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This Mediterranean salad dressing is just what your pasta salad or side salads need! With fresh basil and parsley, it’s an easy salad dressing that’s simple to make and extremely versatile for all types of salads.
These classic Mediterranean herbs combine with olive oil and garlic for the perfect pasta salad dressing, marinade for chicken, herb sauce for roasted vegetables, or topping for a simple salad.
Serve this Mediterranean dressing with baked chicken kabobs, this baked halibut recipe, or Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad for the ultimate fresh and flavorful addition.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Here are a few notes on what to look for with certain ingredients. For amounts and the full ingredient list, please see the recipe card below.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is necessary and Italian flat leaf parsley is best. This is the kind of parsley that’s not curly on the edges.
- Basil – Fresh sweet basil leaves are recommended. These can be found fresh in a package in the refrigerated vegetable section or as a small plant.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Choose a good quality olive oil. California Olive Ranch, Frankies, and Lucini are a few favorites.
- Garlic – Like everything else, fresh is best here.
- Vinegar – I used basic distilled white vinegar from Heinz. It gives just a punch of acidity without overpowering.
Variations
- Vinegar – Can be substituted with lemon juice or red wine vinegar. This would not be HYH diet friendly.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder can be used in a pinch. Substitute about 1/2 teaspoon.
- Low sodium – Omit the salt as needed. This Mediterranean salad dressing has plenty of flavor!
How to Make Mediterranean Salad Dressing
Step 1: Place all the ingredients in a blender (if you have a lower blade) or food processor. You can also use an immersion blender in a tall jar.
Step 2: Blend till fully combined and smooth, just a few seconds. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
Step 3: Pour into a glass jar for storage until you’re ready to serve.
Recipe Tip
Be careful to not over-blend any dressing with olive oil. This can lead to the olive oil oxidizing and becoming bitter, or even starting to separate again. Blend just enough to incorporate the herbs!
Serving Suggestions
This Mediterranean dressing is so good on many different things – it’s one of my favorite dressings to make. My favorite way to use it is as a pasta salad dressing! Here are some ideas.
- Mediterranean pasta salad
- Simple bibb lettuce salad
- Air fryer flank steak sliced thin on a baguette with arugula tossed in this dressing for a steak sandwich.
- Grilled Italian shrimp on greens with tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Beef kabobs with veggies
I’ve made the flank steak sandwiches (or salad) a few times for a postpartum meal train. I put the salad dressing in a glass container, get a fresh baguette, slice up the steak in a storage container and add a package of arugula. It is always a favorite!
Storage Information
Store the Mediterranean salad dressing for up to 1 week in the fridge in a glass mason jar (or old jelly jar!). If the olive oil has firmed, leave out at room temperature for about 10 minutes and whisk again to incorporate.
You can also freeze this dressing for up to 3 months in small ice cube storage containers like souper cubes. Pop out as needed and allow it to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge. Whisk till smooth to bring back the consistency.
Recipe FAQ
This can happen if your blender has too high of a blade and not enough ingredients to be able to blend it thoroughly or if you over-blend any dressing with olive oil. If you have a spout in the top, you can also try adding in the oil slowly while blending. I always just add all the ingredients to my Vitamix blender and never have an issue! Stop blending as soon as everything has combined.
Salad Dressings
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Mediterranean Salad Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Blender, immersion blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh flat Italian parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, packed (or 1/2 cup loose packed)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor, blender (with a lower blade), or an immersion blender in a tall container, and blend till combined. Stop blending as soon as the dressing has combined and is smooth – just a few seconds. Over-blending can cause the dressing to separate, or the taste to become more bitter.
- Taste and adjust any seasonings. Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate till ready to serve.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients – no dried basil or parsley. Garlic powder can be used in a pinch but not recommended.
- Too acidic? Add more honey. Not enough? Add more vinegar. Vinegar can also be substituted with lemon juice or red wine vinegar (not HYH).
- Dressing will store well for up to a week in the fridge or freeze it into small ice cubes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delightful! I love this dressing on everything! Even used as a chicken marinade and it’s great.