My “House Dressing” Is So Good, I Make It Every Single Week

My "House Dressing" Is So Good, I Make It Every Single Week

You’ll want to eat this on everything.

Serves6MakesMakes about 2/3 cupPrep5 minutes

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My strategy for eating more salad? Shake up a really good salad dressing. This garlicky, herby vinaigrette was born from my love of Greek salad and our Mediterranean chopped salad (one of my all-time favorite recipes). It has a bright flavor and just the right amount of tang from a combo of red wine vinegar and lemon juice. And it’s thick enough to coat all the veggies on your plate without feeling heavy. Best of all, you can mix it together in less than five minutes. 

It’s the perfect partner to any green salad, and great for marinated beans and lentils. It’s also a fun way to make a lightened-up, mayo-free chicken salad, pasta salad, or potato salad.

A glass jar filled with a layered dressing, featuring a green herb mixture on top and a lighter base with chopped ingredients.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

Why You’ll Love It

  • Better than bottled dressing. This dressing mixes an equal amount of oil and acid (vinegar and lemon juice), which gives the best flavor and texture. Many recipes use a 2:1 or even 3:1 ratio of oil to vinegar, which really dilutes the tangy flavor and makes the dressing too oily.
  • As simple as it gets. All it takes is a handful of basic ingredients and a few minutes to shake up this super-flavorful dressing that’s easy to pair with almost any salad recipe. 
Fresh salad with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, and feta cheese, drizzled with dressing.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

Key Ingredients in Greek Salad Dressing

  • Olive oil: Because the flavor really shines through, this is the time to go for a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. 
  • Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is a classic choice for this dressing.
  • Lemon juice. A squeeze of lemon juice adds some extra brightness to the dressing. 
  • Emulsifiers. In addition to binding the oil and vinegar together, honey and Dijon mustard add flavor to the dressing. 
A glass jar filled with layered salad dressing, featuring a golden top layer with herbs and a creamy bottom layer.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

How to Make Greek Salad Dressing

  1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until emulsified (alternatively, place in a jar, seal, and shake).

Helpful Swaps

  • If you don’t have a lemon, use more red wine vinegar instead.
  • Up to 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh oregano leaves can be used in place of dried oregano.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips 

  • The dressing can be mixed together a day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
  • The dressing will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Just re-whisk (or give the jar a shake) before using. 

What to Serve with Greek Salad Dressing

Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

You’ll want to eat this on everything.

Prep time 5 minutes

Makes Makes about 2/3 cup

Serves 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup

    extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons

    red wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons

    freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)

  • 1 clove

    garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon

    honey

  • 1 teaspoon

    dried oregano

  • 3/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a medium bowl until combined and emulsified. (Alternatively, place in a medium jar, seal, and shake to combine.)

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The dressing can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Rewhisk before using.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Rewhisk before using.