Sesame Orange Salad Dressing with 3 Dairy-Free Salad Recipes

Salads are not only a wonderful way to add nutrition, they’re also a great way to experiment with flavors. They’re easy to toss together with a myriad of ingredients, and all types of dressings can be whipped up, sans dairy, in minutes. This light sesame orange salad dressing has Asian influences, and it pairs well with a big range of greens, other vegetables, and proteins. I’ve included three delicious ways to enjoy it.

3 Easy Salads with Dairy-Free Sesame Orange Salad Dressing

One of the reasons I love this dressing is that it incorporates fresh orange juice. Oranges are not only high in vitamin C, they’re also associated with improved bone density in studies. And it’s easy to generously enjoy this dairy-free sesame orange salad dressing since it’s low fat and low calorie, and pairs well with so many flavors. I’ve included three quick salad recipes below to get you started. Each of these can be made into entree salads.

Citrus Spinach Salad (4 side salads)

Peel and section 2 medium oranges, cutting away the membrane. Cut each section in half or into thirds. Pit, peel, and chop the flesh of 1 large avocado. In a large salad serving bowl, toss 1 (6-ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves with the orange sections, avocado, about half of the dressing (or as needed), and the toasted sesame seeds.

Optional Add-In: You can add about 1/2 cup shopped red onion or 1/4 cup sliced green onion for some zingy but complementary flavor.

Orange Sesame Chicken Salad (3 main dish salads)

Cut 12 ounces of boneless skinless chicken breast into 3/4-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon cornstarch (can sub another starch), 1 tablespoon sherry, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until evenly coated. Heat 1 tablespoon refined sesame oil (or other cooking oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Let the chicken cool. Cut 1 or 2 large romaine hearts into bite-sized pieces and divide them between three bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup store-bought coleslaw cabbage mix or thinly sliced cabbage. Top with the cooked chicken, sesame orange salad dressing, and toasted sesame seeds.

Optional Add-Ins: I usually add a couple other toppings, but which ones depend on what I have on hand. You can optionally add 1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot, dairy-free wonton chips, dairy-free chow mein noodles, chopped bell pepper, diced avocado, and/or corn on each salad.

Summer Snap Pea Salad (4 side salads)

Thinly slice 1 red bell pepper and 1 peeled carrot. Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and carrot and saute for 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon orange zest (if you are using fresh oranges for the dressing), 12 ounces trimmed sugar snap peas, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and let them cool. Stir in ½ cup sliced green onion (green tops only) and 1 (6-ounce) bag of leafy greens. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Shrimp Option: For 4 salads, marinate 12 ounces shrimp in half of the sesame orange salad dressing for 15 to 30 minutes. Discard the marinade. Sauté the shrimp in the oil for about 2 minutes (flipping half way through), or until just pink and cooked. The time will vary based on the size of your shrimp. Remove the shrimp and proceed with cooking the vegetables.

Special Diet Notes: Sesame Orange Salad Dressing

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, peanut-free, nut-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

For soy-free dairy-free sesame orange salad dressing, you can substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce, or simply add a little salt, to taste.

Alisa Fleming

Dairy-Free Sesame Orange Salad Dressing

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This recipe is adapted from an old issue of Cooking Light magazine. It truly shines with fresh squeezed orange juice and lends delicious Asian flare to a range of salads. It's also low in fat, but high in nutrition!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1 cup

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Japanese

Calories: 61

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• ⅔ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons flax meal (see Note below)
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 3 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds

Method

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, flax meal, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and sriracha.
2. Let the dressing sit for 15 minutes or longer. This is a good time to prepare your salad.
3. Sprinkle each salad with about 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds.
4. Whisk the dressing and drizzle it over your salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons dressing + 1 teaspoon sesame seedsCalories: 61kcalCarbohydrates: 4.6gProtein: 1.5gFat: 4.5gSaturated Fat: 0.6gSodium: 168mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g

Notes

Note: I use a little flax meal (ground flaxseeds) to thicken this dressing slightly (it's still more of a vinaigrette in consistency). Whole or ground chia seeds will also work in a pinch. But, if you want to play up the sesame seed flavor, I would substitute tahini (sesame seed paste) for the flax meal.

Spicier Option: For a bigger kick, you can double the sriracha.

Marinade Option: Omit the flax seed meal, and add 1/2 tablespoon orange zest, if you used fresh oranges. For shrimp, pour the marinade over the shrimp, cover, and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. For chicken or pork, pour the marinade over the meat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours before cooking.

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Try My Popular Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing Recipe, too!