Food & Drink

I Tasted a Dozen Low-Calorie Salad Dressings-Here Are 8 To Buy and 4 To Skip

By Korin Miller Parade - Food and Drink Stories

Updated July 11, 2026 10:41 AM

You can give yourself a mental pat on the back when you dive into a salad or platter of raw vegetables. After all, you're actively taking steps to support your wellness by eating healthy. But for all the good that comes with eating salads, it's hard to ignore one fact: They're just better with a good salad dressing.

Unfortunately, salad dressings can load the calories and fat, working against your healthy eating goals. That's opened the door for a huge selection of low-calorie salad dressings. These salad toppers are designed to enhance your vegetables, while delivering an extra infusion of flavor-ideally, without tasting like a "diet" product.

That's a hard sell, but some low-calorie salad dressings are clearly up for the task, while others fall short. As a lifelong salad fan, I was curious: Can low-calorie salad dressings actually make your vegetables taste better, or are some not even worth the effort? Turns out, the low-calorie salad dressing market serves up a little of both.

While there are some low-calorie salad dressings I'd be OK never eating again, I was surprised at how many really nail this category without feeling like you're making a sacrifice. Here's what I learned while tasting my way through the top low-calorie salad dressings out there.

Top Low-Calorie Salad Dressings

Best Caesar: Wishbone Light Creamy Caesar
Best Smoky: Western Light Sweet & Smooth Dressing
Best Thousand Island: Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island Dressing
Best Balsamic: Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
Best Greek: Caesar Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette
Best Flavor: Newman's Own Sesame Ginger
Best Italian: Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing
Best Creamy: Ken's Steak House Lite Chunky Blue Cheese

What Counts as Light or Low-Calorie Salad Dressing?

There's no clear cut-off for what makes a salad dressing "light" or "low-calorie." However, these dressings tend to be 100 calories or less per two-tablespoon serving-and many are well below that. Ultimately, it's best to think about your caloric needs and how you see a salad dressing fitting into those.

While some low-calorie dressings are clearly labeled "light" dressings, others just happen to be lighter in calories without advertising this feature. So, read the labels carefully.

8 Best Low-Calorie Salad Dressings

These low-calorie salad dressings taste nearly identical-or exactly the same-to the real thing. Here's what makes them shine.

8. Best Caesar: Wishbone Light Creamy Caesar, $2.99

Caesar dressing is notoriously calorie-heavy, but Wishbone does an excellent job balancing things out with this dressing. The Wishbone Light Creamy Caesar lives up to its name with a thick, creamy consistency at 60 calories per serving. It has a tangy flavor that perfectly balances things out and makes any salad shine.

7. Best Smoky: Western Light Sweet & Smooth Dressing, $2.92

Western dressing isn't for everyone, but those craving a smoky upgrade to their salads will appreciate Western Light Sweet & Smooth Dressing. At 80 calories per serving, it's pushing the definition of "light," but this dressing still delivers plenty of flavor. Tomato, paprika and onion flavors clearly shine. This will definitely pep up a basic salad.

6. Best Thousand Island: Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island Dressing, $2.99

At 80 calories per serving, Ken's Steak House Lite Thousand Island Dressing isn't the lightest low-calorie dressing you'll find. While it has a slightly weaker flavor than your standard Thousand Island, it still delivers. The consistency is nice and thick, and the sweet pickle relish taste is clearly there. Overall, it's a memorable dressing.

5. Best Balsamic: Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, $3.47

Balsamic dressing can be a sneaky source of calories, but the Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette is just 45 calories per serving. It delivers a punchy flavor that tastes like a "regular" balsamic vinaigrette. I wouldn't be able to tell in a blind taste test that it was light. This dressing offers a nice mix of herbal flavors, too. Just shake it really well before using.

4. Best Greek: Caesar Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette, $4.39

Caesar Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette is a powerhouse dressing with a lot to offer. It has the perfect consistency-it's not too watery or thick-and the herby flavor is noticeable. The small chunks of feta inside are a nice touch, too. While this dressing is 50 calories per serving, it doesn't taste light at all.

3. Best Flavor: Newman's Own Sesame Ginger, $4.29

The Newman's Own Sesame Ginger isn't advertised as a low-calorie dressing, but it's just a mere 35 calories per serving, making it one of the lightest dressings on our list. The taste is delicious, with a strong and fresh sesame ginger flavor that works well on salads and as a marinade. It's flavorful without being overpowering, making it a great companion to vegetables.

2. Best Italian: Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing, $3.98

Olive Garden fans know the taste of the brand's signature salad dressing. The Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing tastes like the regular version, making it a no-brainer to use. This dressing is just 30 calories per serving, delivering that tasty, herbal and vinegary mix of flavors Olive Garden fans know and love. The consistency is thick, but not overly thick, too.

1. Best Creamy: Ken's Steak House Lite Chunky Blue Cheese, $3.49

I had to double-check the label of Ken's Steak House Lite Chunky Blue Cheese to make sure it actually was a light dressing. At 80 calories per serving, this isn't the lowest-calorie option you'll find-but it may be the most delicious. It's thick and creamy, with blue cheese chunks that make this really shine. It's also almost half the calories of the regular version. It's so good.

4 Low-Calorie Salad Dressings To Skip

Taste is an individual thing, but some low-calorie salad dressings clearly taste like "diet" food. I'd skip these.

1. Hidden Valley Ranch Light, $3.97

To be fair, Hidden Valley Ranch has a very unique flavor. But Hidden Valley Ranch Light, which is 60 calories per serving, comes nowhere near it. While the consistency and appearance are the same as standard Hidden Valley Ranch, the overall flavor is just off.

If you're not a regular Hidden Valley Ranch eater, you may not notice the difference. But if you're a diehard, you may want to think hard about whether the 40% fewer calories are actually worth it.

2. Skinnygirl Honey Dijon, $2.69

At 10 calories per serving, Skinnygirl Honey Dijon is the lightest option on our list. But that comes with a big sacrifice on flavor. This dressing looks like honey dijon, but doesn't taste like it. There's also a very strong artificial sweetener flavor that's hard to shake. It's not terrible, but it's not great, either.

3. Kraft Raspberry Lite Vinaigrette, $3.49

Some people like Kraft Raspberry Lite Vinaigrette, but it's not for everyone. This dressing has 30 calories per serving and a ton of sweetness. (Sugar is the second ingredient, right after water.) It's also a little watery. If you like the taste of raspberries and want to make your salad taste really sweet, you may like this. But it may be a hard sell for most.

4. Briannas Sugar Free Blush Wine Vinaigrette, $3.32

Briannas Sugar Free Blush Wine Vinaigrette has 60 calories per serving, but it's hard to tell what it's trying to be. The flavor is really, really light and subtle. It's a little sweet and vinegary, but it doesn't have much more of a taste than that. I'd consider this a step above olive oil, but just barely. It gets lost in salads with any built-in or bold flavors.

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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 9:20 AM.