Who needs store-bought salad dressing when it’s this easy to make Greek salad dressing? This bright, flavorful dressing tastes great on salads, grilled vegetables, grain bowls and more.
Greek Salad Dressing Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Greek salad dressing is a vinaigrette made with two main ingredients: oil and vinegar. This light, fresh-tasting dressing gets a zippy edge from the addition of lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard and oregano. Use it to season a classic Greek salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives and feta cheese. Or turn this Greek dressing into a marinade for grilled meats or roasted vegetables.

Homemade salad dressings have a fresher, brighter flavor than those from the store. Vinaigrettes also happen to be one of the easiest dressings to make. Seriously, you don’t even need a whisk! Just add all the ingredients to a jar, seal, and shake to your heart’s content.

Ease aside, there’s another good reason to learn how to make salad dressing. You can customize the ingredients to your preferences. If you like a tangier dressing, simply add more vinegar or lemon juice. If you prefer more of a subtle edge, increase the olive oil to give Greek dressing a fuller, richer character.

Greek Salad Dressing Ingredients

Ingredients for the Greek Salad DressingTMB Studio

  • Olive oil: For the finest flavor, choose a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil over a regular olive oil. Extra-virgin olive oil is a cold-pressed oil. It’s more robust and flavorful than their refined counterparts.
  • Red wine vinegar and lemon juice: These two acidic ingredients combine to give Greek dressing a bright, tangy flavor. If you don’t have the vinegar on hand, use any of these red wine vinegar substitutes.
  • Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard gives the Greek salad dressing a bold, slightly spicy flavor. Mustard is also an emulsifying agent. On their own, oil and vinegar naturally separate, but the addition of mustard helps them bind together as a cohesive mixture.
  • Garlic: Raw garlic gives this Greek salad dressing a bit of a kick. If you want to make a spice substitute, use 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder for every clove called for.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

olive oil, red wine vinegar and other ingredients mixed in a jarTMB Studio

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and oregano.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have a jar, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. The jar is convenient, though, because it doubles as a storage vessel.

Step 2: Shake to combine

Greek Salad Dressing in a jar with a spoon on topTMB Studio

Seal jar tightly, and shake well until combined and smooth.

Editor’s Tip: Dijon mustard will hold the oil and vinegar together for a short time, but the vinaigrette will start to separate as it sits. If you make this Greek salad dressing in advance, give the jar a good shake just before serving to re-emulsify it.

Recipe Variations

  • Change up the herbs: Instead of the dried oregano, try using other common Mediterranean spices like basil, parsley or marjoram.
  • Tame down the acidity: If the dressing tastes too tangy or sharp, whisk in a little honey or sugar. Sweet ingredients balance out acidity, so this addition won’t make the dressing taste sweet.
  • Make it creamy: Add a little Greek yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise to make a creamy Greek dressing.
  • Use fresh herbs: Swap in fresh herbs to boost the bright flavors in this easy Greek salad dressing. Use a 3:1 ratio to make the fresh to dried herb conversion. For this recipe, that would mean using 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano instead of 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.

How to Store Greek Salad Dressing

Store leftover Greek salad dressing in a jar with a tightly fitted lid in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The olive oil will likely solidify in the fridge, so let the dressing sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before using.

Greek Salad Dressing Tips

Dressing i poured on the saladTMB Studio

What is Greek dressing made of?

Most Greek salad dressing recipes are vinaigrettes made with olive oil and vinegar. Our Greek salad dressing also contains lemon juice, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic and oregano. Some variations include feta cheese or herbs like basil.

How do you make an easy Greek salad dressing from scratch?

It’s easy to make homemade salad dressing like Greek dressing from scratch. Simply combine the ingredients in a jar. Give it a quick shake to combine the ingredients. That’s it!

How do you use Greek salad dressing?

The most popular way to use Greek salad dressing is on salads with greens and crunchy fresh vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. Greek dressing also tastes fantastic on lentils, Greek orzo salad and salads made with couscous and farro. Feel free to use Greek dressing as a marinade or a flavorful finishing drizzle for grilled vegetables and meat dishes like Greek-style chicken skewers.

Greek Salad Dressing

Homemade Greek salad dressing doesn't get much easier. If you don't have lemon juice on hand, replace it with additional vinegar. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Greek Salad Dressing Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 5 min.

Makes

3/4 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

  1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients; shake well.

Nutrition Facts

2 tablespoons: 163 calories, 18g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 217mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.