This oil-free and fat-free salad dressing is easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought low-calorie salad dressings! Aquafaba replaces the oil usually found in Italian dressing, creating a fat-free "vinaigrette." With the perfect balance of acid, salt, and herbs, you'll love the zesty Italian flavors! No preservatives or stabilizers here, just real, healthy ingredients.
With only 20 calories per serving, this oil-free dressing is perfect for salads, drizzling on sandwiches, potatoes, and grains, and for making lightened-up pasta salads!
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Why You'll Love This Low-Cal Dressing
There's no shortage of oil-free salad dressing recipes on the blog, but most of them are creamy. What I didn't have yet was a very low-calorie dressing or one more similar to vinaigrette.
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 perfectly 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 taste buds 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! Just check out the reviews underneath the recipe.
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 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 substitute 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 my popular 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 my Parsley-Dill Pesto, Spicy Parsley Pesto, or Chickpea Patties.
Find ingredient amounts and full instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Fat-Free Dressing
All you need are 10 minutes, a bowl, a whisk, and a microplane zester/grater (for the clove of garlic) to make this healthy salad dressing.
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- 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.
Hint: If you have time, allow the dressing to sit for at least an hour or two so the flavors can mingle. It tastes even better!
Substitutions
Unfortunately, I can't recommend any substitutions for the aquafaba, lemon, miso, or herbs.
If needed, garlic powder may 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 highly recommend it for the cheesy, Parmesan-like factor.
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!
Top Tip
It's rare that I don't encourage substitutions in my recipes, but that's because with most recipes there's room for a bit of experimentation.
But with this salad dressing 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.
Ways to Use It
This fat-free Italian dressing is delicious on salad, of course! It also makes a lovely green bean salad.
The flavors are also great with potatoes. Try it on wedges, fries, and baked potatoes.
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 vegan pasta salad (pictured above).
How long does it keep?
Store your homemade salad 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, I suspect it is freezer-friendly.
More Oil-Free Salad Dressing
Related :
Don't miss this collection of 15 popular oil-free salad dressing recipes!
Recipe
Oil-Free Italian Dressing (Fat-Free & Low-Calorie)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba - This is the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas; see ideas above 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 - peeled and grated on a microplane
- 1 ½ teaspoons nutritional yeast - I recommend a non-fortified one for the best flavor.
- 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, about ½ cup (enough for 2 or 3 people). If preparing for a big batch of pasta salad or if you want leftovers, definitely make a double batch.Also, I recommend preparing 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.
Rose_Anne says
Absolutely love it! Thank you, Lori!
Sher H says
This dressing is AH-mazing! Made exactly as shown and beyond thrilled on how great it turned out. It’s an immediate staple, no need to look further! Thank you for this incredible recipe!
Anne Paddock says
Excellent Dressing
Carol says
Excellent. Didnt have a lemon so used apple cider vinegar. But it great
Lois says
I was looking for a low calorie salad dressing. I almost never buy bottled, and have gotten spoiled on dressings made with good olive oil. But both my husband and I have to shed a few. I've tried dressings thickened with roasted peppers and onions (good) but wanted to try the aquafaba. Made my own aquafaba from dried chickpeas, didn't yield much and wasn't as thick as canned but it worked! I had to thicken the dressing with a few chickpeas to make it cling. I made some subs due to what I had on hand. Didn't have miso or yeast, so added a dallop of anchovy paste for umami (not vegan). Used a dab of dijon. Only had apple cidar vinegar. The flavor of this dressing is one of the best!
Andrea says
This is the best vegan dressing I’ve found so far! A beautiful meld of flavours with depth I’ve not yet had for a vegan dressing! Highly recommend!
Michelle says
How much is a serving for the nutrition info? 2 tbsp?
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi - yes, 2 Tbsp.
Teresa says
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 says
This is excellent! It’s so hard to find a good low calorie salad dressing.
Beth says
It’s my new don’t leave home without it! Thank you
Robin G. says
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 says
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. says
Thank you for the good ideas. I will give them a try.
Jeff says
Excellent fat free salad dressing recipe. Packed with flavor. I don't even miss the oil. Will definitely be making it again.