The key to making delicious healthy dressings at home is to reduce the oils and other fats (though retain enough to preserve a luscious mouth feel), and bump up the ingredients that contribute texture and flavor.

Low oil volume in your dressing can keep a healthy salad lower in calories and fat.

The oil in dressings serves several functions, including providing a “cling factor, so your acidic and other flavorings don’t end up in a puddle at the bottom of the bowl,” says Food Network personality Alton Brown.

He also notes that the oil softens and balances the acids.

But classic vinaigrettes often use a three- or four-to-one ratio of fat to acid (often oil and vinegar). That can yield at least 10 grams of fat per tablespoon. And who uses just one tablespoon?

Brown says the oil generally can be reduced by as much as 40 percent if the other ingredients are not too acidic.

For example, this Honey-Lemon Tea Dressing uses much less oil than traditional recipes, and relies on strongly brewed black tea to stretch the volume and provide a mellow flavor that balances the acidity of the lemon juice.

This dressing also uses Dijon mustard as an emulsifier to make up for the reduced oil. Like oil, mustard is thick enough to bind the other ingredients, and provides additional flavor.

When choosing oils, think about flavors. Extra-virgin olive oil is almost always an excellent choice, but so are nut oils, such as almond, macadamia and hazelnut. They contribute complex, yet subtle flavors that can really complement a salad. Olive and nut oils also are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats.

In creamy dressings, the emulsifier often is sour cream or mayonnaise (and sometimes oil, too). This is an easy fix.

Nonfat yogurt, reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat mayonnaise make good substitutes here. All have good flavor and produce dressings that hold together and coat vegetables just as well as traditional versions.

This Orange-Poppy Seed Dressing relies on nonfat buttermilk and reduced-fat sour cream for its silky texture.

Buttermilk, despite its rich-sounding name, is always either nonfat or reduced-fat. Its thick texture and mild, tangy flavor makes it a useful ingredient for the health-conscious cook.

As for technique, whisking or using a blender produces smooth results, though most dressings will separate if not used right away.

Brown offers a neat trick for mixing vinaigrettes. He suggests combining all the ingredients plus several ice cubes in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and then shaking well for a minute.

“The ice cubes are like those beads in a can of spray paint; they emulsify and blend,” he says. “Also, the addition of a little water from the melting ice slightly softens the bite of the acidic ingredients.”

Honey-lemon tea dressing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons strong black tea

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, tea, mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

Start to finish: 10 minutes.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 49 calories, 5 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 0 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 118 milligrams sodium.

Orange-poppy seed dressing

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons orange juice

In a small dry skillet, toast poppy seeds over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the buttermilk, sour cream, honey and orange juice. Whisk until smooth.

Start to finish: 10 minutes.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Nutritional information per tablespoon: 21 calories, 1 gram total fat (0 grams saturated), 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 13 milligram sodium.