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There are a lot of factors that come into play when picking out a salad dressing. Do you want it to coat the leaves with thick and creamy goodness or would you rather it be light and oily to splash around the plate? Are you looking to avoid preservatives or dairy? Does it need to be organic? Everyone has their own set of criteria. Some people, for example, actively avoid products that contain soy. This could be because they are allergic, soy causes them digestive discomfort, or they simply want to cut down on the amount of soy they are consuming every day.
What ever the reason someone has for cutting down on soy, brands nowadays are making it easier than ever to identify whether a product is soy-free. Sometimes they will even mark it prominently on their product labels. While you can certainly spend a decent amount of time at the supermarket hunting down dressings that are vegan and soy-free, there is another way to find these gems: allowing One Green Planet to guide you! We’ve found all sorts of dressings, from garlicky vinaigrette to zesty Italian and Asian dressing, there are all sorts of different dressings out there that still pack a flavorful punch, without the use of soybean oil or other soy products. Here are 12 we think are worth checking out.
Brianna’s Homestyle Poppy Seed Dressing
Brianna’s Homestyle Poppy Seed Dressing may look like a creamy dairy-based dressing, but this product is actually vegan and made with canola oil, sugar, water, white onions, white vinegar, salt, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, mustard flour, xanthan gum, tocopherols (natural antioxidant), and citric acid. Reviewers are saying that this product is “addictively delicious,” is sweet but not overly so, and goes especially well with salads that contain fruit. Brianna’s recommends it with peaches. To try this dressing out, you can get one 12-ounce bottle for $3.50.
Garlic Gold Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
When it comes to salad, do you prefer to keep it simple with a bit of garlic and lemon? If this sounds like you, Garlic Gold Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette might just make your life easier. This non-GMO dressing blends “organic garlic gold oil” which is garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil, organic Meyer lemon juice, organic garlic gold nuggets, sea salt, organic black pepper, organic spice blend, and organic Italian seasoning blend. Reviewers are saying that this dressing is perfect for lemon lovers, tasty (but not too tangy since it’s the milder Meyer lemon), and great for people who don’t like vinegar in their dressing. To try it out you can get one 8.44-ounce bottle for $12.
Primal Kitchen Greek Vinaigrette
While most dressings use olive or canola oil, Primal Kitchen Greek Vinaigrette opts for something a bit healthier: avocado oil. Specifically, the paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and sugar-free dressing is made from avocado oil, organic red wine vinegar, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and a medley of organic spices. Reviewers are reporting that this dressing is tasty, healthy, and excellent for marinating. Not everyone is raving about this product, though. Some reviewers commented that this dressing is quite acidic and has an overpowering oregano taste. To see how you feel about it, you can get two eight-ounce bottles for $16.
Dr. Fuhrman Sesame Ginger Dressing
If you like your salad dressing to coat the lettuce leaves and double as a dip, check out Dr. Fuhrman’s Sesame Ginger Dressing. This gluten-free, salt-free, and oil-free product is made from eight simple and natural ingredients: water, raisins, almonds, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, carrots, ginger, and onion powder. Reviewers are reporting that this dressing is very natural-tasting, works in stir-fries in addition to salads, and has a zesty finish. You can get one 16.4-ounce bottle for about $15.
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
Despite what the name would suggest, Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos does not in fact taste coconut-y. Instead, this gluten-free product is intended to be an alternative to soy sauce. This dressing and marinade is raw, very low glycemic, and is an abundant source of 17 amino acids. Reviewers are raving about this product saying that it is a deliciously savory alternative to soy sauce, does not contain some of the odd ingredients that other soy sauces have (like caramel color), and is very wholesome. To see how you feel, you can get three eight-ounce bottles for $19.75.
Annie's Homegrown Lemon and Chive Dressing
Annie’s Naturals Homegrown Lemon and Chive Dressing is a vinegar-free and dairy-free dressing made with water, expeller pressed vegetable oil, lemon juice concentrate, garlic, sea salt, mustard flour, shallots, black pepper, chives, xanthan gum, and citric acid. Annie’s suggests using this product to dress salads, brush grilled vegetables, marinade tempeh, or make potato salad. Reviewers are saying that this dressing is very tasty (especially since they removed the vinegar from the recipe). To try it out, you can get two eight-ounce bottles for $13.
Simple Girl Salad Dressings
Simple Girl Salad Dressings, as you may have guessed, aims to keep the ingredients and preparation of dressings pretty simple. This particular posting is a three-bottle variety pack which includes Sweet Mustard, Sweet Vinaigrette, and Citrus Ginger. These dressings are gluten-free, fat-free, carb-free, MSG-free, and sugar-free. Each starts with a base of apple cider vinegar and water, and then depending on the flavor also includes mustard, turmeric, paprika, stevia, or lemon juice. Reviewers are reporting that these dressings are flavorful, great for marinating in addition to dressing salads, and are perfect for people looking to avoid oily, fatty dressings. You can get this pack of three 16-ounce bottles for $25.
Drew’s All Natural Salad Dressing: Smoked Tomato
Drew’s All Natural Salad Dressing: Smoked Tomato is a gluten-free, low-sodium, and non-GMO dressing made with expeller-pressed canola oil, plum tomatoes, tart red wine and balsamic vinegars. It also contains dijon mustard, liquid smoke, black pepper, basil, and oregano for added flavor. Reviewers are saying that this dressing has a unique flavor, is very wholesome, is mellow but smokey, and adds a tart finish to any salad. To see how you feel about it, you can get one 12-ounce bottle for $4.
Hendrickson’s Sweet Vinegar and Olive Oil
Do you like to keep your salad routine fairly simple? If so, you should consider checking out Hendrickson’s Sweet Vinegar and Olive Oil. This salad is made from extremely simple ingredients – apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, olive oil, garlic, and spices – but comes in handy if you’re not particularly good at getting the ratio right. Reviewers are reporting that this dressing is tasty, versatile, “makes even the simplest salads yummy,” and even works on fruit! It is worth noting, however, that while this salad dressing is low-calorie and fat-free, as one Amazon reviewer pointed out, it does have a bit of sugar in it. If you’d still like to try it out, you can get one 16-ounce bottle for $10.25.
Walden Farms Zesty Italian Dressing
Italian dressing is a classic salad topper that instantly perks up any plate of greens. Walden Farms Zesty Italian Dressing is a fat-free, calorie-free, and carb-free dressing made primarily with triple filtered purified water, white vinegar, tomato paste, salt, lemon juice, cellulose gel, garlic powder, and onion, powder. Reviewers are saying that this dressing is delicious, good quality, and “does not taste like a salad dressing.” You can get this one 12-ounce bottle for $13.
Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Add a touch of garlic to your meal with Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. It’s made with just seven ingredients: cider vinegar, canola oil, sugar, fresh garlic cloves, salt, spices and xanthan. Reviewers are raving about this dressing – 99 percent of the 78 reviews are five stars. They are reporting that this dressing is very tasty, a “pantry staple,” very light, and versatile. Many reviewers have pointed out that this dressing is hard to find in stores. You can get a pack of 12, 12-ounce bottles for a little over $60.
Vino De Milo Balsamic and Olive Oil With Chianti Dressing
The rich flavor profile of wine is a wonderful base for a salad dressing. Just take a look at Vino De Milo Balsamic and Olive Oil With Chianti Dressing. This dressing is made from filtered water, balsamic vinegar, expeller-pressed non-GMO canola oil, apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, stone-ground mustard, Chianti wine, sea salt, and coarse pepper. It’s a tangy version of a classic French vinaigrette, and the inclusion of the wine makes any additional sugar unnecessary. Reviewers are reporting that this dressing is “perfect for any type of salad.” You can get one 12-ounce bottle for $6.
Lead image source: Eric Urquhart/Shutterstock
Drew\’s switched to using Soybean oil in a lot of their products. Took me a couple weeks of getting sick to figure out what it was.