Low-Calorie Salad Dressings That Actually Taste Good

Dressing either makes or breaks a salad. Unfortunately, many creamy, delicious options pack tons of calories and sugar—while lots of low-calorie salad dressings have about as much flavor as...water.

You're not doomed to eating sad salads, though. The trick is to find a dressing option that balances calories, ingredients, and flavor.

It all starts with the right fats. “I like dressings in which the fat source is a whole food-based, unadulterated oil, such as olive or canola oil," says Suzanne Dixon, RD, a dietitian based in Portland, Oregon.

First, look for a dressing made with EVOO, canola, sunflower, walnut, avocado, coconut, or another wholesome source of fat. Avoid dressings that get their fat from butter, blue cheese, or hydrogenated or fractionated oils (which are super processed), Dixon says.

Another key factor: sweetener. Look for dressings that get their sweetness from whole sources, like honey, instead of table sugar, says Dixon.

Since refrigerated options contain fewer preservatives, they're also your best bet.

Once you've cleared a dressing's ingredients, try to stick to options that contain about 150 calories or less (and no more than 15 percent of your daily sodium) per two-tablespoon serving, Dixon says.

“One exception on the calorie rule: When the dressing's flavor profile or ingredients allow me to skip another high-calorie salad ingredient,” she adds. If using a cheese-containing dressing allows you to skip the shredded cheese on top of your salad, for example, go for it.

Stock up on the following dietitian-approved low-calorie salad dressings to whip up flavorful, filling salads you'll actually enjoy eating.