Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe - Vegan & Gluten Free (2024)

This Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe is a healthier twist on a classic! It takes just minutes to whip up and is full of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, maple syrup, onion, paprika, and salt!

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  • General
  • What is french dressing?
  • French vs catalina dressing
  • Ingredients
  • How to make
  • Get the recipe
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • How to use
  • How to store
  • Nutrition information

I’ve never been a huge salad fan. But I do know that salads are a great way to incorporate tons of veggies into your meals. So I decided that I WOULD get myself to like salad, and to do that I would just have to make some SUPER yummy salad dressings to trick myself into thinking I liked them.

And it worked! 😉

This French dressing is ridiculouslygood and will literally make any salad taste delicious.

If you’re also on the hunt for more salad dressings, be sure to check out my 10 Easy Salad Dressing Recipes!

What is french dressing?

French dressing, in American cooking, is an oil and vinegar-based dressing with ketchup and spices. It’s superthick and creamy making any and all salads taste absolutely DELICIOUS!

Typical french dressing recipes are LOADED with granulated sugar, sugary ketchup, and tons of oil. Today, I wanted to lighten things up by using refined sugar free maple syrup (and much less of it), a no sugar added ketchup, and less oil.

It’s still just as delicious. Promise. 😉

What is the difference between french dressing and catalina dressing?

Similar in color and flavor, french dressing tends to be thicker and creamier. Catalina dressing typically uses red wine vinegar and also includes a variety of spices like onion powder, celery flakes, and italian seasoning.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil– our healthy fat. Oil works with the apple cider vinegar as the base of the sauce. I like using a mild flavored olive oil so it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar– adds a nice acidity and tanginess to the dressing complemented nicely by the olive oil. If you’re out of apple cider vinegar, try red wine vinegar instead!
  • Ketchup– thickens the dressing and makes it creamier all while adding that classic french dressing color. I used a no-sugar variety!
  • Maple Syrup– provides a bit of all natural sweetness. Agave or even honey (if you’re not a strict vegan) may also be used.
  • Grated Onion– adds a nice, fresh, tangy bite.
  • Paprika– adds a bit of spice.
  • Salt– brings out the flavors of the other salad dressing ingredients.

I use grated onion in today’s recipe, because the texture is SO much more pleasant than chopped. Use acheese grater to grate your onion, then measure out the desired amount of grated onion before proceeding with the recipe.

How to make french dressing from scratch

This recipe isalmostas easy as just buying it from the store, but the bonus of making your own is that it’s healthier AND you can customize it just how you want.

  1. Place all the ingredients into a mason jar, blender, or food processorthen shake, blend, or process until well combined and creamy!

So easy, customizable, and delicious! Want it sweeter? Add more maple syrup! Like it tangier? Add more vinegar or oil! Want it smoother and creamier? Throw the ingredients into a food processor or blender.

The world is your oyster! 😉

How to use french dressing

The most obvious choice is to use french dressing as a salad dressing, but one of my favorite ways to use it is actually as a steak marinade!

How to store

Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Let come to room temperature before serving. You may also need to shake to recombine the ingredients.

Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe - Vegan & Gluten Free (2)

Enjoy!

– Jennifer

Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe - Vegan & Gluten Free (3)

Healthy Homemade French Dressing

4.90 from 28 votes

This Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe is a healthier twist on a classic! It takes just minutes to whip up and is full of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, maple syrup, onion, paprika, and salt!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Yield: 20 tablespoons

Equipment for this recipe

(equipment shown are affiliate links)

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup I used a no sugar added variety
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 - 2 tablespoons grated onion depends on how onion-y you want it
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Place oil, vinegar, ketchup, maple syrup, grated onion, paprika, and salt into a mason jar, blender, or food processor.

  • Seal and shake or blend until well combined.

  • Taste and re-season if necessary.

  • Use immediately.

  • Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Let come to room temperature before serving.

  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

Rate This Recipe

STORING

Room Temp:N/A

Refrigerator:7 Days

Freezer:N/A

Reheat:Let come to room temperature.

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Homemade French Dressing

Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)

Calories 62 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 198mg9%

Potassium 28mg1%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 55IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 3mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: French, healthy, quick

Enjoy this recipe?

Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy

Course: Dressing, Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: Jennifer Debth

This post was originally published on September 2, 2019, and has been updated to provide more detailed content.

Healthy Homemade French Dressing Recipe - Vegan & Gluten Free (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest salad dressing? ›

8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
  1. Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
  2. Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  3. Avocado lime. ...
  4. Lemon vinaigrette. ...
  5. Honey mustard. ...
  6. Greek yogurt ranch. ...
  7. Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
  8. Ginger turmeric.
Jul 27, 2023

What is basic French dressing made of? ›

Directions. Place oil, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, onion, lemon juice, paprika, and salt into a blender; cover and puree until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

What ingredient is not used in making French dressing? ›

The ingredient that is not used in making french dressing is the egg yolk. What is a french dressing? This creamy dressing that varies in color from pale orange to bright red is American cuisine. In France they call it vinaigrette and it is usually made of oil, vinegar, sugar, and other flavorings.

Which of the following ingredients is used in making French dressing? ›

Traditionally, French dressing recipes are made of oil, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, onion and multiple seasonings and sauces. Some variations include other ingredients like lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. However, eggs are one of the most popular thickening agents for salad dressings and other sauces.

What is the most unhealthy salad dressing? ›

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams). Same goes for tortilla strips or wontons.

What can I replace French dressing with? ›

Catalina dressing is similar to French dressing, but has less fat and more sugar. Catalina is a bolder shade of red and runnier than French dressing. Unlike French, there's no creamy version of Catalina.

What is the French dressing rule? ›

The requirement set for French dressing, which was distinguishable by its reddish-orange color and sweet taste, was that it must contain “at least 35 percent vegetable oil, in addition to an acid, such as vinegar or lemon or lime juice,” The Times explained.

Is French dressing good for you? ›

Thousand Island or French Dressings

It's notorious for being high in sodium and added sugar, and sugar is often listed at the top of the ingredient list." Added sugars in salad dressings increase calorie content and make it hard to lose weight. The same goes go French dressing.

Why did they stop making French dressing? ›

FDA revokes rules on manufacture of French dressing after 70 years. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday agreed to revoke the decades-old standard of identity for French salad dressing, saying in part that the outdated requirement “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing.”

Is there wheat in French dressing? ›

Most French dressing brands are gluten free, but be wary of ones that utilize things like worcestershire sauce or malt vinegar in the ingredient list, as they are typically made with gluten. To be sure, though, it may be safest to make a batch of it yourself so you can control what goes into what you're eating.

What allergen is in French dressing? ›

Allergies. The main allergic reactions experienced when consuming french dressing are due to the mustard and mayonnaise found in the dressing. Although rare, some people are allergic to mustard seeds. 6 Generally, allergic reactions occur within minutes to 2 hours after eating.

What is in fat free French dressing? ›

Water, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Tomato Paste, Salt, Cellulose Gel And Gum, Contains Less Than 2% Of Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Xanthan Gum, Garlic,* Propylene Glycol Alginate, Natural Flavor, Onion,* Yellow 6, Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor), Lemon Juice Concentrate, Red 40, Blue 1.

How long does homemade French dressing last in the fridge? ›

Storage and Food Safety

Since store-bought dressings have added preservatives, they last longer. You can store homemade French dressing in the refrigerator for a week, which is risky. Vinegar, salt, and sugar preserve the dressing and keep it safe from bacterial growth, but not as long as preservatives do.

Is ranch or Caesar dressing healthier? ›

While ranch dressing is the clear winner, Caesar, buttermilk, elderberry vinaigrette and bleu cheese dressing also appear in the top five. Are you a salad dressing fanatic? Here's everything you need to know about its impact on your health.

Is Italian dressing healthier than ranch? ›

Lower-Calorie Alternative to Creamy Dressings

Italian dressing makes a better alternative than many other higher-calorie options. It adds taste to salad and offers good fat. Though many calories come from fats, it is better than primarily cream-based dressings like ranch, a thousand island, or blue cheese.

What can I put on salad instead of dressing? ›

Try a little lemon juice, lime juice, or a light vinaigrette. I have a bottle of walnut oil in my pantry which is very nice on salads, along with white wine vinegar and a little salt and pepper. You can also add yogurt or mustard and some fresh or dried herbs to your dressing.

Which is healthier balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette? ›

A balsamic vinaigrette typically involves adding oil, sugar, and/or mustard to balsamic vinegar, along with seasonings like garlic, salt, and pepper. While it can be made in a way that makes it healthier than several other salad dressing options, it can't compare to simply using the vinegar and oil.

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