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CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING (VEGAN + HEALTHY)

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing is a lightly sweet and tangy, healthy vegan salad dressing made with just 5 simple ingredients that’s oil-free and ready in 2 minutes!

top down view of small wooden plate with a spoon resting filled creamy poppy seed dressing and other items surrounding.

Meet my new favorite salad dressing! It’s creamy, healthy and easy to make. But most of all, it’s delicious!

Healthy, low-fat and oil-free, we’ll be using non-dairy yogurt as the base of the dressing in place of mayonnaise, which is typically found in creamy poppy seed dressings. It’s light and creamy, not super thick-creamy, but it clings well and tastes great!

Both lightly sweet and tangy, this simple vegan dressing is delicious on both fruit and vegetable salads. It would be great drizzled on this summery Strawberry Spinach Salad and Strawberry, Apple, Quinoa & Spinach Salad , or this Crunchy Kale Salad with Cranberries. You could even lightly dress this Easy Apple Coleslaw with it!

top down view of ingredients to make creamy vegan poppy seed dressing.

What Ingredients Are In Poppy Seed Dressing?

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing is made with non-dairy yogurt instead of mayonnaise and lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup for a light, creamy dressing that’s healthy and easy to make!

What you’ll need:

  • Unsweetened plain non-dairy yogurt (Silk, Oatly, Kite Hill, Forager, or So Delicious brands)
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Poppy seeds
  • Salt

Optional

  • Generous dash of onion powder

side angle view of creamy poppyseed dressing in a glass mason jar.

How Do You Make Poppy Seed Dressing?

To make the dressing simply place the ingredients in a mason jar or small bowl and whisk until combined. Let rest in the refrigerator until ready to use. Usually, I let the dressing rest a few minutes before adjusting for flavor. This way the flavors have time to mingle before making adjustments.

Top Tips

  • In place of yogurt, try vegan mayo instead.
  • Not feeling yogurt or mayo, try a mix of tahini and water, using about 1/3 cup tahini + 3 Tbsp water. The tahini is a fantastic base for poppy seed dressing. I used it in the dressing for this Sonoma Chickpea ‘Chicken’ Salad.
  • Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with white wine vinegar. Add more vinegar for extra tanginess.
  • Use organic pure cane sugar in place of maple syrup if needed.
  • Try adding a dash or two of onion powder for added flavor.

How Long Will Leftovers Last?

Leftovers will keep for 6 days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.

More Vegan Dressings

small plate with a spinach-strawberry salad topped with creamy vegan poppy seed dressing.

If you try this vegan salad dressing recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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VEGAN POPPY SEED DRESSING (CREAMY + HEALTHY)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 9 reviews

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing is made with yogurt instead of mayo and lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup for a delicious creamy dressing that’s ready in 2 minutes!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 2 min
  • Total Time: 2 min
  • Yield: Serves 3
  • Category: Condiment, Dressing
  • Method: mix
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy yogurt*
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar**
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • generous pinch of mineral salt

Optional

  • Generous dash of onion powder

Instructions

Place ingredients in a mason jar or small bowl and whisk until combined.

Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Serves 3

Notes

 

NOTES:

Brands that carry plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt include: Silk, Oatly, Kite Hill, Forager, or So Delicious.

*In place of yogurt, vegan mayo works great. Not feeling yogurt or mayo, try a mix of tahini and water, using 1/3 cup tahini + 3 Tbsp water.

**Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with white wine vinegar. Use more vinegar for extra tanginess.

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21 Comments

  1. Sooooo Good & Healthy!!! Love the sweet & tangy mix. Great as is but your suggestion for adding onion powder kicks it up a notch as does a dollop of dijon mustard. Look forward to sharing this recipe. Thank you!






  2. Just a question: is this dressing gluten free?

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Yes, this creamy poppy seed dressing is gluten-free. Just be sure to check the label on the non-dairy yogurt to ensure it’s not cross-contaminated with other foods while being made in the process. Enjoy!

  3. Pamela Dunkin says:

    This is the perfect size to not have so much waste. I am not a vinegar fan so I used the 2 Tbsp of Apple cider vinegar and 3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup. It was delicious on my salad with lots of fruit.






  4. Such a nicely balanced dressing. I added ~1.5 tbsp of grated white onion and it mixed in beautifully. Great dressing!






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