Oil-Free Italian Salad Dressing

This fat-free Italian dressing is easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought light salad dressings. Aquafaba replaces the oil, creating a low-calorie, 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. Approximately 20 calories per serving.

Jump to:

• Why We Love This Recipe
• Ingredient Notes
• Instructions
• Tips and Substitutions
• Ways to Use It
• How to Store
• More Oil-Free Salad Dressings
• 📖 Recipe
• Oil-Free Italian Salad Dressing Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why We Love This Recipe

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 exactly what I'm talking about, the dish that always made an appearance at potlucks and parties, with olives, pasta, a few veggies, and bottled Italian vinaigrette.

Aquafaba was the only ingredient I could think of that might possibly work as a replacement for oil while keeping the appearance of a vinaigrette. And holy moly, y'all. It totally works!

Aquafaba keeps the dressing emulsified without the need for gums or anything weird like 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 vinaigrette made with oil because, well, that's just impossible.

Our brains and tongues love fat, and a dressing with zero fat and less than 20 calories per serving just can't compete with biology. BUT if you enjoy healthy dressings and sauces as much as I do, this oil-free Italian dressing is totally going to win you over!

It's lemon-y, tangy, zesty, just salty enough, SO fresh, and it 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 garlic powder can be substituted if needed.
• A small amount of maple syrup balances the acidity and saltiness.
• 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.
• 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 (for the clove of garlic) to make this salad dressing.

If you have time, allow the dressing to sit for at least an hour or two so that the flavors can mingle. This makes it 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.

Ways to Use It

Well, fat-free Italian dressing is great 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, meatier types of 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 Italian dressing with penne, rotini, or farfalle for a deliciously light pasta salad.

How to Store

Store the 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

And don't miss this recipe roundup with 10+ of our favorite oil-free salad dressings!

📖 Recipe