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Authentic Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

This simple Greek salad dressing is tangy, slightly sweet, and ideal for classic Greek salads, as a marinade, or to brighten many other dishes. It’s quick to make, requires pantry-friendly ingredients, and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Greek salad dressing recipe

Skip store-bought bottles and make your own homemade Greek dressing. Homemade dressings taste fresher and cleaner because they contain no preservatives or unnecessary additives. This easy Greek dressing takes about 10 minutes: combine the ingredients in a jar, shake, and drizzle over your favorite dishes.

What You Need for Greek Dressing

  • Olive oil: The base of the dressing—use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
  • White wine vinegar: Provides bright acidity to balance the oil and sweetener.
  • Minced garlic: Adds savory depth—fresh is best, but garlic powder can work in a pinch.
  • Honey: A touch of natural sweetness to round out the flavors.
  • Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is ideal for brightness and acidity.
  • Dijon mustard: Helps emulsify the dressing and contributes a subtle tang.
  • Dried oregano: Essential for the Mediterranean, lending classic Greek flavor.
  • Salt: Brings all the ingredients together and enhances overall flavor.
  • Mason jar or airtight container: For shaking, storing, and serving the dressing.

Can I make this dressing vegan?

Yes. This dressing is vegetarian by default and can be made vegan by substituting the honey with a plant-based sweetener such as maple syrup or agave nectar. The texture and flavor remain excellent with these swaps.

Individual ingredients for the salad dressing

Other Handy Substitutions

If you’re missing an ingredient, these swaps work well without changing the overall character of the dressing:

  • Olive oil → Avocado oil
  • Lemon juice → Lime juice
  • White wine vinegar → Apple cider vinegar
  • Dried oregano → Italian seasoning
  • Fresh garlic → Garlic powder (adjust to taste)

Pouring olive oil into a mason jar

Try a Greek Salad with This Dressing

A classic Greek salad pairs perfectly with this dressing: combine sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and olives, then toss with the dressing. It’s ideal for meal prep, summer picnics, or a light, healthy meal.

Greek salad

All the Ways You Can Use Greek Dressing

This Greek dressing is incredibly versatile—beyond salads, it enhances many dishes with its bright, herb-forward profile.

Use it as a marinade

The dressing makes a flavorful marinade for chicken breasts, thighs, wings, or beef. Place the protein in a bowl or resealable bag, pour over the dressing, and marinate for at least one hour or overnight for best flavor. Then grill, bake, or pan-sear as desired.

Greek chicken recipe

Perfect on pasta salad

Use the dressing to make a Greek-inspired pasta salad by tossing cooked pasta with fresh vegetables, feta, and olives. It elevates cold pasta salads for picnics, potlucks, and lunches.

It makes a great dip

Mix a few tablespoons of this dressing into Greek yogurt for a quick veggie dip, or swirl it into hummus to give it a Mediterranean twist. These dips are excellent for meal prep and entertaining.

Shaking greek salad dressing up in a jar

Storage

Store the dressing in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 7 days. If the oil firms slightly in cold temperatures, let the jar sit at room temperature for a few minutes and shake before using.

Greek Dressing Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0 mins | Total time: 10 mins | Servings: 6

Author: Linley Hanson

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or airtight container.
  2. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until the dressing is well emulsified and combined.
  3. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or sweetener as desired. Serve over salad, use as a marinade, or mix into dips.

Tips & Notes

Storage: Keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 7 days. If the oil separates, shake well before using. For a smoother texture, whisk briefly or blend on low speed.

Nutrition (approximate per serving)

  • Calories: 151 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Fat: 24 g
  • Sugar: 3 g

Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.

Photo credit: The Wooden Skillet