French dressing is a classic salad dressing that has been enjoyed across generations.

It is usually made with oil, white vinegar, and spices. It has a mildly sweet flavour, and can be used to dress many different types of salads or as a dip for vegetables.

Traditional French dressing recipes often contain animal products such as eggs or dairy.

In this recipe, you can discover how to make a delicious vegan version of this classic condiment using whole food plant-based ingredients such as cashew butter and date syrup.

This recipe for French dressing uses ingredients that are widely available in India, making it easy to whip up a batch of this tasty dressing at home.

Healthier Swaps for a Whole Food Plant Based French Dressing:

1. Replace white sugar and granulated sugar with date syrup or blackstrap molasses
2. Substitute white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar.
3. Use cashew butter instead of virgin olive oil or vegetable oil.
4. Replace ketchup with tomato paste made at home, and add extra spices to bring in the ketchup flavour.
5. Swap out store-bought French dressings for a homemade version using straightforward ingredients such as black pepper, paprika, kosher salt, onion powder and tomato paste.
6. Follow nutrition advice and daily values to ensure that the dressing is healthy and balanced.

History of French Dressing

French dressing has been a favorite salad dressing for centuries, with its origins dating back to the 18th century. It was even popularised in the United States by the likes of Martha Stewart in the early 1900s!

Some modern versions are now a staple in many households.

French dressing is known for its perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, making it a timeless classic.

Modern-day French dressing typically consists of oil, vinegar, ketchup, sugar or honey, and spices such as paprika or cayenne pepper. This recipe shows you how to make a healthier whole food plant based version of french dressing.

This combination creates a flavorful dressing that can be used to dress salads or as a dip for vegetables.

It is also often used as an ingredient in other dishes. You could even try making some fantastic barbecue sauce with it.

French vinaigrette is another popular type of French dressing that does not contain ketchup but instead uses vinegar, herbs, and spices to create a light and refreshing flavor profile. You can even try adding some fresh fruit juices to it.

This type of dressing is great for delicate greens like spinach and arugula and can be made without tomato paste if desired.

For those looking to make their own French dressing at home, read on and learn how. There are many more recipes available on SampoornaAhara.com and NutritionScience.in that show you how to substitute less healthy ingredients like olive oil and white wine with healthier alternatives.

Recipe for French Dressing - Vegan & Whole Food Plant Based

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Category

Salad Dressings

Servings

4

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Calories

45

This is quick recipe for healthy French dressing that calls for a mixie or food processor to blend together date syrup or molasses, apple cider vinegar, cashew butter, tomato paste, paprika, onion powder, miso paste and black pepper.

This combination creates a flavorful dressing that can be used to dress salads or as a dip for vegetables.

The smooth texture of the French dressing makes it perfect for personal consumption or for your family, and is much healthier than other store-bought dressings.

It is also low in calories and can be incorporated into your daily diet with ease.

Simply shake before using and pour over your favorite salads or vegetables in a salad bowl for a delicious homemade salad!

Author:

Dr. Achyuthan Eswar

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of date syrup or blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of cashew butter
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (homemade)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• ½ teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of miso paste
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper

Directions

1. Grind 1 small tomato into a smooth paste and boil down in a thick bottomed vessel to make tomato paste. If you have already made tomato paste, you can skip this step.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the date syrup or molasses and apple cider vinegar until combined.

3. Add in the cashew butter and stir until it is completely incorporated into the mixture.

4. Add in the tomato paste, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper and stir until everything is well blended.

5. Pour the dressing into a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

6. To use, simply shake before using and pour over your favorite salads or vegetables! Forget about using this dressing in moderation - because it's whole food plant based and healthy, you can make this timeless dressing in minutes and enjoy garnishing your salads with as much as you want of this famous dressing. Enjoy!

Recipe Note

Why nuts instead of oil?

Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When nuts are pressed, and oil is extracted, fibre and phytonutrients are lost, along with many other nutrients. Therefore, whole nuts are much healthier than oils, whether cold-pressed or refined. In addition, they provide the oil content we need to absorb fat-soluble phytonutrients from other whole plant foods! This may be why nuts are used to garnish nearly every traditional Indian dish!

Why not honey, sugar or jaggery?

Sugar and Jaggery are processed foods. Although jaggery is healthier than brown sugar, which, in turn, is more beneficial than white sugar, all processed foods are unhealthy compared to whole plant foods. Honey is healthwise as good as jaggery, which isn't saying much. In addition to not being very healthy, honey production kills millions of bees every year, affecting our environment adversely. The best sweetener alternative is a whole fruit or dry fruit. The easiest method of using these is date syrup, which does not involve peeling or chopping.

Why not olive oil?

An olive oil garnish has become the signature garnish of hummus today. This practice may have started as a compromise when olives were unavailable. You can enjoy olive oil's health benefits by consuming whole olives (after soaking them in plain water to remove salt) or using other nuts, such as sesame seeds, in your recipe!

Is vinegar healthy?

Technically, vinegar is not whole plant food. However, it is beneficial for those consuming an unhealthy diet and neutral for those consuming a healthy diet. Because of this, it is classified as an honorary green light food in our mentor Dr Greger's traffic light system, and you can consume it as often as you like.