This post is sponsored by Stonyfield Organic. As always, all opinions are my own.
Ever since I came back from my trip to Stowe with Stonyfield Organic, I have been making a lot of plain yogurt-based salad dressings, dips, and sauces. While this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing is a current favorite, you can find a plethora of other Greek yogurt recipes in our archives, each offering a unique twist and flavor profile.
While I love fruity yogurt mixes, my true love is plain whole-milk Greek yogurt. I prefer plain yogurt as it allows me to use it as a blank slate to create dips, dressings, and spreads such as my Yogurt Tahini Sauce, White Gyro Sauce, Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce, and Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing.
What is in a Greek Yogurt Dressing Recipe?
Making this easy Greek yogurt dressing requires nothing more than what is already in a well-stocked pantry. Below, you will find the essential ingredients you’ll need, along with versatile substitutions and optional add-ins to ensure that this creamy yogurt dressing recipe meets your needs.
- Plain Greek yogurt (aka strained yogurt): When it comes to yogurt, I am a big fan of
Stonyfield Organic’s Greek yogurtas it is nice and thick and super high quality. However, you can make this Mediterranean yogurt dressing recipe with plain yogurt as well. If you are calorie-conscious and prefer the low-fat or low-calorie version of this dressing, feel free to swap whole milk yogurt with fat-free plain yogurt. - Fresh garlic: You will need two garlic cloves that are either minced or pressed through a garlic press. Alternatively, for a lighter garlic flavor, you can use a teaspoon of garlic powder in place of fresh garlic.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if you can, as it will deliver the best-tasting yogurt salad dressing.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is a key ingredient in providing a rich flavor and ensuring a creamy texture in this yogurt dressing recipe.
- Fresh dill: Fresh chopped dill is a classic ingredient in many Mediterranean salad dressings (hello, Tzatziki), and this creamy dressing is no exception. If you are not a fan of fresh dill, you can use dried dill. However, please be aware that the dried version has a very mild flavor compared to its fresh version.
- Seasonings: You will need the good old salt and pepper. I prefer kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. However, you can use table salt and white pepper as well.
Substitutions and Optional Add-ins
- Vinegar: To turn this into a Greek yogurt vinaigrette, use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in place of lemon juice.
- Yogurt: While I make this recipe with Greek yogurt, regular plain yogurt can also be a suitable choice. However, be aware that it will result in a thinner consistency, but the overall flavor will still be great.
- Fresh Herbs: Not a fan of dill? Use fresh parsley, fresh chives, or fresh mint instead.
- Dijon Mustard: While it is not traditional, adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard would add some depth and complexity to the dressing, lending a richer and creamier texture.
- Sweetener: Some version of this homemade yogurt dressing uses a small amount of sweetener, mostly to balance out the tanginess of Greek yogurt. If you prefer your dressing to have a sweet and savory flavor contrast, you can add in a small amount of (1 teaspoon or less) maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey.
- Optional seasonings and spices: While the basic garlic lemon yogurt dressing is versatile on its own, you can tailor it to complement the dish you are pairing it with by incorporating seasonings and spices like ground cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.
How to Make Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing Recipe?
Making this healthy and creamy salad dressing cannot be easier. Simply:
- Prepare ingredients: Place Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add in the oil: As you continuously whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and mix until the mixture is thoroughly emulsified. If you prefer it to be thinner, you can whisk in a few tablespoons of water.
- Stir in the herbs: If using, add the dill (or any other fresh herbs you are using) and whisk until combined.
And voila, just like that, you have yourself a delicious, healthy, creamy, and homemade dressing that you can use pretty much on anything.
How To Make Ahead and Store?
My favorite thing about this creamy yogurt dressing is that it gets better as it sits, so it is great for meal prep or if you want to make it ahead of time. Here is how I do it:
- Make ahead: Make a batch, place it in a mason jar, cover it tightly with the lid, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to give it a vigorous shake before using it.
- Storing leftovers: You can store the remaining yogurt sauce in a jar (or an airtight container), put the lid on, and place it in the fridge. It should be fresh for up to 5 days. If it begins to separate or appear watery as it sits, simply give it a good shake or blend in a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to restore its creamy consistency.
How To Use This Dressing In Your Daily Cooking?
Growing up in Turkey, this was my mom’s go-to creamy salad dressing. The good news is that while it is referred to as a “salad dressing,” it can be used as a sauce as well. It is wonderful when served with grain bowls, sandwiches, and wraps. Need more ideas? Here are a few other ways to put it to good use:
- Salads: It goes without saying this garlic yogurt dressing is wonderful drizzled over any of your favorite salads and even just over a Simple Green Salad. However, its versatility truly stands out when it is used in place of mayonnaise (or buttermilk). For example, using it as a dressing in this Chicken Salad or in this Greek Yogurt Cucumber Salad adds a tangy richness that elevates the entire dish.
- Roasted vegetables and vegetable sides: You can enhance air-fried or roasted vegetables with this Greek yogurt sauce, especially when paired with my Baked Eggplant Halves, Crispy Roasted Eggplant, and even my Baked Zucchini Fritters.
- Main Dishes: This easy yogurt sauce makes an excellent drizzle over meat or vegetarian dinners such as Stuffed Vegetarian Eggplant, Baked Sockeye Salmon, Grilled Chicken Kabobs, and Chicken Chickpea Wrap.
- Dip: You can serve it with raw veggies like celery, bell pepper strips, and carrot sticks as a healthy snack. Or, you can make a wonderful Mediterranean-inspired Eggplant Yogurt Dip by mixing it with Fire-Roasted Eggplant.
- Eggs: This quick yogurt sauce can be used as the base of famous Turkish Eggs with Yogurt, also known as Cilbir.
- Soups: Whip up this easy yogurt sauce and dollop on top soups like Stuffed Cabbage Soup, Green Lentil Soup, and Zucchini Soup for an added layer of tang and creaminess.
Expert Tips:
While the recipe for this dressing is pretty straightforward, making the best creamy Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing involves some culinary intuition. Here are a few expert tips to help you succeed on your first try:
- Taste as you go: It is best to give it a taste to ensure that the seasoning is to your liking and it is properly seasoned for the dish you are pairing it with.
- Adjust the consistency: Should you prefer a more pourable consistency, feel free to add a splash of water to achieve the desired texture. Conversely, if it is too thick, you can thicken it by adding more Greek yogurt.
- Experiment with flavors: Use this dressing as a place to start, but feel free to try it with different spices and fresh or dried herbs to tailor it perfectly to the dish you are accompanying.
- Blend well: When incorporating olive oil into dressings (as we do here), it is important to whisk or blend it in slowly to create a creamy, emulsified texture. Doing so prevents the dressing from separating. The good news is that you can easily whisk it by hand, but if you are making a large amount (perhaps if you are making it for a crowd), you can use a food processor or a blender to whip it up.
- Let it rest: Keep in mind that this healthy creamy salad dressing gets better as it sits. While you can enjoy it right away, letting it rest in the fridge for a few hours gives the ingredients time to meld and the flavors to marinate, resulting in a dressing that is more robust in taste.
- Use it as a marinade: Got some leftovers? Similar to my Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs recipe, this sauce makes an excellent marinade for chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
FAQs
Plain, unsweetened whole milk Greek yogurt would be the best option. However, if you are after fewer calories, you can use low or non-fat, plain, unsweetened yogurt. You can also use plain instead of Greek yogurt.
You can use any fresh herbs you have on hand. Fresh parsley, chives, basil, and mint would all work.
Yes, it is. According to Healthline, plain unsweetened Greek yogurt is a good source of protein, supports gut and bone health, and helps with muscle recovery and healthy body composition. Since the main ingredient in this Greek dressing is plain unsweetened yogurt, it can be considered healthy.
You can use water to thin out Greek yogurt.
I would not recommend substituting sour cream in place of Greek Yogurt in this recipe.
Other Homemade Salad Dressings You Might Like:
- Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- Asian Sesame Dressing Recipe
- Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Homemade Avocado Dressing
- Cashew Avocado Sauce
If you try this Greek yogurt dressing recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or white pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh dill*, chopped or (1 teaspoon dried dill), optional
- 2 tablespoons water, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
- While whisking constantly, drizzle in the olive oil and mix until the mixture is thoroughly emulsified.
- If it is too thick to your liking, you can use a few tablespoons of water to thin it out.
- Mix in the fresh dill, if using.
- Drizzle onto your favorite salads, roasted vegetables, grain bowls, sandwiches, and more.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This recipe yields one cup of Greek yogurt dressing. The nutritional values below are for the whole dressing.
- Yogurt: While I highly recommend using plain full fat Greek yogurt, if you want, you can use plain yogurt or low-fat or non-fat yogurt (for fewer calories) as well. These substitutions would make it less creamy, but it would still taste good.
- Fresh Herbs: Not a fan of dill? Use fresh parsley, basil, chives or mint instead. Or, you can omit using herbs altogether.
- Dijon Mustard – Optional: While it is not traditional, you can whisk in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to add some depth and complexity to the dressing and a richer and creamier texture.
- Sweetener – Optional: If you prefer your dressing to have a sweet and savory flavor contrast, you can add in a small amount of (1 teaspoon or less) maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey.
- Make ahead: Make a batch, place it in a mason jar, cover it with the lid, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to shake before using.
- Storing leftovers: You can store the remaining yogurt sauce in a jar (or an airtight container), put the lid on, and place it in the fridge. It should be fresh for up to 5 days. If it begins to separate or appear watery as it sits, simply give it a good shake or blend in a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to restore its creamy consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
First time having Greek yogurt and this salad dressing is amazing! Simple to make and nice and bright in my salad. Fresh ingredients for everything ❤️. This will be my go-to.
I am thrilled to hear that you liked it Julie. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Delicious, simple and healthy!
I followed your recipe and I loved it! The flavor was fresh, bright, and the perfect topping to my keto salmon cakes! This is going in my favorites. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
I am thrilled to hear that Ronnie. Salmon cakes with this yogurt salad dressing sounds so delicious.
Absolutely delicious 😋 thank you for this healthy salad dressing option! It’s my go to now
This makes me so happy Kelly. Thanks for coming by!
I try not to comment negatively much but it pretty much tasted like plain greek yogurt and lemon. No Pizzazz. No Zing. No spice. You need to “test kitchen” this a bit more – maybe the flavors needed to blend during a chill. I was suspicious without the anchovy or egg in there to begin with and so, well, my suspicions were confirmed.
Good luck. Sorry to be like Gordon Ramsey but like him, I like food.
Chris,
I actually appreciate comments like this that are constructive so thank you so much for being kind and explaining what you have done differently.
This yogurt dressing is a basic one that my mom thought me. The tang, in my defense, comes from garlic, but I can see why some think that it is not enough to make it a bit more “jazzed up”. The good thing is that you can easily add more if you want.
With that being said, growing up in the Mediterranean, we never added fish (i.e. anchovies) in any of our yogurt recipes. This is not to say it cannot be done but it was not something that I am accustomed to doing.
I, too, like Gordon Ramsey and again I appreciate your honest feedback.
Sorry if I’ve missed it; store in fridge? If so, for how long. Thanks.Pauline
Hi Pauline,
Yes, you can store it in the fridge. I’d make sure to put it in an airtight container (or a jar with a tight-fitting lid) and give it a good shake before using. If it needs a bit of refreshing, feel free to add in a few tablespoons of plain yogurt.
Hope this helps.
Loved this recipe! I put a little honey in to add a bit of sweetness and used the immersion blender. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!!
Such a great idea to add in honey! Thanks for sharing your experience Kier.
This is just what I’ve been looking for homemade salad dressings all different varieties in one place thanks so much
YAY! So happy to hear that you like my salad dressing recipes Rohne. I have more on the way 🙂
Cheers!
I have just made my first yoghurt salad dressing, and love it!
I am happy to hear that you liked it Hester.
Soooo good!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Looks delish! What is the refrigerator shelf life? Thanks!
Hello,
I think it would be good for the next 2 days or so.
Hope this helps.