5 Salad Dressing that Should be on Your Weekly Meal Planner

Saying you’re a “salad person” sounds like a brag or Flaunting – like, congratulations, you enjoy leaves? I, too, was never really into salads, until one day in Vagator, Goa, I met the Mexican salad – it was made up of quinoa, beans, veggies, corn, and lemon – a perfect nourishing and wholesome one. And soon after that, I was eager to learn how to make healthy salads at home using plant-based proteins that are full of calories, fiber, and vitamins.

And I tried to make the best out of my meal planner by adding salads with different veggies, flavors, and dressing. When you think of a salad bowl – the essence not only lies in the variety of veggies you are adding to it but the dressing that keeps balancing your holistic lifestyle. Here are a few salad dressings so good, they’ll have you willingly eating greens every morning—yes, even on weekends, when your taste buds demand something sweet or spicy.

Avocado Yogurt Dressing

Avocado remains a luxury ingredient in many meal planners, while some kitchens see it as just a bland fruit. However, its rich nutritional value makes it an excellent source of energy for every household. Packed with fiber, vitamins A, K, and E, and essential minerals, avocados act as a powerhouse that replenishes the body with good cholesterol, healthy calories, and antioxidants. When combined with yogurt, it bridges the gap between an ordinary meal and a truly nourishing one.

Ingredients:

• 1 Avocado (150 gm)
• 1 Cup Yogurt (240 gm)
• tbsp Lemon Juice
• tbsp Sesame Oil
• Half tbsp Ground Black pepper
• 2 to 3 Garlic Clove
• Salt to Taste

Direction:

• Peel the avocado in the blender, add yogurt, lemon juice, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, and salt.
• Blend the mixture till it become smooth.
• You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil instead of sesame oil.

Health Benefits:

• Avocado and Sesame Oil – Healthy Fats and Antioxidants
• Yogurt – Gut Health and Protein
• Garlic and Lemon Juice – Immunity Booster
• Black Pepper – Anti-inflammatory

Cashew and Bell Pepper Dressing

If you are looking for something that add the flavor of spice, sweet, and sour to your taste buds, then you are at the right place. These thick yet creamy dressings/dip have a special spot in the weekly meal planner. One can pair it with bread as a spread or with crackers and chips as a creamy dip – my favorite is salad dressing, to which I add sliced vegetables like cucumber, carrot, onion, tomatoes, broccoli, and chickpeas.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bell Pepper
• Half Cup Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• 2 to 3 Red Dry Chilly
• Half Cup Cashew
• 2 to 3 Garlic Clove
• Half Cup Paneer
• Black Pepper to Taste
• Salt to Taste

Direction:

• Soak red chillies and cashew in hot water.
• Dry roast bell peppers and garlic
• In the blender, add yogurt, sesame oil, garlic, bell pepper, red chillies, cashew, paneer, black pepper, and salt.
• Blend the mixture till it become smooth.
• You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil instead of sesame oil.

Health Benefits:

• Cashew, Paneer, and Sesame Oil – Healthy Fats and Protein
• Yogurt and Paneer – Gut health and Calcium
• Garlic, Bell Pepper, and  Red Chilies – Immunity and Antioxidant

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This tangy and light immunity-booster is one of the easiest and on-the-go salad Dressings that requires minimum 5 Minutes – for working professionals who are always in a hurry and have less time to prepare a meal – this can be their kitchen buddy.

Ingredients:

• Half Cup Cilantro
• 3/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• Honey to Taste
• 3 to 4 Garlic Clove
• Black Pepper & Salt

Direction:

• In the blender, add sesame oil, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, honey, black pepper, and salt.
• Blend the mixture till it become smooth.
• You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil instead of sesame oil.

Health Benefits:

• Sesame Oil – Healthy Fats and Energy
• Lemon Juice and Cilantro – Antioxidants and Vitamin C
• Garlic and  Red Chillies – Immunity and Digestion

Ginger Carrot Dressing

This is a Japanese restaurant style tangy and sweet salad dressing. Ginger when comes together with carrot, orange, or beetroot, create a perfect balance of complexity and sweetness. Packed with vitamin A, C and antioxidant, carrot sweep away the problems of eye; whereas, ginger and onion makes your bloating and digestion journey easier. When this dressing is combined with veggies, it creates a gourmet experience for your appetite.

Ingredients:

• Ginger
• 3 Carrots
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Onion
• Honey to Taste
• Soya Sauce
• Black Pepper & Salt

Direction:

• Steam the carrots and onions for a few minutes.
• In the blender, add sesame oil, ginger, carrots, onion, soya sauce, honey, black pepper, and salt.
• Blend the mixture till it become smooth.
• You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil instead of sesame oil.

Health Benefits:

• Ginger, Onion, and Black Pepper – Immunity and Digestion
• Sesame Oil – Healthy Fats and Energy
• Carrot and Ginger – Antioxidants and Beta-carotene

Mustard Yogurt Dressing

Strong flavors, rustic feeling, and texture – the mustard yogurt dressing is all about homemade protein. One can find all the ingredients of this dressing at their home especially yellow or black mustard – and making grainy mustard or sauce from it is child’s play. And it pairs well with honey, garlic, and yogurt that not only strengthen the immune system but also entice you with their amazing taste.,

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Grainy Mustard/ Sauce
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Honey to Taste
• 2 to 3 Garlic Cloves
• Black Pepper & Salt

Direction:

• In the blender, add sesame oil, garlic, yogurt, grainy mustard/ sauce, lemon juice, honey, black pepper, and salt.
• Blend the mixture till it become smooth.
• You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil instead of sesame oil.

Health Benefits:

• Mustard, Garlic, and Lemon – Immunity and Metabolism
• Sesame Oil – Healthy Fats and Energy
• Yogurt – Calcium and Probiotics

Let us know what your Favorite salad dressing is, including ingredients and directions – also check out our newly designed weekly meal planner Template