CAVA Dressings Ranked by Calories: All 8 Options Compared (2026)

Dressings are the most misunderstood calorie variable at CAVA. One scoop of Garlic Dressing adds 180 calories and 20g of fat. One scoop of Yogurt Dill adds 30 calories. That's a 150-calorie swing from a single decision — one that most people make quickly and without much thought. Knowing the numbers ahead of time changes how you order.

Below is the complete breakdown of all 8 CAVA dressings ranked by calories, with fat, carbs, protein, and sodium for each. A few of the findings are genuinely counterintuitive.

All 8 CAVA dressings ranked by calories

The high-calorie dressings explained

Garlic Dressing at 180 calories is the most calorie-dense dressing on the menu by a significant margin. It's almost entirely fat — 20g per serving — and contributes zero carbohydrates and zero protein. This is a pure olive oil and garlic emulsion.

Greek Vinaigrette comes in second at 130 calories, with 14g of fat and only 1g of carbs. It's oil-forward with minimal sugar, which makes it a decent choice for low-carb goals despite the calorie density.

Tahini Caesar sits at 90 calories with 8g of fat and 2g of protein — the tahini base gives it a modest protein contribution that the oil-based dressings don't have. It's the richest-tasting option that still falls under 100 calories.

The low-calorie options

Yogurt Dill at 30 calories is the clear winner for calorie efficiency. It's also the only dressing on the menu with a meaningful protein contribution at 2g per serving — the yogurt base adds both protein and probiotics. For people trying to manage calories without sacrificing creaminess, Yogurt Dill is the obvious choice.

Lemon Herb Tahini at 70 calories is the next best option. Like Yogurt Dill, it also delivers 2g of protein, and the tahini flavor profile pairs well with almost every build at CAVA. It's a genuinely versatile low-calorie option that doesn't taste like a compromise.

Which dressing to pick for your goal

Weight loss / calorie management

Yogurt Dill (30 cal) or Lemon Herb Tahini (70 cal). These two options give you real flavor at a fraction of the calorie cost of most other dressings. Yogurt Dill saves you 150 calories compared to Garlic Dressing — that's a significant calorie reduction for one straightforward swap.

Low carb / keto

Garlic Dressing (0g carbs) or Skhug (1g carbs) are the cleanest low-carb choices. Both are essentially zero-carb. Greek Vinaigrette (1g carbs) and Hot Harissa Vinaigrette (1g carbs) are also solid low-carb options. Balsamic Date Vinaigrette (7g carbs) is the one to avoid on a strict keto diet.

Maximizing protein ratio

Yogurt Dill and Lemon Herb Tahini both deliver 2g of protein per serving — the highest among all dressings. Tahini Caesar also contributes 2g. The oil-based dressings (Garlic, Greek Vinaigrette, Skhug, Hot Harissa) provide essentially zero protein.

Sodium sensitivity

Here's the counterintuitive finding: Garlic Dressing has the lowest sodium of any CAVA dressing at just 90mg, despite being the most calorie-dense. Hot Harissa Vinaigrette tops the sodium list at 270mg, followed by Balsamic Date Vinaigrette and Tahini Caesar at 250mg each. For sodium-restricted diets, the calorie ranking does not equal the sodium ranking — Garlic Dressing and Skhug (150mg) are actually the best sodium-conscious choices among dressings, even though they're mid-to-high in calories.

Questions people ask

What CAVA dressing has the fewest calories?

Yogurt Dill at 30 calories per serving, followed by Lemon Herb Tahini at 70 calories. Both also deliver 2g of protein, making them the most nutritionally balanced low-calorie options on the menu.

Is CAVA Garlic Dressing healthy?

It depends on your goals. At 180 calories and 20g of fat, it's the most calorie-dense dressing on the menu. However, it's actually the lowest in sodium (90mg) of any dressing, has zero carbs, and is made with olive oil. If you're watching calories or fat, it's worth swapping. If you're watching sodium, it's ironically one of the better choices. For a deeper look at dressing calories in the context of your full bowl, see our CAVA calories guide.

What dressing does CAVA use in their curated bowls?

CAVA's curated bowls use various dressings depending on the bowl. Most of their signature bowls use either Lemon Herb Tahini or Greek Vinaigrette. You can always ask for a different dressing when ordering — the curated bowls are fully customizable. For a complete breakdown of how dressings fit into the full macro picture, the CAVA macros guide covers dressings alongside every other ingredient category.

To see exactly how your dressing choice affects your total bowl calories and macros, use the CAVA Calorie Calculator — add your dressing and watch the live banner update in real time. And if you're wondering how accurate those numbers are in practice — especially for poured dressings, which have the highest real-world portion variance of any ingredient category — that guide covers everything you need to know.