Greek Yogurt Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing is just as rich and delicious as what you get in restaurants or from a bottle, but this recipe is lightened-up with Greek yogurt. This gluten-free salad dressing proves homemade can be easy sine it can be made in a couple of minutes with only five ingredients. It will definitely become a new favorite.
This post was originally published on November 7, 2013. Updated with new photos on May 1, 2017 and video added on May 29, 2018. The little Baby Smiles is now a big boy and The Bug is an even bigger boy!
I was finally getting back on track. After starting that year with gestational diabetes and fairly painful pregnancy, once Baby Smiles was born, all I wanted to do was sit on my butt 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 – Baby Smiles still wasn’t sleeping through the night and I needed my energy; I didn’t have time to exercise because I really really needed to keep up with all of my blog stuff. That sort of thing.
But I started to get back on the bandwagon again. I was getting myself out of bed to exercise a few times a week, or going out for walks when I could. And I was trying to cut down the nighttime sugar binges by shifting my chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie habit to the evening instead of having it midday and then having dessert at night.
And while I was at a healthy weight despite a few post-pregnancy pounds that I still hadn’t dropped, I needed to do this to have more energy, to be healthier inside, and to be a good example for my boys. These simple changes made me less lethargic, more productive, and just generally in a better mood. All good things.
The last habit to get back to was my daily salad habit at lunch. This easy gluten-free yogurt salad dressing was a help…
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!
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.
Just combine them all, season with salt and pepper, and shake it up. This creamy balsamic dressing will become a kitchen staple.
Enjoy it on a simple side salad, for an entree salad with romaine, shrimp, roasted red peppers, olives, and feta, or with mixed baby greens, apples, and blue cheese. You can even drizzle it on an Italian-Style Wedge Salad or to make a glammed-up BLT known as the “PAT” or Prosciutto, Arugula and Tomato Sandwich.
You know what will also become a kitchen staple? 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.
Wait, but is there egg in balsamic vinaigrette?
A basic balsamic vinaigrette is made with 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.
What else can you make with balsamic vinegar?
- Honey Balsamic Marinated Grilled Flat Iron Steak
- Balsamic Roasted Mixed Veggies
- Balsamic Ketchup
- Grilled Balsamic Strawberries
Looking for some more healthy homemade salad dressing recipes?
- Pantry Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip or Dressing is made from ingredients you probably always have on hand.
- Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing or Dip is a healthier way to enjoy this cheesy favorite.
- Creamy Greek Yogurt Maple Dijon Dressing is deliciously sweet and tangy.
- Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing adds the natural sweetness of figs for a fruity twist.
- Maybe you want a cheesier option. Try Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing from Noble Pig.
- And summertime salads would be delicious with Creamy Poppy Seed Salad Dressing from Spend with Pennies.
Greek Yogurt Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing 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. It’s rich and creamy, with the tangy sweetness of balsamic vinegar, making it the perfect complement for Mediterranean salads, salad with fruit, or a simple spinach salad.
I hope you’ll leave a comment and give it a FIVE STAR rating and share a photo on this pin on Pinterest!
Creamy Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
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
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Lindsay says
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!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
That does sound like a tasty combo! Yes, I often swap the mustard and sometimes even use maple syrup instead of honey, based on what I have around. It’s very versatile!
Patricia says
I added a small clove of minced garlic.
Great recipe! Thanks.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’m glad you enjoyed the dressing, Patricia!
Nicole Heckman says
I finally made a good homemade dressing. Well…you did. So, thank you!
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
Janiece says
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.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
Diane says
Delicious…..and low calorie too! My new go-to salad dressing
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Diane. Thank you!
Courtney Nail says
How many servings are in here?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Hi Courtney!
The recipe makes 12 Tablespoons (6 ounces) of dressing. A typical serving is 2 Tablespoons
Emily says
How long can you keep dressing like this tightly covered in the fridge?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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.