Creamy Citrus Salad Dressing – Oil Free, Vegan & Low Calorie

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Elevate your salad game with this delightful creamy citrus salad dressing that combines the vibrant flavors of fresh orange juice, zesty lemon juice, and the creaminess of blended blanched almonds. This creamy citrus salad dressing recipe is delicious and great for anyone on a low calorie diet for weight loss. It is oil free, vegan and perfectly creamy!

I love to make my own salad dressing that is free of oils, as I don’t do well with a lot of processed oils in my diet. Making homemade dressings with fresh citrus fruits and almonds is a great way to make a healthy, creamy citrus salad dressing. 

Lemon juice yields a slightly tangy dressing sweetened with fresh orange juice and maple syrup. Dijon mustard provides the perfect kick, while salt and pepper tie all the ingredients together. 

The versatile citrus vinaigrette dressing tastes great on any salad. However, my favorite way to enjoy the healthy dressing is over a simple leafy green salad with chopped beets, apple, and cranberries sprinkled with roasted and salted pumpkin seeds. It is one of the best-tasting salads and creates a delicious meal when served with fish and basmati rice. 

Creamy Citrus Salad Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp blanched slivered or whole almonds
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make the Creamy Citrus Vinaigrette:

1. Juicing Citrus:
2. Squeeze fresh oranges to obtain 1/3 cup of juice. Additionally, squeeze a lemon to get 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Place the fresh-squeezed juice in a blender. Using freshly squeezed juice will enhance the flavor of the dressing.
3. Add Dijon Mustard:
4. Incorporate 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard into the citrus juice mixture. The mustard adds a tangy depth of flavor and acts as an emulsifier to help bind the ingredients together.
5. Add the Almonds:
6. Add 2 tbsp of blanched or slivered almonds to the blender. The almonds contribute to a creamy texture and thickens the salad dressing.
7. Sweeten with Maple Syrup:
8. Pour in 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to balance the acidity of the citrus juices and mustard. Adjust the amount according to your desired level of sweetness.
9. Season with Salt and Pepper:
10. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Start with a pinch of each, then taste and adjust as needed. The salt enhances the flavors, while the pepper adds a subtle kick.
11. Blend Until Smooth:
12. Blend all the ingredients until the dressing achieves a smooth and creamy consistency, making sure the almonds are blended well. 
13. Taste and Adjust:
14. Take a moment to taste the dressing and make any necessary adjustments, such as adding a dash of salt and pepper.
15. Serve and Enjoy: Once satisfied with the flavor, drizzle the creamy citrus salad dressing over your favorite simple green salad and toss to coat. This versatile creamy citrus salad dressing pairs well with various salads and leafy greens. 
16. Store Any Remaining Dressing:
17. If you have extra dressing, store it in an airtight container, such as a wide mouth mason jar in the refrigerator for future use. The flavors may intensify over time, making it even more delicious.

Serve the creamy citrus salad dressing over your favorite salad or blend of leafy greens. While it tastes great with many salads, my favorite is served with this kale beet apple salad with pumpkin seeds and cranberries.

Tips and Substitutions

Blanched almonds are used to make a creamy citrus dressing. Greek yogurt and plain yogurt can also be used instead of the blanched almonds. I have made the dressing with almonds and yogurt and love each version equally. 

Lime is another citrus fruit that can be used instead of lemon juice. The end flavor will differ slightly if lime juice is used instead of lemon, but it will still taste just as delicious. 

I hope you enjoy this citrus salad dressing made with simple ingredients. The creamy citrus salad dressing is excellent for anyone looking for healthy, oil-free salad dressing that is lower in calories than most salad dressings made with calorie-dense oils.

Be sure to try some of these oil free dressings and sauces that are low calorie and healthy! This creamy citrus salad dressing can be found in my Oil Free Dressings, Sauces and Dips E-book that you can sign up to access in my library of free E-books. All the recipe E-books are designed to be printed on standard paper so you can create your own recipe book binder.

Also be sure to try making this kale apple cranberry salad and serving it with this citrus salad dressing!

Creamy Citrus Salad Dressing – Oil Free, Vegan & GF

This zesty and creamy citrus salad dressing is oil free, vegan and the perfect dressing to enjoy with a simple green salad. It creates a delicious fresh tasting salad that leaves you feeling light and energized when served with apples, beets, cranberries, leafy greens and pumpkin seeds. The citrus dressing is great for weight loss and contains liver cleansing oranges and lemon!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course dressing

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Equipment

• 1 Blender
• 1 Chopping board
• 1 knife

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ⅓ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp blanched slivered or whole almonds
• dash salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Cut the lemon and oranges in half and squeeze out the fresh juice into a measuring cup then into the blender.
• Add remaining ingredients to the blender then blend until smooth and creamy.

Keyword citrus dressing, creamy citrus salad dressing

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