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Healthier Creamy Yogurt Salad Dressings
4.8 from 96 votes

Healthier Creamy Yogurt Salad Dressings

Recipe video above. Here's 5 very, very good creamy dressings made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise. All the flavour of their traditional mayo-based counterparts, but less fat and better for you! You might ditch that jar of mayo for good!

Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
Servings: 1 salad
Course: Salad

Ingredients

Creamy Lemon Yogurt Salad Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup PLAIN yogurt , preferably Greek
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp garlic , minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Yogurt Ranch Dressing:
  • 1 cup PLAIN yogurt , preferably Greek
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic minced, small clove
  • 1/4 tsp dill each dried
  • 1/4 tsp parsley
  • 1/4 tsp chives
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder each
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder each
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp white sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Yogurt Potato Salad Dressing:
  • 1 cup PLAIN yogurt , preferably Greek
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp white sugar
  • 1/4 cup chive finely chopped, fresh
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
Oil-Free Honey Mustard Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup PLAIN yogurt , preferably Greek
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder each
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
Yogurt Caesar Salad Dressing:
  • 1 cup PLAIN yogurt , preferably Greek
  • 1/2 garlic minced, clove
  • 2 anchovy fillets Note 2, or 3/4 tsp Anchovy paste
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
  • 2 - 4 tbsp milk (adjust consistency)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

All Dressings except Caesar:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes+ to allow flavours to develop.
  2. Use milk to adjust to desired consistency. 
Caesar Salad Dressing:
  1. Blitz in a food processor until smooth. Use milk to adjust consistency.

Notes

  • Creamy Lemon Dressing: Great all rounder, use for leafy greens, garden salads, Coleslaw, Macaroni Salad.2. Ranch: Great all rounder, use for leafy greens, garden salads, SouthWest Salad (Note 3), Creamy Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad, drizzle over iceberg wedges.3. Potato Salad Dressing: For potato salad.4. Honey Mustard Dressing: Use for leafy greens, garden salads, a chicken saladlike this one, would also be great with this Roast Sweet Potato Salad.5. Caesar Salad: For Caesar salad - chicken is optional. Also terrific to dipping in crisp lettuce leaves and vegetable sticks. Would also be terrific on this Mexican Corn Salad.
  • Recipe Notes:1. Yogurt - I use Farmers Union Greek-style Yogurt (available widely in Australia). Plain yogurt will work fine too. Just ensure it's a good thick one. Low fat will also work but cut back on the sour (vinegar) in the dressings (as low fat yogurt is more sour than full fat)
  • Anchovy fillets are key to achieve a true restaurant quality flavour for Caesar Salad. You can't taste it, it's the salt for the dressing. Use the dark brown anchovy fillets in oil , not the white anchovy fillets that are brined in vinegar, not oil.
  • Substitutions: If you really prefer not to use anchovies, 1 tsp of fish sauce will be an adequate substitute. If you're allergic to fish, use 1 tsp light or all purpose soy sauce.
  • Storage - These dressings keep for 3 days in the fridge, best to take them out 30 minutes prior to using.