Make Your Own Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing (only 3 Ingredients!)
A 3-Ingredient Homemade Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing
Usually I share tried-and-true, go-to recipes that I’ve made for years, but this is a recipe I just discovered and knew I needed to share immediately. My friend passed this recipe along to me last week (thank you, sweet Nicole!), and I was instantly hooked. It’s so simple, so delicious, and SO easy.
3 ingredients. 5 minutes. 1 delicious salad dressing.
This dressing is a creamy, all-natural, SUPERFOOD-packed avocado dressing. It’s versatile enough to add to salads, drizzle on top of a protein, add to Mexican night, mix it into a grain bowl—you name it! I’m so excited to share it with you!
why should you make your own salad dressings?
Honesty hour? I verrrrry rarely buy pre-made salad dressings. Making an at-home dressing is SO easy: a little olive oil, a little vinegar, some salt and pepper, and maybe mix in some ingredients like herbs, seasonings, or mustard. It doesn’t take much to create a satisfying and tasty dressing, and it’s so easy and cost-effective to just make your own. I enjoy the process of customizing based on the flavors of meals + experimenting. You really can’t go wrong!
upgrade your salad dressings:
Another perk of making my own dressings is that I can control the ingredients—as you know from my Personal Grocery Shopping List, I make a big effort to keep food as pure, simple, and natural as possible!
If you take a look at the ingredients in traditional salad dressings, it can be soooo difficult to find options that are truly free of preservatives, chemicals, and industrial seed oils.
I try to avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils (canola oils, corn oil, soybean oil, etc.) as much as possible. These oils are highly-processed and end up becoming highly-reactive forms of polyunsaturated fat, which can oxidize and cause the release of free radicals into the body. (Basically, these are very fragile fat molecules that can release harmful compounds when broken down or heated up. This can lead to unnecessary inflammation, stress on tissues, and digestive issues.)
By making your own salad dressings, you have the ability to take control of the ingredients you consume, nourishing + nurturing your body with every bite. It’s weird, but home-making a salad dressing feels like a mini self-care act to show yourself + your body some love. A little intention goes a long way. :)
the power green avocado dressing:
I usually build my dressings around olive oil, but this recipe is actually oil-free! The fat content (delicious, beautiful, healthy, unprocessed fat!) alllll comes from avocado, making the dressing creamier and heartier than most. You’re going to love it. :)
This recipe is a balance between creamy and tangy. I personally love that it brings zest + pop to any dish…and that it is made solely of superfoods. Every single ingredient is so pure, so healthy, and so good. Take a look at this health goodness:
Apple cider vinegar: The super food of all superfoods. Let’s just say that apple cider vinegar is trendy for a reason—it is a health superfood through and through. ACV is correlated with countless health benefits that include managing cholesterol and lipid levels, having antioxidant properties, aiding in digestion, regulating blood glucose, and containing antimicrobial properties. I mean, ACV is the MVP of the superfood family, and it adds such a beautiful tang + bite to this dressing. (Source 1, Source 2, Source 3)
Avocado: Mmmm, avocados—what a unique + powerful food. Avocados are primarily made of healthy fat, but also contain protein and fiber (the majority of their carbohydrate source!). These fruits are great for hormone health + meal satiety, and they have a diverse macronutrient makeup. Even when you get down to the micronutrients, avocados are rich in fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, B, D and E) that are often lacking in other fruits. They’re a great source of potassium and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Basically, avocados are a unicorn fruit—jam packed with filling + flavorful healthy fats, fiber, and micronutrients. You will love the creamy texture they brings to the dressing! (Source 1 , Source 2 , Source 3)
Garlic: I mean…who DOESN’T love garlic??? I’m the person who always adds extra cloves to recipes because I just love the flavor and aroma of garlic sooo much, ha! Not only is it deeelish, garlic is one of the most impactful ingredients you can add to your recipes for health benefits. Most notably, garlic supports the cardiovascular + immune system, and acts as a potent antioxidant. This beautiful flavor brightens up the avocado dressing + packs a punch. Delicious and healthy. Enjoy! (Source 1, Source 2)
power green salad dressing recipe:
Here’s how this works: you can make the basic version I’ve included below (which is a mega-simple, 3-ingredient, delicious dressing on its own) or customize it however you please! It’s one of those super versatile recipes that you can tweak + and add fun “additions” to, so I’ve included my favorite extras that you could throw in as well. Start with the base + then learn to make it your own! You will LOVE this dressing. Enjoy!
POWER GREEN SALAD DRESSING: BASE FORMULA
1 avocado, skin and pit removed
2-4 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on taste)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup-1 cup water (depending on desired consistency)
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Stir in salt + pepper to taste. Add to salads, grain bowls, or drizzle on top of proteins + enjoy! Store in a mason jar in the fridge for about 5 days.
CUSTOMIZE + GET CREATIVE:
The beauty of this recipe is how simple this base formula is. You can make solely the recipe above and it’ll still be delicious as a stand-alone dressing. But! There is also an opportunity to zest it up and add any other ingredients you have on hand. Here are some various ideas you can throw into the dressing for a little extra flavor profile:
OPTIONAL ADD-INS: Jalapeño, cilantro, onions, basil, chives, pesto, olive oil, lime, or greek yogurt (TIP: add some full-fat greek yogurt and use less water to create a creamy dip version of this dressing. SO good as a dipping sauce for fries, veggies, etc.)
give it a whirl—
Alright, friends! A 3-ingredient superfood salad dressing/sauce/dipping condiment that you can customize to whatever your meal is. I hope you love this simple recipe—it is such a unique sauce that brightens + zests up any food.
This homemade avocado salad dressing is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, oil-free…I double dog dare you to find a salad dressing like that in the grocery store. (Boom, baby!)
Alright, friends. Mix it up + let me know what you think! :)
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