Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing (Easy Dairy-Free Dressing)
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This nutritional yeast salad dressing is a quick, dairy-free vinaigrette with a savory, cheesy flavor and a bright, tangy finish. It’s easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and works well on salads, vegetables, and grain bowls.
This is a light, pourable dressing with a tangy flavor—not a thick, creamy dressing. If you prefer a richer texture, see the variation below for how to make it creamier.
I've been making my own homemade salad dressing for a long time. Our long-standing favorite used to be this Moroccan Vinaigrette, and then this homemade vinaigrette salad dressing that you can make 5 ways, but this nutritional yeast dressing is a great one as well.
And let me say that if you aren't making your own homemade salad dressing yet, I hope that this post gets you motivated to do so.
‘Cause I have another super simple salad dressing recipe that should be on your table.
I honestly can't remember the last time I purchased salad dressing. Maybe way back in my college days before I was into making my own just about everything.
You might not be as excited about making your own stuff as I am, but I hope you catch the bug.
Why Make Homemade Salad Dressings
- Using only wholesome whole food ingredients.
- Save tons of money.
- Reduce the impact on the environment by buying less packaged stuff.
- Avoid extra sugars. Many dressings are loaded with HCFS and other sweeteners. Particularly if you are on a candida diet, these will wreak havoc on your health.
The inspiration for this dressing came from Oh She Glows, a fabulous vegetarian blog. I made this Adzuki Bean Quinoa Tabbouleh, loved the dressing on it and decided to make my own version of it.
My kids quickly pushed aside the Moroccan Vinaigrette and our Favorite Salad Dressing – Five Ways and ate this one voraciously for the next few weeks. And now here it is for you to enjoy as well.
We use this not only as a salad dressing but to top all kinds of things.
What Is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast (called “nooch,” for short) is yellow flakes or powder that is deactivated yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). It's popular for its nutty, cheesy, umami flavor and as such it's a popular ingredient in dairy-free and vegan cooking.
Nutritional yeast is grown on molasses and then heated, dried, and crumbled and is used for adding cheesy flavor to all kinds of dairy-free and vegan dishes.
Notably, it doesn't cause fermentation like baker's or brewer's yeast and it's rich in B vitamins, protein and minerals.
Ways to Use This Easy Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing
- on top of beans and rice for a jazzed up last minute meal
- atop cooked veggies. Marinate in the dressing for about 2 hours for added flavor
- as a dip for fresh veggies. My boys like to mix extra nutritional yeast into this easy salad dressing (actually they use a whole lotta nutritional yeast) to make it really thick.
And if you are looking for a nutritional yeast that does NOT contain added b-vitamins, this brand is your answer.
Other Homemade Salad Dressings
- Moroccan Vinaigrette
- Vegan Avocado Salad Dressing
- Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
- Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette – check out all 5 versions of this delicious dressing
If you prefer a creamier dressing, you can add tahini, soaked cashews, or a spoonful of nut butter to thicken this dressing while mellowing the tang.
Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, but oh-so-necessary in our opinion)
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Pour olive oil and apple cider vinegar in serving container.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Stir to combine. Stir again to redistribute ingredients before serving.
- Store in refrigerator, preferably in a glass container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
Enjoy!
Do YOU Make Your Own Salad Dressing?
I tried this but with a few modifications. First go I followed the recipe, minus the garlic, and it was too vinegary for my taste. I added a little maple syrup, Hungarian paprika and mustard for a bit of a kick and to better balance it out for my palate! Loved it after making a few changes.
Note: I omitted the garlic because I was also preparing this for work the next day lol! But the Hungarian paprika gave it a good kick.
Sounds like very interesting additions! I might have to try it! Are you still making it this way and do you remember how much you added of each of these approximately? By the way, sorry for the late response. A bunch of comments got buried so I’m trying to catch up as I’m able.
Can’t wait to try this one! I’ve never used nutritional yeast in a salad dressing.
I love making my own vinaigrettes and am always ready to experiment!
The garlic in this recipe packs a fabulous immune-boosting punch.
Thank you, Carol :)!!!! We love this!
Love this recipe! I used ob fresh cut avocados ?! I did substitute the plain nutritional yeast with Pop Zest’s Olive Oil & Herb Nutritional Yeast blend. It really complimented the other ingredients!
Sounds like a great addition! So glad you liked it!! It’s truly my youngest’s favorite!
This is my husband’s favorite dressing which we have used for the last 2 years I think. We can’t be without it or he is very sad. I actually use slightly more oil than vinegar as we prefer it that way.
Wow – thank you so much, Jennifer! This means so much. 1-2 negative reviews came in recently and my son couldn’t believe it. He’s a “taste bud partner” with your hubby–if this isn’t on the table, he has to go and make some STAT! Merry Christmas to you and yours and thanks again!
soooo yummy, my whole family loved it!
So glad to hear it. It’s my youngest’s favorite!
How many servings does this recipe make?
Hi there. Sorry for the delay in responding. We lost the comments on the blog for awhile and just recovered them fairly recently. I just updated the post today to reflect the serving amounts. Of course, it depends on how much you eat. Hope you like it!
My wife and i substitute vegenaise in place of butter on our bread and mashed taters. Its a good sub for dairy produucts. The flaver is nicer than regular mayonnaise. Get it at the I.g.a
Add 1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce). Even better
Oooh – yum!
How long this dressing could hold in the fridge?
Hi there. I can’t make shelf life claims but it should keep pretty well b/c oil and acv keep pretty well in the fridge.
I must live on another planet, but I just made this dressing exactly per the instructions and it’s dreadful. I love all the ingredients in it but combined, it was yuck. I think part of the issue is it’s too much oil, maybe? I threw it down the drain.
So sorry you felt that way. We love it here. Well, my husband prefers this one: https://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/moroccan-vinaigrette/
OH MY GOSH! I really wasn’t expecting this dressing to be as delicious as it was. The nutritional yeast adds such a great flavor… this is my new salad dressing! THANK YOU!!!!
So glad to hear it! It’s my youngest’s favorite! In fact I have to make some more with some new olive oil I just got. Thanks for taking the time to comment!