Mediterranean salad dressing 

Quick, easy & healthy recipe, ready in 1 minute!

Mediterranean salad dressing in a small glass being drizzled over a green garden salad

Mediterranean salad dressing is one of those salad dressing recipes that’s used all over the world, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy to make and requires no special ingredients or cookware. In fact, no cooking is required. 

You find variations of this dressing recipe throughout the Mediterranean, and it is often referred to as Greek salad dressing, although it’s used everywhere in Spain, Turkey, and Italy!

Easy Recipe | Sauce and Side Recipe | Mediterranean Recipe | Vegetarian Recipe | Vegan Option | Spanish Recipe | Prepare in Under 5 Minutes | Summer Recipe | Salad Dressing

Serving:

100ml

Ready in:

1 minute

Skill level:

Very easy

Serve with:

Your favorite salad

Ingredients you’ll need

Makes around 100ml (3.4 fl oz.)

  • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar 
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 x minced garlic clove
  • ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper (season to taste)

Equipment needed

  • 1 small clean jar with lid (6 fl oz / 200ml)

How to make

  • Add all ingredients to a jar with a lid, shake for 30 seconds, and serve!

Watch step-by-step recipe video

Want to thin your salad dressing?

  • Use some water to thin out your salad dressing to your desired consistency. 1-2 tablespoons should be plenty to provide a good consistency with a balanced flavor that isn’t too watered down.

How to store your homemade salad dressing

As this salad dressing uses fresh ingredients and doesn’t use preservatives or a lot of salt, it won’t keep as long as store-bought salad dressings. This recipe should ideally be made just before you serve and any leftover dressing can be put into a sealable jar or air-tight container and refrigerated for up to 6 days

Best jars for storage

A small 5oz (150ml) jar is ideal for the quantity this recipe makes, which is roughly 1 cup. This will be plenty for drizzling onto a few salads or using as a dip or spread for 1-2 people for 4-5 days. 

Jar selection

Any jar will do, as long as it has a sealable lid and is airtight. Old pickle jars are great, as are (smaller) mustard or jam jars. Just wash them thoroughly in a dishwasher and allow them to dry before use. It’s always a good idea to check your jars for any cracks or imperfections before use too. 

Labelling

Always label any homemade sauces or salad dressings. This is especially important if you’re freezing any homemade foods.

Information to include on the label;

  • Name of sauce or dressing
  • Date made
  • Estimated expiry
  • Spice notes or any other important info
labelled jars with sauces

Serving suggestions:

This salad dressing can be used as a thin dressing for salad or can be prepared thicker making it ideal as a tasty and healthy dipping sauce. Here are just a few serving suggestions for healthy yogurt salad dressing:

  • A quick and easy dressing for rice bowls or salad bowls. 
  • Served as a dip for fresh veg or bread
  • Used as a spread for sandwiches, rolls, or wraps
  • Drizzled over roasted fish (salmon, trout, or any white fish)
  • A tasty dipping sauce for grilled or fried chicken or fish dishes
  • As a fresh and healthy pasta sauce

Nutritional facts

based on a 15ml serving:

  • Calories: 86
  • Protein: 0.2 grams
  • Fat: 9.5 grams
  • Saturated fat: 1.3 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 1.1 grams
  • Fiber: 0.2 grams
  • Sugar: 1 gram 

Ingredient substitutions

This salad dressing recipe is used all over the Mediterranean with a wide number of variations from one region to the next. This recipe is very close to a classic Greek salad dressing, although you’ll also find it in Italy, France, and Turkey! 

A classic Spanish salad dressing has just 3 ingredients; Extra virgin olive oil, salt, and vinegar. 

Vinegar can be omitted or substituted with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Mediterranean salad dressing in a small glass being drizzled over a green garden salad

Mediterranean salad dressing (easy 1-minute recipe)

Mediterranean salad dressing recipe is super tasty, easy to make, and takes only 1 minute with some simple ingredients and no special equipment. No cooking required!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 0 mins
Total Time 1 min
Course dressing, Side Dish
Cuisine dressing, Mediterranean, salad, Spain, spanish
Servings 1 100ml
Calories 86 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 small clean jar with lid (5 fl oz / 150ml)

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 x minced garlic clove
  • ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper season to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a jar with a lid, shake for 30 seconds, and serve!
    4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, Juice from 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 x minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, Salt and pepper
    Mediterranean salad dressing in a small glass being drizzled over a green garden salad

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 15mlCalories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 1.1gProtein: 0.2gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 1.3gSodium: 30mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gCalcium: 5mg
Keyword dressing, mediterranean, salad dressing

Cooking Tips and FAQs

What is the healthiest dressing for a salad?

Any salad dressing that uses fresh natural ingredients is considered a healthy option. 

Is this Mediterranean salad dressing healthy?

This dressing is quite healthy and has very little salt or saturated fat. The fats in extra virgin olive oil are considered ‘good fats’ and are very healthy.

How long does homemade salad dressing last?

This homemade dressing lassts up to 6 days when stored in the fridge in an airtight container or sealable jar.

More Mediterranean Recipes

A pot of Mediterranean fish stew Zarzuela de Mariscos with mussels and fish in a broth

Mediterranean Fish Stew

Zarzuela de Mariscos

A colorful shrimp and avocado salad sits on a white plate with bright red radishes pink grapefruit red onion and cooked shrimp

Shrimp Avocado Salad

with Zingy Grapefruit and Lime Dressing

A large platter of Mediterranean Tomato Salad sits drizzled with homemade pesto dressing and some flakes of Machego cheese

Mediterranean Tomato Salad

with Manchego and homemade pesto 

oven baked fish casserole sits on a grey granite kitchen worktop beside some fresh sprigs of parsley

Oven Baked Fish Casserole

with homemade romesco sauce

A large Chocolate and pear tart infused in Sweet Spanish sherry sits on a white marble counter

Chocolate and pear tart

infused with sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry.

Our Blog

Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs (Easy One-pot, Low Fat)

Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs (Easy One-pot, Low Fat)

Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs (Budget-Friendly, Easy-to-make, One-Pot Recipe) Baked Mediterranean chicken thighs are a quick and easy one-pot dinner recipe that uses delicious flavors from Mediterranean cuisine to create a healthy dinner...

The Canary Islands Foodie Guide

The Canary Islands Foodie Guide

The Canary Islands Foodie Guide (Local Dishes, Drinks, Wines, Recipes)  The Canary Islands guide offers a peek into the exceptional produce made on the islands, what to eat, what dishes to try, and plenty of recipes to try at home!   An introduction to The Canary...

Chickpeas with Spinach and Eggs (Budget-Friendly Recipe)

Chickpeas with Spinach and Eggs (Budget-Friendly Recipe)

Chickpeas with Spinach and Eggs (Budget-Friendly, Vegetarian, Easy One-Pot Recipe) Chickpeas with spinach and eggs is a fantastic veggie meal that is budget-friendly and can be made in around an hour with simple pantry staples. For this recipe, we...