You’ll never have a boring salad again! Prepare this tangy and bright Greek Salad Dressing using pantry ingredients you probably already have.
The key to a great Greek salad is the dressing. I often toss fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese with this easy dressing, serve it with toasted flatbread, and call it lunch. Sometimes I add lettuce or spinach, other times I add diced peppers or thinly sliced onions. Olives make an appearance, as does the occasional grilled chicken. The satisfying flavor and versatility keep me coming back for more.
Greek dressing is a simple concoction Olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard and oregano. I add fresh lemon juice to add some shine to the dressing and a touch of honey to balance the flavors. The result is a tart, herbaceous, garlicky, well-balanced dressing that brightens up salads without overpowering the flavor and texture of the vegetables.
Shake it in a jar
Some recipes call for the oil to be added slowly while constantly beating, but I’ve found it’s much easier to put everything in a lidded jar and shake it. The mustard helps emulsify the dressing, allowing the vinegar, lemon juice, and oil to combine into a cohesive and creamy mixture. Leftovers can be kept in the glass and simply shaken again before serving.
Simple exchange to try
It’s easy to adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. Here are some easy ingredient swaps to try:
- All Vinegar: If you prefer a more assertive red wine vinegar flavor, substitute more vinegar for the lemon juice.
- All Lemon Juice: If you like a tart dressing, you can substitute some or all of the vinegar with more lemon juice.
- Garlic Powder: Don’t have fresh garlic on hand? Use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Make it vegan: Replace the honey with agave or maple syrup.
If you’re making Greek salad dressing, you probably plan on making a Greek salad. But let’s think beyond that! This is a versatile dressing that works well with a variety of vegetables. It is especially beautiful on:
- Greek salad in glasses
- Lentil salad with summer vegetables
- Mediterranean chickpea salad
- Greek pasta salad
- Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad
- Greek quinoa salad
Greek salad dressing is also a nice marinade for grilled meats like:
- Lemon Chicken Skewers
- Beef kebabs
- Grilled swordfish steaks
- Greek chicken skewers
Drizzle it over these grilled or roasted veggies:
- Oven-roasted new potatoes
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- grilled tomatoes
Greek salad dressing
Since this recipe only requires a few ingredients, quality matters. Use the highest quality olive oil and red wine vinegar possible and fresh lemon juice for the tastiest dressing.
ingredients
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2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
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1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
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3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon honey, optional
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1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
method
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Combine the ingredients:
In a half pint or larger screw top jar, add garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, honey if using, and Dijon mustard. Screw the lid on tightly.
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Shake Shake Shake:
Shake vigorously for about 1 minute until the honey and mustard are dissolved and the dressing is emulsified into a slightly creamy and even mixture.
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Taste and serve:
Taste the dressing to season, adding more salt as needed. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days. It will separate when it sits – shake well before serving and it will be as good as new.
The olive oil may set in the fridge, but don’t panic. Slightly warm the mixture, either by letting it sit on the counter for a few minutes or by microwave for 10 seconds, and it will become liquid again.
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