This is a mayo-based salad dressing seasoned with chili powder, garlic, onion, vinegar, and lemon juice, sweetened with a single packet of stevia. It takes 10 minutes to mix and contains no added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or MSG โ as long as your mayonnaise doesnโt either. If youโve been reaching for bottled dressings out of habit, this is a fast, cheaper alternative where you control every ingredient.
The technique that matters
The only real technique here is emulsion maintenance. Mayo is already an emulsion, but adding three tablespoons each of vinegar and lemon juice concentrate is a significant amount of liquid. Whisk the dry spices into the mayo first, before you add any liquid โ this helps the spices distribute evenly rather than clumping when the acid hits. Then add the vinegar and lemon juice slowly, whisking as you go, so the dressing stays thick and cohesive instead of breaking into a greasy puddle. A broken dressing slides right off greens; a properly mixed one clings. Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, and this dressing is rich enough that a little goes a long way.
Storage and make-ahead
Transfer the finished dressing to a sealed jar โ a repurposed jelly jar works well โ and refrigerate it. It keeps for up to one week, but that window is tied directly to the freshness of the mayonnaise you started with: check the use-by date before you begin. The dressing actually improves after an hour in the fridge, as the chili powder and garlic powder fully hydrate and the flavors knit together, so making it the night before is a genuine advantage. Give the jar a good shake before each use, since the vinegar and lemon juice will settle out over time. Do not freeze it โ mayo-based dressings break when frozen and thawed.
Common problems and fixes
- Dressing tastes flat or one-dimensional: The stevia packet is doing the work of balancing the acid, and stevia brands vary in sweetness. Taste before refrigerating โ if it still tastes harsh, add a second half-packet of stevia rather than sugar.
- Too thick to pour: Different mayo brands have different consistencies. Stir in an extra teaspoon of vinegar or water, a little at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency without thinning the flavor.
- Chili powder flavor is too dominant: Two teaspoons of chili powder is assertive. If you want a milder result, start with one teaspoon and taste after chilling โ the flavor intensifies as it sits.
- Dressing separates in the jar: This is normal with the high acid content. It does not mean the dressing has gone bad. A 10-second shake before serving brings it back together.
- Greens wilt quickly once dressed: This dressing is heavy enough to collapse delicate lettuce fast. Use sturdier greens โ romaine, chopped kale, or iceberg โ if youโre building a salad that needs to sit on the table for more than a few minutes.
Healthy And Sugar-Free Tangy Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise with no added junk
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ยผ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 packet Stevia in the raw
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice concentrate
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix well. Then chill.
Nutrition
FAQ
Does this dressing work on anything besides green salad?
Yes โ it works well as a dip for raw vegetables or a spread inside a wrap. The chili powder and garlic give it enough flavor to stand up to heartier uses beyond leafy greens.
Can I use a different sweetener instead of stevia?
Any zero-calorie granulated sweetener that measures like sugar will work. Start with the equivalent of one packet and adjust to taste after the dressing has chilled.
What kind of mayonnaise should I use?
Use a plain full-fat mayo with no added sugar or modified starch in the ingredients list โ check the label. Avocado-oil mayo and olive-oil mayo both work and keep the ingredient list clean.
The recipe says 781 calories per serving โ is that for the whole batch?
The nutrition is calculated per serving, and the recipe makes two servings, so the full batch is roughly 1,560 calories total. A typical serving of dressing is two tablespoons, so you are unlikely to use half the batch on one salad โ actual calories per use will be much lower.
Can I add this dressing to a salad Iโm packing for lunch?
Pack the dressing separately and add it right before eating. Even sturdy greens will soften if they sit in a mayo-based dressing for several hours.
How do I know if the dressing has gone bad?
Discard it if it smells off, looks separated in a way that wonโt re-emulsify after shaking, or has been in the fridge longer than a week. When in doubt, check the expiration date on the mayo you used โ that is the limiting factor.