4. Jalapeño Ranch Dressing, (OF), Veggie Fun Kitchen. Spicy, Thick, Creamy, Tangy.
5. Vegan Thousand Island Dressing, (OF), Spabettie. Creamy, Tangy, Briny, Savory

Vegetable-Based Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes

Vegetables are another great way to make a dressing- you can enjoy blended vegetables as the flavoring for your unblended vegetables! The veggies can be used to achieve a texture you want, or for their flavor- ideally for both.

1. Sweet Onion Salad Dressing, (NF), The Home Baked Vegan. Savory, Sweet, Flavorful, Pungent.
2. 24 Carrot Gold Dressing, (OF, NF), Dreena Burton. Colorful, Vibrant, Fresh, Sweet. 
3. Green Onion and Miso Salad Dressing, NF, The Infinebalance. Savory, Fresh, Creamy, Green, Oil-Free. 

Oil-Free, Nut-Free Salad Dressings

If you’re looking for an oil-free dressing, and need to avoid nuts as well there are still plenty of options. We’ve put together these five to give you plenty of different flavors, all of which contain no oil or nuts. As a warning, some do contain sesame products, which are also problematic for some people with peanut allergies.

1. Blueberry Basil Salad Dressing, (OF, NF), Veganosity. Fruity, Herbed, Zesty, Bright, Summer.
2. Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing, (OF, NF), It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken. Creamy, Tangy, Healthy, Textured.
3. Citrus Tahini Dressing, (OF, NF), Veggie Inspired. Nutty, Sesame, Citrus, Creamy, Complex.
4. Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette, (OF, NF), Veggie Chick. Fruity, Oil-Free, Tart, Sweet, Nutty.
5. Papaya Seed Dressing, (OF, NF), Very Vegan Val. Fruity, Peppery, Spicy, Tart.

And that’s it for this time! Wishing you all a wonderful summer, filled with delicious and well-dressed salads. If you’re looking for some salad-inspiration, head on over to here to check out all our favorite salad recipes.