Creamy Italian Salad Dressing is made with Greek yogurt and avocado oil mayo, and you won’t believe the difference! It’s a creamier, tangier dressing that’s herby and zesty and good for so much more than just salads.
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Creamy Salad Dressing with Greek Yogurt
I love making homemade salad dressings. They just taste so much fresher and better than store-bought and are usually pretty easy to make.
This Creamy Italian Salad Dressing is made with a mix of traditional ingredients like olive oil, red wine vinegar and parmesan cheese, but uses a blend of plain Greek yogurt and avocado oil mayo instead of regular mayo for a healthier dressing with a naturally tangy zip.
The results are a zesty herb vinaigrette with super creamy texture that is great not just on crunchy lettuce salads or delicious pasta salad, but much like my Caesar Dressing Without Anchovies, Creamy Cajun Dressing and my Dairy-Free Creamy Greek Salad Dressing, this Creamy Italian Dressing can be used for a variety of recipes you might not even believe - I’ve included a bunch of options below!
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt - low fat or full fat will work
- Olive oil - use a quality extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil mayonnaise - or your favorite mayo
- Parmesan cheese - freshly grated for the best flavor
- Red wine vinegar - apple cider vinegar
- Italian seasoning - or a blend of dried oregano and basil
- Salt - I like to use coarse salt or sea salt
- Black pepper - freshly ground
- Dijon mustard - Mustard powder will work if you don't have dijon
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Italian Salad Dressing with Greek Yogurt
- Step 1: Place all ingredients in a mason jar and close the lid tightly.
- Step 2: Shake the jar vigorously for at least 10 seconds to combine the ingredients fully.
- Step 3: Open the jar and use with your favorite salad. Or try some of my other suggestions below.
Storage Tips
Store this dressing in a well sealed jar or airtight container. Keep it in the back of the refrigerator where it’s coldest, and it should stay fresh for up to 5 to 7 days.
Give it a good shake or stir before each use, as the ingredients may separate a bit while in the fridge.
How to Use This Creamy Italian Dressing
This Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing is basically your salad’s new BFF. You’ll be surprised how many salads you start eating!
- Mixed green salads - perfect drizzled over romaine, spinach, arugula, or spring mix
- Chopped salads - pairs great with crunchy lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives - great with my La Scala Chopped Salad (a Kardashian favorite) or my Strawberry Caprese Salad (an Agnieszka favorite).
But this dressing isn’t just for salads: It’s super versatile and a major upgrade for anything that needs a creamy, herby kick! Serve it with:
- Pasta salads - adds a tangy, creamy twist to cold pasta dishes. Try it with my High Protein Pasta Salad or my Red Lentil Pasta Salad
- As a dip for veggies or potatoes - try it with my Air Fried Sliced Potatoes, Butternut Squash Fries or Carrot Fries. I also just love to dip fresh cherry tomatoes in it as a snack!
- Chicken or fish - use it as marinade for chicken or fish or as a sauce to drizzle or dip - goes great with my Perfectly Crispy Chicken Wings.
- Wraps and sandwiches - spread it inside your favorite wraps or sandwiches for extra flavor - try it in my Ham and Cheese Wrap!
Tips & Tricks
- You can swap the Greek yogurt for regular plain yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic yogurt).
- If you like a slightly tangier dressing, increase the amount of vinegar to 2 tablespoons. You can also do a mix of vinegar and fresh lemon juice.
- If you don't have dijon mustard, mustard powder will work. Don’t use yellow mustard.
- I add a little fresh minced garlic or garlic powder to make a garlicky version of this dressing.
- Add some fresh herbs like oregano or parsley for even bigger flavor
- If the dressing seems too thick for you, add a little bit of milk to thin it to your liking.
- If you don't want to make the dressing in a mason jar, you can mix all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk and transfer to a jar.
- This dressing needs to be refrigerated in the jar (or airtight container).
Recipe FAQs
Classic Italian salad dressing is made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper.
Some people add optional additions like onion powder, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sugar or honey, grated Parmesan, and a splash of lemon juice or red pepper flakes to add extra flavor and balance. Homemade Italian dressing is zesty, herby, and perfect for drizzling over salads or using as a marinade.
Yes, absolutely! Greek yogurt is a great substitute for mayonnaise in salad dressing. It’s creamy, tangy, and much lighter, with more protein and less fat.
For this recipe I decided to go with a Greek yogurt - avocado oil mayo - olive oil mix for best flavor results. However, if you prefer, you can swap the mayo with more Greek yogurt.
More Dressings and Sauces
- Maple Balsamic Salad Dressing
- Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- Easy Gochujang Aioli
- 15 Best Dipping Sauces for Chicken Wings
Recipe
Equipment
- 1 mason jar
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt low fat or full fat
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil mayonnaise or your favorite mayo
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese freshly grated, packed
- 1 ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mason jar and close the lid tightly.
- Shake the jar vigorously for 10 seconds.
- Open the jar and use with your favorite salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Mike says
Have you looked at the back of a bottle of salad dressing lately? Awful! Thanks for posting a healthy/junk free dressing recipe.
Boguslawa says
Easy recipe. My whole family loved it.
Marie says
I love this special tang the yogurt brings to the dressing! Super nice, even the kids agreed!
Hanna says
My family loved this dressing, so easy and delicious! Thanks!
Candy says
This is such a great dressing! I love that extra creaminess while still keeping things healthy.
Emily says
I've really enjoyed making my own salad dressing lately, especially with all the junk they put in the bottled stuff. This was great!
Agnieszka says
Awesome. Glad you liked this recipe!
Jen says
I loved the real ingredients in this and it was so delicious!
Carol says
Fantastic salad dressing!!! Easy to make & very delicious.