This everyday salad topper is the perfect cross between a tangy, creamy Italian dressing and your classic Ranch dressing. The best part is that it only contains a single teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in as many as 8 servings. And did we mention that it’s dairy-free? That adds up to a low acid salad dressing that you can be confident won’t trigger reflux. Best of all? It’s so good you’ll want to put it on everything.
We use plant-based yogurt for the tang and creaminess you’d ordinarily get from buttermilk in a recipe like this. While plant-based yogurt can contain as much as 10g of fat per serving, making it less than ideal for people with GERD, those servings are usually 3/4 cup and this recipe only uses 1/4 cup to create as much as 8 servings. In the end, each serving of this dressing actually contains less than 2g of fat!
We achieve the consistency of traditional salad dressings with a bit of kitchen wizardry by thickening with a small amount of cornstarch, however, this can be subbed out for arrowroot powder, or skipped altogether if you’d like. It will result in a thinner dressing, but one that’s still packed with flavor.
That being said, cooking and then chilling the dressing does add a depth of flavor that is highly recommended. It’s really worth the effort.
Ingredients for Low Acid Creamy Herb Dressing
Plant-based Yogurt – Nowadays there are quite a few great vegan yogurt options. Just remember that each different kind comes with a different flavor profile. Coconut milk yogurt tends to be sweet, while oat milk yogurt is a bit more “earthy”. Soy yogurt tends to be neutral and keeps the protein level higher than others. Choose wisely.
Plant-based Milk – We like almond milk here because it’s easy to use in a 1:1 ratio to dairy milk. As mentioned above, different “milks” come with different flavors. Try a few different things and see what you like!
Apple Cider Vinegar – While ACV can be a divisive ingredient within the GERD/reflux community, in small amounts it is generally well tolerated.
Herbs – This is where the magic happens. Oregano, parsley, basil, and a bit of garlic powder do the heavy flavor lifting.
Honey – Adds a hint of sweetness and depth of flavor.
Salt – To really make those flavors pop.
Cornstarch – The cornstarch acts as a thickening agent to really get that creamy consistency.
Water – Simply needed to mix with the cornstarch allowing it to work it’s magic.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How to Make Low Acid Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Everyone needs a go-to salad dressing recipe they can whip up in a few minutes! Bonus points if that recipe is so good your guests will try to drink shots of it.
Here’s how to make it:
First, in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all ingredients except cornstarch and water.
Now, bring that up to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Just enough heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Next, whisk cornstarch into the water and then whisk that mixture into the simmering dressing.
Stirring constantly, let all of this cook together for 2 minutes to thicken up.
Finally, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
If cornstarch doesn’t work for you, substitute arrowroot powder in a 1:1 ratio. It’s a great thickener that has almost no taste and low PH, so it’s great for reflux sufferers.
If you absolutely don’t want to use apple cider vinegar, you can substitute a teaspoon of unsweetened apple juice or a dry white wine.
In general, the herbs in this recipe are well tolerated, however, make sure to leave out or substitute anything that doesn’t work for you.
More Favorite GERD Chef Recipes
If you love this low acid salad dressing, try one of these delicious recipes next:
Everyone needs a go-to salad dressing recipe they can whip up in a few minutes! Bonus points if that recipe is so good your guests will try to drink shots of it. Here’s how to make it:
In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all ingredients except cornstarch and water.
Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Just enough heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Whisk cornstarch into the water and then whisk that mixture into the simmering dressing.
Stir constantly. Let this simmer for 2 minutes to thicken up.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
If cornstarch doesn’t work for you, substitute arrowroot powder in a 1:1 ratio. It’s a great thickener that has almost no taste and low PH, so it’s great for reflux sufferers.
If you absolutely don’t want to use apple cider vinegar, you can substitute a teaspoon of unsweetened apple juice or a dry white wine.
In general, the herbs in this recipe are well tolerated, however, make sure to leave out or substitute anything that doesn’t work for you.
Can you please post the nutritional values for fat and
sodium content most importantly? Thank you!