Avocados are a superfood, rich in vitamins and healthy fats. Adding avocado to your diet is a great way to not only add essential nutrients but great taste and texture to your dishes as well.
When people imagine utilizing avocados in their diet, most people think of guacamole. While guacamole is delicious, there are plenty of other ways to use avocados in your meal preparations. One creative and easy way to use avocados is to make an avocado salad dressing.
1. Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing
Time to prepare: 5 minutes
What You Need
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (can substitute olive oil)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- Food processor or blender
Instructions
- Scoop avocado out of the skin
- In a food processor, blend together avocado, garlic, lime (or lemon) juice, avocado oil, salt, and pepper.
- Process until smooth
- Add about 1/4 cup water until you have your desired consistency.
- Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to a week.
That’s it! Easy peasy and so scrumptious!
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 90
- Total Fat: 9 grams (1 gram saturated, 8 grams unsaturated)
- Sodium: 68 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
2. Healthy Avocado Cilantro Salad Dressing
Time to prepare: 7 minutes
What You Need
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup sour cream (can substitute greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (can substitute lemon or white vinegar)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- water (approximately 1/3 cup)
- food processor or blender
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender
- Process until smooth
- Thin the salad dressing with approximately 1/3 cup water until the concoction reaches your desired consistency.
- Keep refrigerated in airtight for 1 to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 93
- Total Fat: 9 grams (1 gram saturated, 8 grams unsaturated)
- Sodium: 77 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
3. Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing
Time to prepare: 10 minutes
What You Need
- 1/4 cup ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon parsley, dried
- 1 pinch dill weed, dried
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch garlic powder
Instructions
- Mash avocado in a bowl.
- Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, and vinegar.
- Sprinkle in salt, parsley, dill, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Stir until well-blended.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 125
- Total Fat: 12.9 grams (3 grams saturated fat)
- Cholesterol: 9 milligrams
- Sodium: 131 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 2.3 grams
- Protein: 0.9 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
Making a Salad With Avocado Dressing
Now that you’ve got your dressing made, what kind of salad should you add it to? Here are some of the best salads and ingredients to incorporate with avocado dressing.
Cobb Salad
Cobb Salad is a great salad to eat with avocado dressing. This salad is traditionally made with romaine lettuce, hard-boiled egg, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and blue cheese crumbles. You can even add chunks of sliced avocado if you really love the super-fruit.
Basil Avocado Shrimp Salad
Basically exactly what it sounds like, this salad is comprised of grape tomatoes, red onion, basil leaves, shrimp, and romaine lettuce. Add your avocado salad dressing and you’re good to go!
Keto Egg Salad
Ketogenic diets tout low-carb and high-fat ingredients, perfect for the healthy fats in avocados. This egg salad has hardboiled eggs, bacon, chives, salt, and pepper, plus the dressing of your choice. Choose a homemade avocado dressing to really spice up this delicious dish.
Making Avocado Salad Dressing
In addition to being delicious, avocados are healthy for you, supplying numerous vitamins and minerals essential for optimum wellness as well as healthy fats. Not only is making an avocado dressing quick and easy, but it’s also good for you too!