This Creamy Balsamic Dressing recipe will be your new favorite go-to topping for salad.

I rarely buy salad dressing at the store to avoid unnecessary additives and inferior cooking oils. Making dressings at home allows me to use high-quality ingredients, including extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) rather than canola oil. I can also control the sweetness level by determining how much honey I want to add, as in this creamy balsamic dressing.
For years, my go-to salad dressing has been EVOO and balsamic vinegar. However, I crave a creamy dressing every once in a while. This recipe is perfect. The honey or maple syrup provides a touch of sweetness. You can omit it if desired, but it does help balance the acidity. Also, no blender is necessary — just a whisk to mix it all together. It doesn’t get much easier than that to make a dressing that is so perfectly creamy and delicious.
Is Creamy Balsamic Dressing Healthy?
Homemade salad dressing is often healthier than products you can buy in the store, as long as you are careful about what you include. The goal of making a healthy salad dressing is to use oils such as olive, avocado, or coconut and limit the sugar you add. Swapping Greek yogurt for mayonnaise and sour cream helps cut calories and fat. This creamy balsamic dressing recipe provides plenty of flavor, along with antioxidants, probiotics, and other healthy nutrients.
Creamy Balsamic – Not Just For Salads
While the first use that comes to mind for creamy balsamic dressing is leafy green salads, there is so much more you can do with it. Surround a bowl of this dressing with your favorite veggie dippers, like carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, and jicama. Crunch away to your heart’s content, knowing this is a much healthier dipping option for your snack time.
You can also drizzle it on quinoa bowls, stir-fry recipes, roasted vegetables, rice bowls, grilled chicken or fish, and pasta salads. Many salad dressings work well in these dishes.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Mix
Combine all ingredients and season.
Chill
Refrigerate to blend flavors.
Devour!

FAQs & Tips
You’ll want to make this dressing at least 30 minutes ahead of time to give the flavors a chance to mingle and meld. I like to prepare it at least a few hours ahead for increased flavor concentration. Refrigerate the dressing for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Give the container a shake or mix the contents before serving.
You can make a dairy-free version using vegan yogurt. Any plain, plant-based yogurt without added sweeteners and flavorings will work. If you want to completely avoid oil and dairy, however, you can try this vegan salad dressing recipe instead, which uses only four ingredients.
Avocado oil is an excellent substitute for olive oil in many salad dressings. You may also want to try melted coconut oil, but it will change the taste of the dressing. Mix coconut oil with room-temperature ingredients before whisking in the cold yogurt to keep the oil from solidifying.
You can use any balsamic vinegar, including flavored ones. However, be wary of added sugar, as it could make the dressing too sweet. My favorite flavored balsamic vinegars for dressings are peach, mango, and fig. I always recommend using high-quality balsamic vinegar to get the best results and flavor from your dressing.
Adding spices and herbs freshens the flavor profile of any dressing or sauce. Italian herbs and onion powder are often excellent additions to dressings. You can substitute garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.

Serving Suggestions
Aside from using creamy balsamic dressing on your salad, you can use it as a marinade in dishes such as chicken and potatoes, drizzled on perfect poached fish or air-fried vegetables, or as a dipping sauce for roasted snap peas. No matter how you serve it, this dressing is one you will enjoy frequently.


Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
-
In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard until well blended.
-
Season the dressing with salt and black pepper to taste.
-
Transfer the dressing to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
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