This is a hippie standard and my favourite gingery nutritional yeast dressing. It's a little different from your normal salad dressing as it uses water, tamari, and a good amount of nutritional yeast to make a zingy, creamy salad dressing. Try it with my rainbow shredded vegetable salad.
For some more homemade salad dressings to make your salads even more exciting, try my ginger lime salad dressing, green goddess dip, or try making your own zesty Italian dressing.
Ingredients
These might be hippie kitchen staples but they're not in every household - if it's your first time trying nutritional yeast and you're not sure how much you'll use, get the exact amount at a bulk food store.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Nutritional yeast: make sure you're using flaked, not powdered, nutritional yeast. It takes up a lot less volume and I haven't tested this with powder so I'm not sure exactly how much would be needed.
- Tamari: substitute soy sauce for the tamari if the recipe doesn't need to be gluten-free. Bragg all-purpose seasoning can be used too.
- Apple cider vinegar: if you don't have ACV, sub in an equal amount of white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
Step by Step
It's quick and easy to make salad dressing in a food processor, but you can also mix by hand. Follow the same directions, but use a large mixing bowl and whisk very well instead.
Step 1: add everything but the olive oil to a small food processor or blender.
Step 2: blend until well combined and the garlic and ginger have mixed in with no large chunks.
Step 3: add the olive oil in a slow stream while mixing.
Step 4: serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Top Tips
- Slowly add the oil: adding the olive oil in a slow stream while mixing makes for a creamier, well-combined dressing.
- Season to taste: since you're using tamari in this recipe, no salt is called for. If you reduce the amount of tamari or feel that it needs more seasoning, simply add a pinch of salt.
- Grate the garlic and ginger: if whisking by hand, finely grate the garlic and ginger on something like a microplane before adding to the dressing.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container, like a glass jar with a lid, for about a week. Shake before serving if the dressing is cold, as it may have separated.
Freezing: you can freeze nutritional yeast dressing if you'd like, but note that it will separate after thawing, and the flavour won't be as good.
FAQ
Can you put nutritional yeast on salad?
While nutritional yeast can be added as is to a green or grain salad, it doesn't add too much in terms of flavour and can make for an unpleasant texture. It's usually much nicer to mix it into a dressing and have it on a salad that way.
Does nutritional yeast need to be refrigerated?
While it doesn't need to be refrigerated, nutritional yeast should be kept somewhere cool, dark, and dry. This might mean a sealed container in the fridge, or somewhere like a cool pantry or kitchen cupboard.
Is nutritional yeast actually good for you?
Nutritional yeast is high in B vitamins, something that can be lacking in a vegan diet, so it's a good addition if you eat plant-based.
If you make this Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing or any other vegan sauce recipes on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.
Recipe
Nutritional Yeast Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons flaked nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled
- ½ cup olive oil
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the yeast, water, tamari, vinegar, garlic, and ginger to a small food processor or blender. Mix until well-combined and the ginger and garlic have blended in.6 tablespoons flaked nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons tamari, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 large cloves garlic, 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
- Add the olive oil in a slow stream while mixing. Once the oil is mixed in, the dressing should be thicker and creamy looking. Add the black pepper.½ cup olive oil, Ground black pepper
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.
Very good. Added a little more oil and three cloves of garlic. Used powdered ginger, as I am out of the fresh root. Thank you