Unfortunately, salad dressings can load the calories and fat, working against your healthy eating goals. That's opened the door for a huge selection of low-calorie salad dressings. These salad toppers are designed to enhance your vegetables, while delivering an extra infusion of flavor—ideally, without tasting like a "diet" product.
While there are some low-calorie salad dressings I'd be OK never eating again, I was surprised at how many really nail this category without feeling like you're making a sacrifice. Here's what I learned while tasting my way through the top low-calorie salad dressings out there.
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Top Low-Calorie Salad Dressings
Best Caesar: Wishbone Light Creamy CaesarBest Smoky: Western Light Sweet & Smooth DressingBest Thousand Island: Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island DressingBest Balsamic: Newman's Own Light Balsamic VinaigretteBest Greek: Caesar Cardini's Light Greek VinaigretteBest Flavor: Newman's Own Sesame GingerBest Italian: Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing Best Creamy: Ken's Steak House Lite Chunky Blue CheeseCourtesy Korin Miller
What Counts as Light or Low-Calorie Salad Dressing?
While some low-calorie dressings are clearly labeled "light" dressings, others just happen to be lighter in calories without advertising this feature. So, read the labels carefully.
Courtesy Korin Miller
8 Best Low-Calorie Salad Dressings
These low-calorie salad dressings taste nearly identical—or exactly the same—to the real thing. Here's what makes them shine.
8. Best Caesar: Wishbone Light Creamy Caesar, $2.99
Courtesy Korin Miller
Caesar dressing is notoriously calorie-heavy, but Wishbone does an excellent job balancing things out with this dressing. The Wishbone Light Creamy Caesar lives up to its name with a thick, creamy consistency at 60 calories per serving. It has a tangy flavor that perfectly balances things out and makes any salad shine.
7. Best Smoky: Western Light Sweet & Smooth Dressing, $2.92
Courtesy Korin Miller
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6. Best Thousand Island: Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island Dressing, $2.99
Courtesy Korin Miller
At 80 calories per serving, Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island Dressing isn't the lightest low-calorie dressing you'll find. While it has a slightly weaker flavor than your standard Thousand Island, it still delivers. The consistency is nice and thick, and the sweet pickle relish taste is clearly there. Overall, it's a memorable dressing.
5. Best Balsamic: Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, $3.47
Courtesy Korin Miller
Balsamic dressing can be a sneaky source of calories, but the Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette is just 45 calories per serving. It delivers a punchy flavor that tastes like a "regular" balsamic vinaigrette. I wouldn't be able to tell in a blind taste test that it was light. This dressing offers a nice mix of herbal flavors, too. Just shake it really well before using.
4. Best Greek: Caesar Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette, $4.39
Courtesy Korin Miller
Caesar Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette is a powerhouse dressing with a lot to offer. It has the perfect consistency—it's not too watery or thick—and the herby flavor is noticeable. The small chunks of feta inside are a nice touch, too. While this dressing is 50 calories per serving, it doesn't taste light at all.
3. Best Flavor: Newman's Own Sesame Ginger, $4.29
Courtesy Korin Miller
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2. Best Italian: Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing, $3.98
Courtesy Korin Miller
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1. Best Creamy: Ken's Steak House Lite Chunky Blue Cheese, $3.49
Courtesy Korin Miller
4 Low-Calorie Salad Dressings To Skip
Taste is an individual thing, but some low-calorie salad dressings clearly taste like "diet" food. I'd skip these.
1. Hidden Valley Ranch Light, $3.97
Courtesy Korin Miller
To be fair, Hidden Valley Ranch has a very unique flavor. But Hidden Valley Ranch Light, which is 60 calories per serving, comes nowhere near it. While the consistency and appearance are the same as standard Hidden Valley Ranch, the overall flavor is just off. If you're not a regular Hidden Valley Ranch eater, you may not notice the difference. But if you're a diehard, you may want to think hard about whether the 40% fewer calories are actually worth it.
2. Skinnygirl Honey Dijon, $2.69
Courtesy Korin Miller
At 10 calories per serving, Skinnygirl Honey Dijon is the lightest option on our list. But that comes with a big sacrifice on flavor. This dressing looks like honey dijon, but doesn't taste like it. There's also a very strong artificial sweetener flavor that's hard to shake. It's not terrible, but it's not great, either.
3. Kraft Raspberry Lite Vinaigrette, $3.49
Courtesy Korin Miller
Some people like Kraft Raspberry Lite Vinaigrette, but it's not for everyone. This dressing has 30 calories per serving and a ton of sweetness. (Sugar is the second ingredient, right after water.) It's also a little watery. If you like the taste of raspberries and want to make your salad taste really sweet, you may like this. But it may be a hard sell for most.
4. Briannas Sugar Free Blush Wine Vinaigrette, $3.32
Courtesy Korin Miller
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