While the store is best-known for its variety of irresistible snacks and frozen foods, Trader Joe’s salad dressings are among their most criminally underrated products.
From mild flavors that let the ingredients shine to bold ones you can’t find anywhere else, there are good and good-for-you dressings if you know where to look.
These 11 best Trader Joe’s salad dressings (plus some stand-in sauces and spreads) put the final flavorful touch on their already tasty salads. They also make marinating as easy as open and pour, and they can dress up countless other meals.
1. Green Goddess Salad Dressing
Trader Joe’s managed to pack a bold flavor and not much else into this Green Goddess salad dressing that clocks in at 20 calories per two-tablespoon serving. Instead of using oil as a base, this dressing starts with avocado and apple cider vinegar.
Plenty of spices get their moment in this dressing, too. They play together so well that you can buy them packaged as one of Trader Joe’s spices.
2. Vegan Caesar Dressing
Capers give this vegan Caesar dressing the brininess that the classic gets from anchovies.
Instead of eggs and cheese, this version gets its thick, creamy consistency from tofu. Miso and mushroom powder team up to ensure the sauce is earthy with a depth of flavor, while a host of spices add to its complexity.
Since it has just 70 calories per two-tablespoon serving, it’s easy to keep coming back day after day. You’ll love the layered flavor it brings to salads and other dishes.
3. Everything and the Elote Greek Style Yogurt Dip
This Trader Joe’s Everything and the Elote dip turns their cult-favorite seasoning into a hummus-like topper that you can scoop onto a salad or bowl. If you’re looking for a truer dressing to toss your greens in, thin the dip with a little water.
The bulk of the calories in this Trader Joe’s “salad dressing” comes from the Greek yogurt, but it’s still lighter per serving than most creamy dressings on the market. You’ll enjoy two tablespoons for 60 calories and 4 grams of fat.
4. Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip
If you’re trying to eat healthier, it’s probably been a while since you’ve had spinach dip. The classic versions use mayonnaise, cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese to achieve their creaminess, but TJ’s uses Greek yogurt made with skim milk.
The yogurt is their secret to getting a serving of this dip — that’s also delicious as a sauce, spread, or dressing — down to 30 calories. Each two-tablespoon serving has 2.5 g of fat, mostly from a touch of mayonnaise – just enough to add extra creaminess.
Instead of just spinach, this dip introduces kale, carrots, water chestnuts, and red pepper to the party for flavor, texture, and more nutrition.
5. Cilantro Dressing
If you’re a cilantro fan, this dressing does not disappoint. Its creamy texture comes from a thinned mayonnaise base, which makes a perfect neutral foundation so you can still taste the herbiness of cilantro.
A salad with omega-3-rich flaked salmon would pair well with this mayo-based dressing (with omega-6s) improve the omega 3-to-6 ratio of your whole meal while still enjoying a slightly more indulgent dressing.
This topper clocks in at 50 calories and four grams of fat for a two-tablespoon serving.
6. Vegan Tzatziki Dip
The label says dip, but the uses go well beyond this creamy sauce’s name.
Its base is a dairy-free cream cheese alternative, which keeps calories in check. A two-tablespoon serving is just 50 calories, with 4.5 g of fat and no added sugar.
The authentic tzatziki flavor comes from cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and dill — but Trader Joe’s gives their version a twist by making it vegan and dairy-free. A serving easily flavors an array of dishes, and the spice is subtle so that even mild salsa eaters can enjoy it.
7. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Although it’s generally better to reach for a salad dressing that uses a healthy oil, like avocado or olive, we know you can’t always deny those ranch cravings.
This sour cream-based version may be thinner than brands you’re used to, but that means it’s easy to use as both a drizzle and a dip. A two-tablespoon serving is 70 calories and seven grams of fat, and manages to strike the perfect balance with the dill according to TJ’s fans.
8. Romesco Dip
This Spanish-inspired dip uses red peppers as its base and punches them up with tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, and almond butter.
It’s just 35 calories for a two-tablespoon serving with 3 g of fat that comes from olive oil and almonds. It works as a dressing, sauce, or dip for some of our favorite Trader Joe’s snacks.
Unfortunately, it’s a seasonal item, but it’s worth marking the calendar for so you remember to check the shelves when it’s in stock.
9. Vegan Creamy Dill Dressing
Trader Joe’s has turned cauliflower into everything from stir-fry to gnocchi, but the brand isn’t done with this veggie yet. This dressing uses cauliflower and almond butter to create a creamy sauce that vegans can enjoy.
At 60 calories with no added sugar per two-tablespoon serving, this dressing is easy to work into your meals.
10. Crunchy Jalapeno Lime & Onion
TJ’s took the chili crisp craze south of the border with this sauce that’s delicious as a dressing, dip, topper, or drizzle.
It’s more caloric than other options on this list — 110 calories and 10 grams of fat in one tablespoon — so we recommend adding water or lemon juice to get more out of each serving (one of the many cooking hacks you can pick up from 2B Mindset). But it uses olive oil as a base, which we prefer over corn or canola.
The crunch comes from dried bits of garlic, jalapeno, green bell pepper, and onion, and it brings a refreshing citrus kick, too.
11. Vegan Kale, Cashew, & Basil Pesto
This Trader Joe’s sauce is another that’s higher in calories, but has a healthy-fat base (olive oil) and can easily be used in everything from salad to pasta dishes. Instead of Parm, this vegan-friendly version of pesto uses cashews for creaminess and ups the nutritional content with a dose of kale (it’s the first ingredient).
A serving is technically a quarter-cup, but if you use two tablespoons as a dressing, it’s 90 calories and nine grams of fat.