Tis the season for healthy green salads, so why ruin them with store-bought dressing when you can make your own dairy free creamy Italian salad dressing? Bursting with creaminess and all the flavors of basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme with none of the dreaded dairy guilt.

Dairy free creamy Italian salad dressing in a glass jar, by Skip to my Lou.
Cashews are the healthy superhero powering this delicious Italian salad dressing

Related links for pasta salads: This Italian dressing recipe with tomato paste and balsamic vinegar makes a perfect dressing for Tortellini Salad. Pasta salads made with rice noodles and topped with a ginger-lime-soy dressing are fast, easy and fun to make.

Who needs a store-bought dressing when you can create the taste and flavor of this oil-free, dairy-free creamy dressing in your own kitchen?

Romaine lettuce, tomato, arugula and radicchio salad dressed with dairy free Italian salad dressing, by Skip to my Lou.
Wake up your salad with this creamy dairy free dressing
dairy free creamy Italian salad dressing in a clear glass jar with a silver spoon, by Skip to my Lou.
Easy-to-find ingredients and a blender are all you need

Ingredients

Gather these easy to find ingredients, pull out the high speed blender, rinse out a Mason jar and get ready to whip up this creamy, delicious dressing today.

  •  raw, unsalted cashews soaked for at least 30 minutes a couple of hours is better
  •  red wine vinegar
  •  fresh lemon juice
  •  honey or maple syrup
  •  water
  •  clove of fresh garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • yellow mustard (dijon or spicy brown also works)
  •  paprika
  •  dried Italian seasoning
  •  kosher salt
  • black pepper

PUtting it together

  1. Soak raw cashews for at least 30 minutes. For better results, soak for a couple of hours. Drain.
Raw cashews soaked in water in a glass bowl, by Skip to my Lou.

2. Add soaked cashews and all of the rest of the ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. A Magic Bullet or other high speed blender/food processor works best.

Ingredients for Dairy free Italian salad dressing in a blender, ready to be blended, by Skip to my Lou.
Dairy free creamy Italian salad dressing in a blended after being combined, by Skip to my Lou.

3. Pour dressing into serving jar or container. Chill in the fridge for an hour and enjoy over your salad of choice.

Romaine lettuce, tomato and radicchio salad dressed with dairy free Italian salad dressing, by Skip to my Lou.
Dairy free creamy Italian salad dressing in a glass jar, by Skip to my Lou.

Dairy Free Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Ingredients  

  • 3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews soaked for at least 30 minutes a couple of hours is better)
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 clove garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp yellow mustard (dijon or spicy brown also works)
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions 

  • Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blenduntil completely smooth. (like a magic bullet)
  • Chill and then enjoy over salad.

Notes

If you did not soak your cashews the dressing might thicken, Just add
water to thin it.
Author: Cindy Hopper

Serving and Storage suggestions

Remember to chill this dressing in the refrigerator before serving because the flavors of the herbs and spices really develop during this step. If your Mason jar has a lid, perfect! If not, chill in an airtight container and give it a good shake just before serving.

This dressing could also be a dip for veggies or a sauce for a cold pasta salad.

BEFORE YOU GO

Thank you for stopping by today. Please check out more delicious recipes, comment and let me know how your family liked this one!

I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.


About Cindy Hopper

Learn More

you may also like

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating