These Keto Versions Of All Your Favorite Dressings Are A Salad Game Changer

If you're on the keto diet, avocado and nuts are your new bffs, followed closely by cheese, alongside some butter and cream playing supporting roles. But veggies? You need those, too. And the best way to get them is via an easy-peasy salad—with some delish keto salad dressings, of course.

While low-carb vegetables pack the nutrients that you may be missing if you’re on the keto diet, the right dressing can help you hit your daily macro needs. That's why it's important to keep some tasty, keto-friendly salad dressings on hand at all times to give your leafy greens a kick. "Salad dressings are a generally keto-friendly way to add fat and flavor to a low-carb base," says Ali Miller, RD, owner of Naturally Nourished Virtual Clinic.

Importantly, loading up on leafies and all the veggies you can legit fit into a bowl helps you get more fiber into your diet, which you may be falling short on if you're avoiding good sources of fiber, like whole grains and legumes. And fiber isn't only key for happy digestion, but it also buoys your mood. Adults who chowed down on the most fruits and veggies scored 10% lower on a questionnaire that measured their stress levels compared to those who ate the fewest, according to a 2021 study in Clinical Nutrition. So go make yourself a happy salad for lunch today.

Back to grocery store sleuthing. Something to keep in mind when shopping: Dressings can be a bit, uh, complicated, so always examine the nutrition label. "For the fat source, look for extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and/or walnut oil," she says. "MCT oil can also boost ketone production and help support transition into ketosis."

As for the other ingredients, you want to try to keep them as close to nature as possible—that means lots of herbs, spices, and natural acids (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar), while making sure the dressing takes it easy on artificial colors, flavors, and ingredients, such as maltodextrin, a stabilizer that can irritate your stomach, says Miller. Keep an eye out for added sugars as well, she says, since those show up in lots of "light" dressings and make up for lack of flavor.

Whew—that's a lot to remember! To get you started, here are 20+ keto salad dressings that will make you actually look forward to your meal-prepped keto lunch.