Looking for an oil-free vegan salad dressing? Try this magical applesauce vinaigrette recipe. Easy, vegan, gluten-free, and healthy!
Cooking and baking are sometimes described as science… but I like to think of it more like magic. Because sometimes an idea unfolds and is realized in food form with a way that is almost mysterious, yet very exciting!
This week this magic happened with an idea for an oil-free salad dressing. I actually had this concept for a fat-free vinaigrette years ago, when I was writing Vive le Vegan.
I toyed with it, but left it behind at the time. As recipe developers, we sometimes do this. Either the notion becomes further developed down the road as our cooking evolves, or it never materialized.
Why Applesauce?
The idea that was with me for years and manifested this week is… wait for it… using applesauce in an oil-free salad dressing.
Sounds a little strange at first, right? But, think about the qualities of applesauce.
It has viscosity and moisture (the very things that help replace fat in baking) so why not aid a vinaigrette as well?
Initially the combination didn’t quite come together for me in terms of flavor balance.
After a few rounds of testing this week – ta-dah! The magic happened.
The applesauce blends and helps emulsify the other ingredients so that you have a thicker, more rich and full-bodied textured dressing.
Magical Oil-Free Vegan Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp mild miso ex: chickpea miso or brown rice miso
- 3/4 – 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup or more to sweeten to taste if desired
- 1/4 tsp rounded sea salt (or more to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using an immersion blender and deep cup (if using a blender, you may need to double the batch for enough blending volume), combine all ingredients, whizzing through until very smooth.
- Taste, and if you’d like a little sweeter add another teaspoon or so of maple syrup.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as well.
- If you’d like a thinner dressing, simply add a couple of teaspoons of water and blend through again.
What are your favorite vinaigrette and salad dressing ingredients?
Note: This oil-free salad dressing recipe is now in Plant-Powered Families.
Update: My OIL-FREE salad dressings now here!
Ilene says
What can I substitute the mild miso for. I am trying to use items I already have at home but not really sure what I can use. I don’t want to make a run to the supermarket just for miso. Any suggestions?
Dreena says
No worries, you can omit and simply season with extra salt to taste if you like!
Allison says
OMG Stop it right now! How is this so delicious?! I usually stick with my fat free Italian dressing for all salads because it’s low in calories but – oh-my does it get boring! This is fantastic and I know it will be in my regular meal prep rotation!
Debbie says
I love this receipe. By far my Favourite…I have to 10 times the receipe because I don’t want to run out. My husband also likes it. It took a while to find a favorite salad dressing. But now have one. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Katherine says
This was an absolute life saver for me! I have gallstones and I’m waiting for surgery. I cannot eat fat right now or will end up in severe pain.
Salad without dressing is just sad and inedible to me. I made this with samjang, Korean soybean paste, instead because I didn’t have miso. This is soooo yummy!
This really saved me and gave me something to eat that I could really enjoy when my food options are extremely limited. Thank you so much! I will recommend this to all my friends.
Dreena says
Thank you Katherine for this lovely feedback. I’m glad this recipe is helping you at this time, and I wish you the best with your surgery.
Corinne says
Have you ever frozen this please?
Ro Owen says
Dreena, this dressing is AWESOME!!! I have never made oil free dressings before, but I am a total convert now because of this dressing. I chopped up red cabbage, red kale, julienned carrot, diced celery, chopped red apple and spring onions and your dressing and …..YUMMO!!! Thank-you for your fabulous recipes! 🙂