Super Easy Low Calorie Salad Dressing

This low calorie salad dressing swaps most of the oil for vegetable juice cocktail, which gives it body and a savory tomato-veggie flavor without the fat. A splash of vinegar and lemon juice bring the tang, and a small amount of oil adds just enough richness to coat your greens.

Shake everything together in a cruet and chill for at least an hour. That resting time lets the flavors marry so the dressing tastes like a unified vinaigrette rather than separate ingredients.

The spice addition is open-ended, which is where you make it your own. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, dried dill, or a pinch of cayenne all work depending on what you’re putting it on.

The vegetable juice does most of the heavy lifting on flavor, so use a good one. V8 or any tomato-forward vegetable juice cocktail gives the best results.

Kitchen Tips

• Shake the cruet vigorously before each use since the oil and juice will separate
• Taste after chilling and adjust vinegar or lemon juice to your preference
• Add spices before chilling so they have time to bloom in the liquid

Variations

• Use apple cider vinegar for a milder, slightly sweet tang
• Add a minced garlic clove or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for more punch
• Swap vegetable oil for olive oil for a richer, more Mediterranean flavor