A blog reader recently challenged me to create a nut-free, creamy salad dressing. You know I love a good challenge and I’m always happy when you give me recipe ideas and let me know what you are struggling with. It’s not always easy cranking out an endless supple of recipes, so I always appreciate any inspiration and guidance I can get. I first asked Julie if she has tried my beloved (nut-free) Lemon tahini dressing. The only problem is, she is allergic to sesame seeds as well, so that dressing was not an option.
I was totally stumped for ideas, until I spotted my bag of hulled hemp seeds…
Yes, hemp seeds turn wonderfully creamy when blended. This could just work!
Of course, hulled hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts) are nutritional powerhouses. Packed with omega 3 fatty acids, many say hemp seeds contain the perfect omega 3-6-9 fatty acid balance for the body, reducing inflammation and giving the skin, hair, and nails a gorgeous glow. They are also high in protein, and a complete protein to boot. This salad dressing has roughly 2.5 grams of protein per tablespoon, so it’s an easy way to boost the protein in your salad without much effort! Who knew salad dressing could be high in protein?
Making this dressing is also a total breeze. Just toss water, hulled hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sea salt, lemon juice, and garlic into a blender and blend away. Thanks to the creamy, healthy fats that hemp seeds provide, there’s no need for a lick of oil in this dressing. I kept the ingredients very simple, but feel free to experiment with other herbs and seasonings if you want to doctor it up.
PS- You’ll be seeing much more of this Delicata squash. It’s my absolute favourite squash and I’ve been eating it like a crazy person lately.
PPS – I put about 3 times this much salad dressing on after photographing. Salads just don’t photograph very well with lots of dressing, but that’s how I usually eat them! Now you know. :)
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Ultra Creamy Hemp Salad Dressing + Salad Recipe
Yield
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp dressing
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I kept the flavours in this dressing simple to allow the earthy, distinct flavour of hemp seed to take centre stage. This dressing reminds me of a cross between a mild Caesar dressing and a Ranch dressing, although not quite as strong. Feel free to play around with the ingredients. I'm sure fresh herbs or other seasonings would be nice to experiment with too. The dressing appears quite thin after blending, but rest assured it thickens up quite a bit once chilled in the fridge. I've also included the directions for making this salad too. It was a great combo of flavours! The Delicata squash is not to be left out.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, to taste
for the salad:
- lettuce
- tomato
- shredded carrot
- roasted delicata squash
- petita/pumpkin seeds, for garnish
- hulled hemp seeds, for garnish
Directions
- For the dressing: Add all dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Adjust salt to taste. The dressing will appear thin at first, but it thickens up after being chilled in the fridge.
- For roasting the squash: Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. There is no need to peel the skin off the squash, as it's thin and edible. Slice the stem off the squash and then slice in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard (or clean and roast for the salad). Slice each half into small, 1/2-inch half-moons. Lay flat on baking sheet and drizzle with oil (I love using coconut oil), salt, and pepper. Toss to coat both sides. Roast for around 25-35 minutes, flipping squash half way through baking. Squash should be fork tender and lightly golden when ready.
- To assemble the salad: Add a generous amount of lettuce into a large bowl or platter. Top with squash, shredded carrot, tomato, pepita seeds, hulled hemp seeds, and the dressing.
- Dressing will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least a week, probably longer.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
I hope you enjoy this nut-free take on a creamy salad dressing! As always, let me know what you think if you try it out.
You are awesome Angela. I made a kale, chick pea, squash salad today with the hemp dressing. It was seriuosly delish. I am totally into having a mainly plant based diet based on your recipes.
OMG!! I haven’t made the salad yet but I have made the dressing a few times and it’s always SO DELICIOUS! It’s my go to dressing and I use it as a dip for vegan nuggets, veggies, or oven-fried oyster mushrooms. Perfection!
Since I can’t use oil at all, would the delicate burn if I didn’t coat it? Any suggestions for what to baste it with in this situation? Thanks so much!
The salad dressing is amazing, tastes like a creamy ranch. But I’ll probably use some other nut or seed since hemp is $20/lb a bit too expensive fro me to use often
It’s cheaper at Costco!
This dressing is so good, it brought a tear to my eye.
Just made this. So delish! And so easy to make!
I never thought to use hemp seeds for dressing. It’s awesome. Oil free and so creamy. I love it!
Hey Christine, So happy to hear that you love it so much! I had forgotten about this dressing but now I’m thinking I need to make this soon. :)
I’m so grateful for your wonderful recipes, you have helped me tackle my MS from the inside out x
Thank you Meg! That means so much to me to hear.
I’m sorry to have to say but this was not good, it was an awful grey colour and resembled sand in water, I used a vitamix, then transferred to a small container on a ninja and then back in the vitamix, but no change.
Love this recipe! I add in some Frank’s RedHot sauce and it tastes amazing.