This tangy, creamy & rich vegan Italian dressing is a great healthy condiment to have on hand ! Super easy to make, & only a few basic ingredients needed.
This vegan Italian salad dressing is another staple condiment in our household ! It is incredibly quick and easy to throw together, and can be stored in the fridge to be enjoyed throughout the week. Say goodbye to boring salads as this dressing will make any veggies taste good !
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Super easy and quick to make - All you need is 7 simple ingredients and 5 mins ! ( minus soaking time )
- Creamy and flavorful - This Italian is super rich and creamy, and will make any salad greens taste incredible.
- Healthy and oil-free - Cashews are use in place of oil, which makes this dressing perfect for those who are on a wfpb diet. Plus, there is only 80 calories per 2 tablespoons serving !
- Great for meal prep - Make a batch of these dressing to enjoy throughout your week. This recipe is freezable too !
🌿What you will need
📓Notes / substitutions
- Cashews - Make sure to use raw cashews in this recipe. Raw almonds or raw sunflower seeds can be used in place for a nut-free version.
- White wine vinegar - Can be substituted for red wine vinegar. Use lemon juice instead to make it alcohol-free.
- Garlic - Can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Dijon mustard - Yellow mustard or a small pinch of mustard powder can be used in a pinch.
- Maple syrup - Any kinds of liquid sweetener like agave syrup or even honey can be used, if not vegan. Liquid stevia will work too, but you will only need a few drops.
🔪How to make
Presoak your cashews overnight, or in hot water for 20 minutes to soften them. This step is especially important if you are not using a high-speed blender ( like Vitamix or Nutribullet ).
In your blender, add in all ingredients and blend until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add water, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. That's all !
🥗How to use
This vegan Italian dressing not only works great in salads, but can be used in other things too ! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it :
- It can be used to top roasted or air-fried vegetables.
- This sauce works well as a dip for raw veggies or crackers.
- It can also be used as a healthier spread for your wraps, sandwiches and even falafel pita.
- This dressing is a really great sauce for pasta salads !
❔Commonly asked questions
Most of the oil-based Italian dressing out there are vegan. As for creamy ones, they are oftentimes not vegan as they might contain cheese and mayonnaise. Therefore, do be sure to read the label before purchasing to make sure that it is vegan-friendly.
Or, you can just made your own at home following this easy recipe !
Refrigerate leftover vegan Italian dressing in mason jars or sealed containers for up to a week. It is also freezable too and can be frozen for 3 months.
To freeze, transfer dressing to ice cube trays and place it in the freezer for a few hours until they are frozen. You can now transfer them to any containers or zip-top bags before freezing them.
When you are ready to use, let them defrost completely, either in the fridge or in the microwave. You will need to run it through the blender before using.
White wine vinegar can be found in most well-stocked supermarkets or groceries, usually in the condiment aisle or baking aisle, alongside other types of vinegar.
Or, you can purchase it online through Amazon.
🍽More vegan condiments and dips
If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉
📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews *( see notes for substitutions )
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar **
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup ***
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard ****
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Presoak your cashews overnight, or in hot water for 20 minutes to soften them. This step is especially important if you are not using a high-speed blender ( like Vitamix or Nutribullet ).
- In your blender, add in all ingredients and blend until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add water, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. That's all !
Notes
To freeze, transfer dressing to ice cube trays and place it in the freezer for a few hours until they are frozen. You can now transfer them to any containers or zip-top bags before freezing them.
Reheating - When you are ready to use, let them defrost completely, either in the fridge or in the microwave. You will need to run it through the blender before using.
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