11 Mediterranean Salad Dressings

Simple Mediterranean Salad Dressings

When I first began spending time in Crete, one of the things that surprised me was how simple many of the salads were. A plate might have tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, and a little feta cheese, but it would taste incredible. The vegetables were fresh, of course, but the dressing was what brought everything together: extra virgin olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, oregano, and a little salt. Nothing complicated and nothing highly processed—just a few good ingredients combined in the right way.

That is still how I like to make salad dressings today. I don’t want a long list of ingredients or a recipe that takes half an hour to prepare. I want something I can whisk together in a bowl or shake up in a Mason jar in five or ten minutes. If I make enough to last for several days, it becomes much easier to throw together a salad whenever I need a quick lunch or side dish.

I eat countless salads, and I definitely don’t want to use the same dressing every day. Sometimes I want a simple Greek dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Other times, I want something creamy made with Greek yogurt, feta, avocado, or tahini. Changing the dressing can make the same basic salad taste completely different, which is especially helpful when you are trying to eat more vegetables.

Salads and the Mediterranean Diet

Salads are a big part of the Mediterranean diet, but they are not always the bowls of lettuce that many of us grew up eating in the United States. Throughout the Mediterranean, salads are often made with whatever vegetables are fresh and in season. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, cabbage, greens, fresh herbs, olives, beans, lentils, and roasted vegetables can all become the base of a salad. Add a little feta, tuna, chicken, egg, chickpeas, or whole grains, and the salad can easily become a complete meal.

One of my favorite things about Mediterranean Diet recipes is that they are flexible. You don’t always need to follow an exact formula. You can use the vegetables you have, add a source of protein, and finish everything with a flavorful homemade dressing. If you have a good dressing ready in the refrigerator, you can turn leftover vegetables, grains, beans, chicken, or fish into a satisfying lunch in just a few minutes.

Ingredients in the Best Salad Dressings

Most of the best salad dressings begin with ingredients that are already common in a Mediterranean kitchen. Extra virgin olive oil is the base for many of them. Lemon juice and different vinegars add brightness and acidity. Garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, and dill add plenty of flavor without requiring a lot of extra salt. Dijon mustard helps vinaigrettes come together, while Greek yogurt, feta, tahini, and avocado can be used to make rich and creamy dressings.

Extra virgin olive oil is especially important. It adds flavor and richness, and it helps the dressing coat every ingredient in the salad. I recommend using an olive oil that you enjoy tasting on its own because its flavor will come through in a simple homemade dressing. When you combine a good extra virgin olive oil with fresh lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, or herbs, you don’t need many other ingredients.

Why Make Healthy Salad Dressings at Home?

Making your own healthy salad dressings gives you control over what goes into them. Many store-bought dressings contain refined oils, added sugar, preservatives, and a surprising amount of sodium. That doesn’t mean you can never use a bottled dressing, but homemade versions usually taste much fresher.

You can also adjust homemade dressing to fit your preferences. If you like a tangier dressing, add more lemon juice or vinegar. If it is too sharp, add a little more olive oil or a touch of honey. If a yogurt or tahini dressing is too thick, simply whisk in a spoonful of water.

These salad dressings can be used for much more than leafy green salads. I use them on bean salads, grain bowls, pasta salads, roasted vegetables, and potatoes. Many of them also make excellent marinades for chicken, fish, or meat. The yogurt and tahini dressings can be served as dips for raw vegetables, while some of the thicker dressings are delicious spread on sandwiches or wraps.

Make Mediterranean Salads Easier All Week

Keeping a jar of homemade dressing in the refrigerator is one of the easiest ways to make eating the Mediterranean diet more convenient. When I am hungry, I don’t always want to stop and prepare several different components from scratch. But if I already have a dressing made, I can combine greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, beans, cheese, nuts, or whatever else I have on hand. Within a few minutes, I have something fresh, flavorful, and satisfying.

Below are eleven Mediterranean salad dressings that are simple to make and much healthier than most store-bought dressings. Some are traditional, while others are Mediterranean-inspired recipes that use familiar ingredients in new ways. There are light vinaigrettes, creamy yogurt dressings, tahini-based sauces, and dressings filled with lemon, garlic, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil. With this much variety, you can switch up your dressing throughout the week and never feel as if you are eating the same salad over and over again.

Some of these are brand new dressing recipes that you get to see first in this article! We’re obsessed with the avocado dressing. The taste of lemon and dill are already great on many salads, but the creaminess of the avocado and yogurt make this dressing so satisfying.

Creamy Greek Salad Dressing with Feta

This creamy greek salad dressing with feta cheese is the perfect match for an authentic greek salad. Ready in 10 minutes, take your salads to the next level with this delicious dressing we’ve developed here at Mediterranean Living.

Recipe Here!

 

Traditional “Greek Restaurant” Salad Dressing

Extra virgin olive oil is the base for a real Greek dressing. This simple dressing has been one of the most popular recipes on Mediterranean Living for a long time and is the dressing that you will see on Greek salads made in restaurants in America. You have to try it.

Recipe Here!

 

Lemon Parmesan Dressing

There is no need to buy store-bought salad dressings when you can make your own like this tangy and deliciously balanced Lemon Parmesan Dressing. This Mediterranean salad dressing is one of my favorites, is super easy to make and is better than anything you can get in a bottle.  It will last up to a week in the refrigerator.  Besides a salad dressing, this can also be used to top fish before baking.

Recipe Here!

 

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

This is my go-to Mediterranean salad dressing.  I love this Dijon vinaigrette, because of it’s blend of tangy sweetness that works on just about any kind of vegetable salad.  People seem to go nuts over this dressing and make it all the time. On Sunday, I will make this vinaigrette in a mason jar and use it all week.  I refrigerate it, but other people I know leave it out.  Whenever I need a quick salad dressing (or marinade), I just take it out of the fridge, give it a good shake and pour it on!

Recipe Here!

 

Tangy Italian Salad Dressing

This is one of my favorite Mediterranean salad dressings that can be made in 5 minutes.  It gets its traditional tang from a mix of red wine vinegar and lemon juice.  I love this dressing on a salad with baby spinach or arugula, tomato, cucumber, red pepper, goat cheese and nuts (sesame, walnuts, almonds all work well).  This dressing will last a few weeks refrigerated, but the quicker you use it, the better the taste!

Recipe Here!

 

Yogurt Tahini Dressing

This is an extremely simple, healthy dip/dressing to make. Thick Greek yogurt, hearty tahini, fragrant lemon zest, pungent garlic, and a dash of sea salt all create a complex flavor with such minimal ingredients. Fresh, crunchy vegetables are great for dipping. Instead of buying dip for your next event, whip up this super simple and healthy dip. Your guests will be asking you for the recipe.

Recipe here!

 

Balsamic Dill Yogurt Dressing

This salad dressing is super flavorful, easy to make and good for you.  The recipe was created when I was doing a Mediterranean Diet grilling workshop that was supposed to be for 50 people and 90 people showed up.   I hadn’t made enough of my signature Honey Dijon Vinaigrette dressing to feed that many.  I had a large container of Greek yogurt with me and I had a jar of the honey dijon vinaigrette.  What else could I do, but mix the two together?  And guess what, everyone loved it and asked for the recipe (even the mayor) and a new balsamic dill yogurt dressing was born.  Since then I have used this recipe as a dressing, a dip, and a topping.

Recipe Here!

Dill Yogurt Avocado Dressing

Avocados have become a very popular fruit lately.  In America, 4 times more avocados are consumed now than in 2001.  Americans eat over 4 billion avocados per year!  Avocado toast has become a sensation as well as using avocados in smoothies.  This recipe for Dill Yogurt Avocado Dressing is now our favorite Mediterranean Salad Dressing.  It is tangy, rich, delicious and darn good for you!

Recipe Here!

Green Tahini Sauce

This tahini sauce recipe pairs with the Grilled Corn with Green Tahini Sauce, but can be also used a salad dressing or sauce for fish or chicken.

This tahini sauce was inspired by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Yotam Ottolenghi. He has an amazing combination of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes that I’ve always found extremely creative. The food photos in his cookbooks are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. I got his newest cookbook as a gift for Christmas (I never get tired of cookbooks as gifts) and I’ve been wanting to create my own version of a recipe I saw in there.

Recipe Here!

 

Best Caesar Dressing

While Caesar dressing isn’t traditionally Mediterranean, this homemade version embraces many of the principles of Mediterranean cooking by relying on simple, high-quality ingredients instead of processed bottled dressings. Extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan cheese, anchovies, and Dijon mustard create a rich, creamy dressing with bright citrus notes and deep umami flavor. It’s perfect for classic Caesar salads but also works beautifully as a dip for vegetables, a spread for sandwiches, or a flavorful marinade for chicken, seafood, and roasted vegetables. Here is our recipe for a Grilled Caesar Salad using this dressing.  If you love bold, savory dressings, this Mediterranean-inspired Caesar is a delicious addition to your recipe collection.

Recipe Here!

 

Ladolemono (Greek Salad Dressing)

Ladolemono is one of Greece’s most iconic Mediterranean dressings, made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and simple seasonings. Bright, tangy, and incredibly versatile, this classic vinaigrette enhances everything from Greek salads and leafy greens to grilled fish, chicken, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls. Its fresh, wholesome ingredients embody the heart of the Mediterranean diet, delivering bold flavor without the need for processed ingredients. Once you try homemade ladolemono, you’ll find yourself reaching for it far beyond salad season.

Recipe Here!

 

Goddess Dressing

This homemade Goddess dressing is inspired by the recently discontinued Annie’s favorite and features a creamy blend of tahini, toasted sesame seeds, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Rich, nutty, and full of Mediterranean-inspired flavor, it’s perfect for drizzling over salads, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or using as a dip for fresh veggies. Ready in just minutes, it’s a wholesome dressing you’ll want to keep on hand all week.

Recipe Here!