Creamy Balsamic Greek Yogurt Dressing Recipe

4.7 from 50 votes
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Creamy Balsamic Dressing is just as rich and delicious as what you get in restaurants or from a bottle, but this healthy salad dressing recipe is lightened-up with Greek yogurt. Just because it is homemade doesn’t mean it isn’t easy. You can shake up this smooth balsamic vinaigrette in just a few minutes with only five ingredients. And without any extra thickeners or preservatives, you know it is good-for-you and made with gluten free ingredients!

Greek Yogurt Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing dripping off a spoon

This post was originally published on November 7, 2013. Updated with new photos on May 1, 2017 and video added on May 29, 2018. 

I’m sure most of us want to have healthy eating habits and to pass those habits onto our kids. But let’s be real – life gets crazy and your good intentions can get derailed. Work is stressing you out. The kids have homework and activities and playdates. And cheesecake ice cream exists.

While I like to think I love an overall healthy lifestyle, I go through those periods too. Like back when I first started making my own healthy salad dressing recipes.

I had just gotten through a fairly painful pregnancy that included a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. Once my little guy was born, all I wanted to do was sit around and eat all the sweets that I had to give up due to my very strict diet for the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy.

I had been giving myself all sorts of excuses. But I needed some strategies for getting back on track.

By getting out of bed to exercise a few times a week and going for walks, I was motivated to make better food choices. I cut down nighttime sugar binges by enjoying a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie instead of dessert.

And I would make sure I grabbed fresh produce at the store and took five minutes to make a batch of balsamic vinaigrette to keep in the fridge. This made it easier and more enticing to make a nice salad for lunch.

Greek Yogurt Creamy Balsamic Dressing in a glass jar

How to Make Healthy Salad Dressing with Balsamic Vinegar

The Greek yogurt and just a bit of olive oil give this healthy homemade salad dressing the rich smoothness of those heavier creamy dressings you get in restaurants or in the grocery store. But it has no preservatives or other funky ingredients, and fewer calories. So it’s definitely good for you, especially if it gets you to eat more fresh vegetables! This creamy balsamic dressing is sure to become a kitchen staple.

What is balsamic vinaigrette dressing made of?

You only need five ingredients:

  • Plain Greek yogurt – I typically use nonfat, but you can use any type you prefer.
  • Dijon mustard – yellow or brown mustard can also be substituted.
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Honey – maple syrup can also be used.

Combine all of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and shake or stir it up in a bowl or Mason jar.

I actually love using this salad dressing shaker! It’s one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. I make a batch of homemade salad dressing at least once a week.

Is there egg in balsamic vinaigrette?

A basic balsamic vinaigrette contains oil, vinegar, mustard, and seasonings, so there is no egg in it. However, to make a creamy balsamic dressing, many recipes do contain an egg or egg yolk. This can be a concern for people with an egg allergy or who are concerned about eating raw eggs due to salmonella. So this recipe uses Greek yogurt for that creamy texture instead of egg. Therefore, it does not contain any eggs.

Do you have to refrigerate balsamic vinaigrette dressing?

Because this recipe contains dairy, you do have to store it in the refrigerator. So while you can whisk it together in a bowl, I recommend using the shaker I mentioned or a mason jar. Shake up that dressing and keep it in the fridge to use for several days.

Greek Yogurt Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing with lettuce and tomatoes

What do you serve with creamy balsamic dressing?

  • Enjoy it on a simple side salad to go with your favorite Italian meal, like Lasagna (or Gluten Free Lasagna), or penne and Vodka Sauce.
  • Drizzle it on an Italian-Style Wedge Salad.
  • Make an entree salad with romaine, roasted red peppers, olives, and feta, or with mixed baby greens, apples, and blue cheese and your favorite protein such as shrimp, leftover rotisserie chicken, or grilled filet mignon.
  • Use it as a dip for veggies, and you can even pack it in kids lunches.
  • Make a glammed-up BLT known as the “PAT” or Prosciutto, Arugula and Tomato Sandwich.
Homemade Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette on a cutting board with lettuce and tomatoes

What else can you make with balsamic vinegar?

Looking for some more healthy salad dressing recipes?

Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Shake it up in seconds and get ready to pour this healthy salad dressing over all your favorite salads. It even makes a delicious dip for veggies. This Greek yogurt dressing is rich and creamy, with the tangy sweetness of balsamic vinegar, making it the perfect complement for Mediterranean salads or a basic tossed side salad with Romaine, spinach, or mixed greens

Creamy Balsamic Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette
4.7 from 50 votes

Creamy Greek Yogurt Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Just five ingredients and a few seconds to have a tasty and creamy homemade salad dressing to drizzle over your favorite greens.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar and shake or whisk until combined and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Greek Yogurt Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
Calories 57 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Sodium 29mg1%
Potassium 8mg0%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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55 Comments
  1. Maria

    I just made this with honey mustard and bit more honey then stated. It tastes very good might add garlic powder or some other herbs like basil or Italian seasoning as well

  2. Jess

    5 stars
    Yummy! I subbed plain yogurt and upped the vinegar amount and added a bit of salt and cayenne pepper and a little water to thin it out. It came out wonderful. Will definitely use this one again.

  3. Lyn

    5 stars
    I do not like kitchens. We just don’t get along. I can’t cook to save my life! Well…I happened to run into this recipe… And hot damn!!! I couldn’t believe I made it. Couldn’t wait to get the salad together!!! I can now make a good salad….spring leaf lettuce, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, red onion AND the most delicious recipe EVER! Thank you.

  4. Brent

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe; I’m excited to try it out! As a note, right before the “ What is balsamic vinaigrette dressing made of?” section, there is a block of web code that looks like it shouldn’t be there—just letting you know!

      1. Brent

        5 stars
        Thank you, Brianne! By the way, the dressing is AMAZING. The perfect amount of creamy texture and a bit of tang. I made mine with almond milk yogurt to avoid dairy and it came out great. I will also try adding in a bit more balsamic vinegar for more tang. It’s delicious and I thank you so much for it!

  5. Bev Henkel

    5 stars
    Great tasting – didn’t have regular dijon mustard – used horseradish dijon.
    This recipe is a keeper!

    Thank you!

  6. Sue

    5 stars
    Made per recipe and have found salad dressing perfection! Thank you for such a delicious, low-calorie salad dressing!

  7. Mizz P

    5 stars
    Thanks for getting me out of my vinaigrette rut! I only had “regular” non-fat yogurt (i.e., not “greek”) and it turned out fabulous! Very easy and will be fun to change it up during the year by adding garlic or some fresh basil, raspberry vinegar, etc.

  8. Lindsay

    4 stars
    This dressing is good on spinach and quinoa with beans and corn! I used honey mustard since I didn’t have Dijon and I left out honey since I put honey mustard. This dressing is such a good creamy type dressing…thank you for the idea!

          1. I wrote this post years ago when this was the style of writing food blogs. I’m working on updating old posts, but with over 1000 recipes and one-person business, it takes time. You can always click the Jump to Recipe button which is much faster than leaving a comment to complain.

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      I don’t recall standing in your kitchen, so you are welcome to take the credit for making it, Nicole. 😉 Thank you for rating the recipe!

  9. Janiece

    4 stars
    I’m cutting out prepared foods so I have been looking for different (healthy) salad dressing options. I’ve also been making my own Greek yogurt so this recipe was definitely a recipe to try. The reason I gave it a 4-star rating was it a bit too tart so I doubled the honey and that helped. I also think using white balsamic would be a better option as regular balsamic gives this dressing a funky color. With those changes it will be one of my go-to dressings.

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Thank you for your feedback and for rating the recipe, Janiece. I think it’s great that you were able to adapt the recipe to make it something that you can enjoy!

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Hi Courtney!
      The recipe makes 12 Tablespoons (6 ounces) of dressing. A typical serving is 2 Tablespoons

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Hi Emily! Because of the yogurt in the dressing, I wouldn’t keep it for more than about a week. Obviously, if it starts to smell sour, I would not use it and toss it out.

  10. Chelsey

    My husband requested I get some creamy balsamic from the store. I asked if he was OK with me trying my hand at my own. Got all excited to make it, then realized we were out of balsamic! I used red wine vinegar instead and it is delicious!

  11. mxo

    Holy crap this dressing is soooooooooooooooooooooo good. Was just wondering if you knew how many calories it is per tsp or tpsp?
    Thank you for sharing. Just got back into healthy eating. Thought it was going to be impossible for me to like salads- this dressing is going to save my diet.

  12. Kaleb

    Very nice recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    I find that a clove of garlic finely minced and a sizable dash of salt really add some nice flavor.

  13. Amanda

    I made this tonight and I like it, but it’s very yogurt-y. Next time I’ll probably drop down the yogurt by half and add more oil. And I think I’ll use a whole grain mustard rather than a dijon, just for the extra umph. Hopefully it tastes good on my spinach/bacon/feta/roasted red pepper/almond salad tomorrow!

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