Is Tessemae's Dressing Clean?

The Short Answer

Tessemae's gets an acceptable rating as a clean condiment option. They use high-quality organic ingredients, cage-free eggs, and strictly avoid the artificial binders and added sugars found in most grocery store dressings.

The only caveat is that they use high-oleic sunflower oil as their base. While this is vastly superior to standard inflammatory seed oils, it prevents them from earning a perfect clean rating for consumers who want strictly 100% olive or avocado oil.

Why This Matters

Most store-bought dressings are essentially bottled inflammation. They rely on cheap, highly processed soybean or canola oil mixed with high fructose corn syrup. Are Salad Dressings Bad

Tessemae's completely avoids these cheap fillers, but their 2016 recipe change still causes confusion. They famously switched their base from 100% olive oil to a blend that heavily features organic high-oleic sunflower oil. Oils In Salad Dressing

They made this switch because 100% olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator. The sunflower oil blend keeps the dressing pourable without sacrificing their USDA Organic certification, but it forces ingredient purists to compromise on seed oils.

Fortunately, "high-oleic" means the oil is naturally bred to be up to 85% heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, mirroring the fat profile of olive oil. It is incredibly low in the inflammatory omega-6 linoleic acid that makes standard seed oils so problematic.

What's Actually In Tessemae's Dressing

This is based on their original Organic Lemon Garlic Dressing, but the base ingredients are consistent across their vinaigrettes.

• Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil — An expeller-pressed oil bred for high monounsaturated fats and low omega-6s, though it is technically still a seed oil. Oils In Salad Dressing
• Organic Lemon Juice — Real, fresh-pressed citrus juice instead of synthetic citric acid or artificial flavorings.
• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — A small amount is still included in the blend to provide robust flavor and healthy fats.
• Organic Mustard — Made cleanly with simple ingredients like vinegar, water, mustard seeds, and salt. Cleanest Mustard
• Sea Salt & Organic Spices — Pure flavor additions without any sneaky MSG or "natural flavors."

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• Zero added sugar — You won't find cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or even artificial sweeteners in their core lineup. Sugar In Salad Dressing
• No artificial gums — They refuse to use chemical thickeners like xanthan gum or carrageenan.
• Cage-free egg yolks — Their creamy dressings, like Ranch and Caesar, use responsibly sourced eggs instead of dairy or cheap emulsifiers. Cleanest Ranch Dressing

Red Flags:

• The sunflower oil base — Even though it's high-oleic and organic, strict paleo purists might still prefer dressings made entirely without seed oils.
• Extreme separation — Because they skip artificial binders, the dressing separates heavily and can still get slightly chunky in very cold fridges.

The Best Options

If you want the cleanest possible option, 100% avocado or olive oil is the gold standard. Here is how Tessemae's compares to the competition. Healthiest Salad Dressing

The Bottom Line

1. Prioritize 100% avocado or olive oil — If you want to avoid seed oils entirely, look for brands like Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods. Is Primal Kitchen Dressing Clean

2. Accept high-oleic oils as a compromise — Organic high-oleic sunflower oil is vastly superior to the standard soybean oil found in 90% of commercial dressings.

3. Be prepared to shake vigorously — Real ingredients separate naturally, so expect to give the bottle a serious workout before pouring.

FAQ

Is Tessemae's Whole30 approved?

Yes, Tessemae's is officially Whole30 Approved. The Whole30 program specifically allows high-oleic sunflower oil because its monounsaturated fat profile is nearly identical to extra virgin olive oil.

Why does Tessemae's dressing separate or harden in the fridge?

Because it does not contain artificial emulsifiers or gums. Real oil and vinegar naturally separate, and the remaining olive oil can become cloudy when cold. Just leave it on the counter for 5 minutes and shake well.

Did Tessemae's change their recipe?

Yes, in 2016 they switched from 100% olive oil to a high-oleic sunflower oil blend. This allowed them to achieve USDA Organic certification while preventing the dressing from turning into a solid, unpourable block in the refrigerator.

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