The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low carb, high-fat diet that has been found to have a variety of health advantages (1).

While this diet is fundamentally restrictive, advances in food science and culinary inventiveness have made it much simpler to follow.

Non-starchy vegetables, such as salad greens, are low in carbs and a great keto diet alternative. Still, finding a flavorful, low-carb salad dressing that goes beyond conventional oil and vinegar may be difficult.

Here are ten keto-friendly salad dressings, each with 4 grams of carbs or fewer per serving.

1. Homestyle ranch

While classic ranch dressing is created with buttermilk, this recipe substitutes sour cream, mayo, and heavy cream for the same flavor profile with fewer carbs and more fat.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (120 g) of sour cream
• ½ cup (120 g) of mayo
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp of chopped chives
• 1 tsp of dried dill
• 1 tsp of onion powder
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1–2 tsp (5–10ml) of fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a dish or container with a cover, combine all of the ingredients.
2. Stir well.
3. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving cold or immediately at room temperature.

NUTRITION FACTS

A two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 84
• Fat: 8 g
• Carbs: 2 g
• Protein: 1 g

2. Keto Italian vinaigrette

This keto take on a classic goes nicely with practically any salad green. It may serve as a mainstay for your keto diet with items most people have in their cabinets.

Ingredients

• One Tbsp of Italian seasoning
• One cup (240 ml) of light olive oil
• Four Tbsp (60 ml) of red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp of salt
• ¼ tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. In a dressing container with a cover, combine all of the ingredients.
2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to let the flavors emerge.
3. Keep refrigerated for up to 7 days.

NUTRITION FACTS

A Two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 198
• Fat: 22 g
• Carbs: minimal
• Protein: less than 1g

3. Creamy jalapeño-cilantro dressing

With the fiery zing of jalapeño and the freshness of cilantro, this simple dressing brightens up salads and grilled meats, and vegetables.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (25 g) of chopped cilantro
• ½ cup (120 g) Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1/2–1 chopped jalapeño
• Six garlic cloves peeled
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water

Instructions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients until smooth.
2. Enafor a 15-20 minute pause to enable the flavors to emerge.

NUTRITION FACTS

A two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 41
• Fat: 3 g
• Carbs: 1 g
• Protein: 1 g

4. Keto honey-mustard dressing

This salad dressing may also be a zesty dipping sauce for all your favorite keto finger foods.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (120 g) of full-fat sour cream
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of water
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of Dijon mustard
• One Tbsp (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar
• One Tbsp (10 g) of granular erythritol or another keto-friendly sweetener

Instructions

1. In a mixing basin, whisk together all of the ingredients.
2. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

NUTRITION FACTS

A two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 38
• Fat: 2.5 g
• Carbs: minimal
• Protein: less than 1 g

5. Keto Thousand Island dressing

This keto-friendly version of a traditional dressing has just the perfect amount of sweetness (from stevia) and acidity (from ketchup and vinegar) to delight your taste buds while keeping carbs to a minimum.

Ingredients

• One cup (230 g) of mayo
• 2 Tbsp (35 g) of reduced-sugar ketchup
• One Tbsp (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp (20 g) of finely chopped pickles
• 2 Tbsp (20 g) of finely chopped onion
• 1/8 tsp of stevia
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Divide the diced pickles and onions into two separate 1-tablespoon portions.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except one tablespoon of onion and one tablespoon of pickle, and mix until smooth.
3. Combine the remaining onions and pickles in a mixing bowl.
4. Place the dressing in a jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  one-tablespoon (15-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 96
• Fat: 10 g
• Carbs: minimal
• Protein: less than 1 g

6. Five-minute keto Caesar dressing

Make this dressing in five minutes, combine with salad greens, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for a quick and easy Caesar salad with a few carbs.

Ingredients

• Three garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 ½ tsp (10 g) of anchovy paste
• One tsp (5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
• Two Tbsp (30 ml) of fresh lemon juice — or the juice of ½ lemon
• 1 ½ tsp (10 g) of Dijon mustard
• ¾ cup (175 g) of mayo
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the garlic, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Whisk in the mayonnaise until well-mixed.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  one-tablespoon (15-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 100
• Fat: 10 g
• Carbs: minimal
• Protein: less than 1 g

7. Creamy keto blue cheese dressing with chives

This whole-food-based blue cheese dressing assures no extra chemicals that many bottled variations deliver, whether on chicken wings or just plain greens.

Ingredients

• One cup (230 g) of mayo
• ½ cup (120 g) of sour cream
• One Tbsp (15 ml) of lemon juice
• One tsp (5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
• One tsp of garlic powder
• ½ tsp of sea salt
• ½ tsp of black pepper
• ¾ cup (115 g) of crumbled blue cheese
• ¼ cup (10 g) of fresh chives, chopped

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing basin, whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 106
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 1 g
• Protein: 1 g

8. Wasabi-cucumber-avocado dressing

This dressing is wonderfully pleasant on a hot summer day, but it can be combined with fresh veggies at any time of year for a low carb choice. The wasabi powder can be adjusted to taste depending on the desired heat.

Ingredients

• One avocado
• 2–4 stalks of green onion
• 1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
• Juice of ½ lime
• Two Tbsp (15 g) of wasabi powder
• Two Tbsp (30 ml) of avocado oil
• Two tsp (10 ml) of rice or apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp of garlic powder
• ¼ tsp of salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth in a food processor or blender.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 75
• Fat: 7 g
• Carbs: minimal
• Protein: 1 g

9. Asian peanut dressing

Most commercially prepared peanut sauces have significant added sugar, making them difficult to incorporate into a keto diet.

This recipe eliminates the sugar while retaining the essence of any outstanding peanut sauce. Use it to top your favorite mixed greens or as a marinade for chicken satay.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (80 g) of natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of hot water
• Two Tbsp (30 ml) of soy sauce
• Two Tbsp (30 ml) of vinegar
• One lime, juiced
• One tsp of minced ginger
• One tsp of garlic
• One tsp of pepper

Instructions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients until smooth.
2. Keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.
3. Add a few drops of stevia extract if you think the dressing is too sweet.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 91
• Fat: 7 g
• Carbs: 4 g
• Protein: 2 g

10. Keto raspberry-tarragon dressing

This dressing contains antioxidants from fresh raspberries and tarragon and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, which helps fuel ketosis.

It’s delicious in any form of green but can also be used to marinade fish, poultry, and other protein sources.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (120 ml) of olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of MCT oil (available in stores online)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar
• Two Tbsp (30 g) of Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ tsp of fresh tarragon (or ½ tsp dried)
• 1/4 tsp of keto-friendly sweetener
• Pinch of salt of your choice
• ½ cup (60 g) of fresh raspberries, mashed

Instructions

1. Whisk together all ingredients, except the raspberries, in a mixing bowl for about 15 seconds or until smooth.
2. Stir in the crushed raspberries until nicely combined.
3. Sweetness can be adjusted to taste.

NUTRITION FACTS

A  two-tablespoon (30-ml) serving provides:

• Calories: 158
• Fat: 17 g
• Carbs: 1 g
• Pthan 1n: less than1 g

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Unsuitable dressings for a keto diet and buying tips

While many salad dressings are keto-friendly due to their fat-to-carb ratio, some do not – usually because they include additional sugar or compensate for a lack of fat by adding carbs. Dressings that are not appropriate include:

• Catalina dressing
• French dressing
• fat-free salad dressing
• pre-bottled vinaigrettes
• traditional honey-mustard dressing

While homemade keto salad dressings taste better, many excellent store-bought options are available.

When shopping for keto salad dressing, keep the following in mind:

• The first item should be a fat such as olive oil, avocado oil, or MCT oil.
• Herbs, spices, lemon juice, and vinegar should be as natural as possible.
• Keep an eye out for extra sugars.

The Bottom Line

In recent years, the very low carb, high-fat keto diet has gained favor.

While this diet might be restricted, inventive dishes can give the flavors of previous high-carb favorites with little carbohydrates, making boring salads obsolete.

Most of the recipes above may be stored in the refrigerator for seven or more days, providing you with various dressings.

These dressings will liven up your keto diet with largely whole-food ingredients and a healthy dose of fat.

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