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

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 Mediterranean 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 chicken dishes (grilled or fried) 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.

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

• Mediterranean seafood stew (zarzuela de mariscos) – beautiful flavors from the Mediterranean coast in the Catalonia region of Spain. 
• Mediterranean baked sweet potatoes – delicious, healthy, and easy to make, this vegetarian recipe can be made vegan by adapting the sauce to be yogurt-free or using a vegan natural yogurt replacement. 
• Mediterranean tomato salad with Manchego and pesto – with a combination of gorgeous Mediterranean flavors and ingredients like a homemade basil pesto, this tomato salad can be a main or side salad.
• Romesco de peix (Catalan fish stew) – this is a beautiful oven-baked fish dish drenched in a deliciously healthy homemade romesco sauce.
• Grilled Mediterranean chicken breasts – this recipe is so simple but flavorful as you marinate the chicken breasts in Mediterranean herbs and spices before cooking and adding to your favorite side.