This oil-free, fat-free Italian dressing is easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought low calorie salad dressings! Aquafaba replaces the oil, creating a fat-free vinaigrette. With the perfect balance of acid, salt, and herbs, you'll love the classic, zesty Italian flavor! No preservatives or stabilizers here, just real, wholesome ingredients.
Perfect for salads, drizzling on sandwiches and potatoes, and for lightened-up bean and pasta salads. Only 20 calories per serving!
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Why You'll Love It
There's no shortage of oil-free salad dressing recipes on the blog, but what I didn't have yet was a vinaigrette-style dressing.
I was planning a new healthy vegan pasta salad recipe and really wanted to create an oil-free Italian dressing that would capture the nostalgic aromas and flavors of the quick and easy pasta salads I grew up with.
You probably know the dish I'm talking about - the classic pasta salad that always made an appearance at potlucks and parties - with olives, pasta, a few veggies, and bottled Italian vinaigrette.
The only ingredient I could think of that would possibly make a good sub for oil in salad dressing was aquafaba. And holy moly, y'all. It works like a dream!
Aquafaba keeps the dressing emulsified without the need for gums or other thickeners you find in store-bought dressings. And it's SO perfect on pasta salad!
But before you get too excited....
Don't expect a fat-free salad dressing to taste exactly like a traditional vinaigrette because, well, that's just impossible.
Our brains and tongues love fat, and a dressing with no fat and very low calories (less than 20 calories per serving) can't compete with biology. BUT I'm not gonna mince words, it is shockingly good! Don't take my word for it - check out the reviews below.
If you enjoy healthy salad dressings and sauces as much as I do, I really think this oil-free dressing is going to win you over!
It's lemon-y, tangy, zesty, just salty enough, SO fresh, and totally captures the classic Italian dressing vibe.
Ingredient Notes
- Aquafaba is the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas and is critical to the recipe as written. It's slightly thick and viscous and makes a great replacement for oil in salad dressing.
Tip! After straining the aquafaba, use the chickpeas to make Vegan "Tuna" Salad, Curried Chickpea Salad, or Vegan "Chicken" Salad. And if you have aquafaba leftover, use it for Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo! - White wine vinegar is a delicate vinegar perfect for Italian dressing.
- Lemon juice lends even more brightness and acidity and adds a subtle sweetness.
- Fresh garlic gives the dressing an irresistible savoriness and zip, though you can substitute garlic powder, if preferred.
- A small amount of maple syrup balances the acidity and saltiness. Agave nectar is a good swap.
- Mellow white miso provides umami and saltiness and is an excellent sub for the Parmesan cheese typically found in Italian dressing. See this post to learn more about miso.
- Dried oregano and basil give the dressing its classic Italian flavor.
- Nutritional yeast also adds to the umami, cheesy vibes. I highly recommend this non-fortified nutritional yeast by Sari Foods. The flavor is infinitely better than the average nutritional yeast.
- Fresh parsley is nutritious, flavorful, and beautiful.
Need ways to use up the rest of the parsley? Try Parsley-Dill Pesto, Spicy Parsley Pesto, or Chickpea Patties.
Find ingredient amounts and complete instructions in the recipe card below.
Instructions
All you need are 10 minutes, a bowl, a whisk, and a microplane zester/grater (for the clove of garlic) to make this salad dressing.
- First, whisk the miso into the aquafaba, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar until fully dissolved.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk again. Refrigerate until ready to use.
If you have time, allow the dressing to sit for at least an hour or two so the flavors can mingle. It will taste even better!
Tips and Substitutions
It's rare that I don't encourage substitutions in my recipes, but that's because with most recipes there's room for a little play.
But for this recipe it's important to try to follow it as closely as possible and measure accurately.
- For example, 1 teaspoon means exactly 1 level teaspoon, not rounded or heaping.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend any substitutions for the aquafaba, lemon, miso, or herbs.
If needed, garlic powder can be used instead of fresh, and red wine vinegar can be substituted for white.
It's possible you might like the dressing just fine without the nutritional yeast, but I'm not sure. So omit that one at your own risk!
Also, if you don't have maple syrup, agave nectar is an easy swap. Or if you strictly avoid added sugars, one reader reported that she doesn't add the maple syrup and it still tastes amazing!
Ways to Use It
Well, fat-free Italian dressing is delicious on salad, of course! But the flavors are also fantastic with potatoes. Try it on wedges, fries, and baked potatoes.
And the zestiness really cuts through heavier dishes and sandwiches. Pair it with seitan or baked or grilled tempeh and tofu.
Drizzle it on pizza for even more Italian flair!
And of course, pair this oil-free dressing with penne, rotini, or farfalle for a deliciously light pasta salad.
How to Store
Store oil-free dressing in a lidded jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Since the recipe doesn't make a huge amount I haven't tried freezing it yet. But considering the ingredients, everything is freezer-friendly.
More Oil-Free Salad Dressings
RELATED: Don't miss this collection of our 13 favorite oil-free salad dressing recipes!
📖 Recipe
Oil-Free Italian Salad Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba - This is the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas; see ideas in post for using the chickpeas.
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mellow white miso - or chickpea miso for soy-free.
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 clove of garlic, grated on a microplane
- 1 ½ teaspoons nutritional yeast - I recommend a non-fortified one for the best taste.
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- NOTES: this makes a fairly small amount of dressing, less than 1 cup (enough for 2 to 4 people). If preparing for a big batch of pasta salad or if you want to have leftovers, make a double batch.Also, I recommend making the dressing several hours in advance to allow time for the flavors to mingle.
- In a bowl combine the aquafaba, lemon juice and vinegar. Add the miso and whisk until the miso is dissolved.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk very well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Michelle
How much is a serving for the nutrition info? 2 tbsp?
Lori Rasmussen
Hi - yes, 2 Tbsp.
Teresa
Made this recipe this morning for a quick salad prep for lunch. It tastes great! Will definitely add this to the recipe bank, thank you!
I did not have white wine vinegar so I subbed with rice vinegar and for the herbs I used Braggs 24 spice herbs and it still tasted great!
Daniela
This is excellent! It’s so hard to find a good low calorie salad dressing.
Beth
It’s my new don’t leave home without it! Thank you
Robin G.
Hi Lori-I make my chickpeas from scratch in my Instantpot. Can I use the liquid I drain from the beans from that process? It doesn't seem creamy like the liquid from canned beans, so wondered if I should try a little ground flax seed or something to thicken it a little bit? Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Your recipes look awesome so I am excited to dive in and start experimenting.
Lori
Hi Robin,
Yes, since homemade aquafaba isn't as thick, I think a tiny bit of ground flax is a great idea. Obviously if you use too much flax, the flavor may start to come through. But I with all of the other flavors in the dressing I think it would work well! You can also try reducing the aquafaba on the stovetop, but sometimes that makes it taste extra bean-y. But that's another option! Hope you enjoy it!
Robin G.
Thank you for the good ideas. I will give them a try.
Jeff
Excellent fat free salad dressing recipe. Packed with flavor. I don't even miss the oil. Will definitely be making it again.
Rhonda
This is a fantastic recipe. Garlicky, refreshing, delicious. I’m so glad I found it! I need to cut back on my fat intake and this is just what I needed. Thank you!
Teresa
This recipe is awesome.
Wendy
I made this to put on pasta salad. The only substitute I made was garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. I don't like raw garlic. Anyway, this dressing is amazing!!! It's going to be a staple in my fridge from now on.
Shari A.
This is by far the best no-oil Italian salad dressing I have ever made! So flavorful and fresh. Delicious! Thank you for developing and sharing great recipes!
Tracy
My husband really enjoyed this dressing! Can't wait to try it on pasta.
AND THANK YOU FOR DEVELOPING SUCH A GREAT WEBSITE!
janet mcalpine
I love this dressing! It's all I use now. I add a squirt of mustard and mix it up in the Magic Bullet. Perfect!!!
Jennifer Patterson
I love this recipe! Even my hubby loves it, and that is saying a LOT! Maybe because I blend it in my Magic Bullet it doesn't thicken for me, so I add about 1/2 teaspoon of ground flax seed.
Susan
Wow--I could drink this stuff! 😂
It is just so flavorful with any kind of vinegar and even with all vinegar. I forgot the garlic a couple of times--still fantastic. I don't use the maple syrup though. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Claudia
This is wonderful. I vary the vinegars. This time I made it with my new bottle of Williams-Sonoma Passion Fruit vinegar. Thank you for an excellent, delicious dressing recipe!
Susan
This is excellent!!!!! Love that I don’t need my vitamix to make too! Thanks
Fran
We enjoy oil-free, delicious and attractive foods; this recipe has been a perfect dressing for us! I have used it on carious salads, from garden salads to cucumber salad and even coleslaw . Thank you so much for sharing!
Andy
This recipe is exactly what we have been looking for! We have been oil free for a while and trying to find a good Italian dressing that is not creamy has been a struggle. Thank you for this, it will now be a staple in our fridge and our go-to salad dressing.
Lori
Glad you love it, Andy! Thanks so much for the comment and feedback. 😀
Nancy
Can I use honey rather than maple syrup? I don't keep that in my pantry and hate to purchase an entire bottle. Thanks.
Lori
Hi Nancy - I don't use honey but it's such a small amount I'm sure it will be fine.