Sunshine Salad Dressing
This creamy honey-mustard salad dressing recipe is lightened up with Greek yogurt. No mayo here! This homemade dressing is easy to make, too. I love it so much that I nicknamed it "sunshine salad dressing."
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 1, 2024
Let’s rewind to my trip to Costa Rica last month with my grandmother. It was the last day on our group trip, and we arrived at Sibu for our final dinner together. Sibu produces the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted, and they greeted us with rum-spiked, spiced hot chocolate.
I was literally a kid in a candy store all night as they presented a lesson in chocolate history (with wine and chocolate) and moved on to an incredible dinner.
After appetizers, they handed us chopped salads that looked fairly basic at first glance—I remember lettuce, tomato, avocado, feta and dressing. Then I took a bite and forgot about chocolate for a minute. That dressing!
I immediately tracked down the owner of the place to ask about it. He said it was a “honey-Dijon vinaigrette with yogurt base” and I vowed to recreate it at home. Mind you, this dressing is quite different from a classic vinaigrette.
I started with the honey-mustard vinaigrette that I made for my cookbook, which I love as written. I reduced the oil and added plain Greek yogurt until it tasted like the dressing at Sibu.
This dressing is essentially a creamy honey-mustard dressing made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. It offers a more luxurious texture than any other honey-mustard dressing I’ve tried. I’m usually skeptical of using yogurt in place of mayonnaise or sour cream (mayo and sour cream have their place), but this salad dressing wouldn’t be the same without it.
Healthy Honey-Mustard Dressing
The only problem with this dressing is that “honey-Dijon vinaigrette with yogurt base” doesn’t do it justice. “Healthy honey-mustard dressing” sounds bland, and “creamy honey-mustard dressing” doesn’t quite capture the tangy deliciousness of the yogurt.
I dubbed it “Sunshine Salad Dressing” since it brightens up my salads so well. I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer, so I’m sharing it today for all of your side salad needs. The recipe yields a lot (almost 1 1/2 cups). I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finishing it off. It makes a stellar dip for vegetables, too!
I’ve been keeping a big jar of it in my fridge for the past couple of weeks, and it goes with just about everything. Try this honey-mustard dressing with any of the following:
- Fresh greens of any kind
- Avocado
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Carrots
- Apples
- Bell peppers
- Goat cheese, feta or cheddar cheese
- Sunflower seeds, pecans, or almonds
Don’t miss my sunshine slaw with quinoa or my roasted and raw carrot salad with avocado, which both call for this dressing. I have more salads over here.
Please let me know how you like this honey-mustard dressing in the comments! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Watch How to Make Sunshine Dressing
Sunshine Salad Dressing
This creamy honey-mustard salad dressing recipe is lightened up with Greek yogurt. No mayo here! It’s so easy to whisk this dressing together. Recipe yields almost 1 ½ cups and keeps well for 10 to 14 days.
Ingredients
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (any % fat will do)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 3 to 4 tablespoons honey, to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or more lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine all of the ingredients as listed. Whisk until blended. Taste, and season with additional pepper if necessary.
- This dressing is intentionally bold, but if it tastes too tart for your liking, whisk in another tablespoon of honey.
- Store leftover salad dressing in the refrigerator, covered, for 10 to 14 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free: If you have a favorite unsweetened dairy-free plain yogurt, it should work well here.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Kate, this Dressing is Amazing, I have made it twice now, it will a regular in my fridge ! Love it !
It really is amazing! I’m a little obsessed. Thanks so much for your review.
This turned out great! Used goat yogurt. Does make a lot, as recipe states, but definitely didn’t go to waste
Great! Thank you, Kim.
Awesome salad dressing, love, love,love!!!
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m a pretty big fan of this one. I just can’t get enough!
This recipe came at a perfect time as I am 1 year into a weight loss program eating REAL food and was needing some new flavors for salads. I made with Fat Free Yogurt and it is amazing. Almost good enough to drink (almost)! Thank you
You’re welcome! Way to go you for sticking to a healthier lifestyle for over a year. That’s huge and something to celebrate!
I don’t see the nutrition info, do you happen to have those numbers? I’m looking for the carb count. Thanks! Can’t wait to try this!
The nutrition information is found right under the notes section of the recipe. Let me know if you have issues! You will need to click the header to expand to see the facts.
Loved the dressing … sunshine is always welcome in February. I’ve used it as a more flavorful alternative to mayo in sandwiches, too. I’ll pick a bigger clove of garlic next time though ;)
Sunshine is always welcome, for sure! Thank you for your comment, Joy.
This was soooo good!! Thank you for all your recipes not just this one. You provide healthy recipes I am always looking for with everyday easy to find ingredients.
You’re very welcome, Helen! If you would like to leave a star review since you liked them so much, that would be wonderful!
Forgot to rate it! Loved it
Thank you!!
I just made this dressing now to put on a salad of arugula,spinach,roasted beets,avocado,carrots and scallion. It is delicious and a keeper in my house! Thanks again for the great recipes
Sounds tasty! Sharing? :) Thanks for the review!
I love this dressing, and have made it twice now as described. I’ve used it on a cabbage/broccoli slaw mix which is delicious and fresh in the summer. Love all your recipes, they are truly an inspiration!
I’m so happy to hear that, Denise! It’s a favorite of mine right now for sure. I appreciate the review!
Was looking forward to making this recipe for my vegan son until I realized it also had honey. The vegans that I know don’t eat honey so it would need an alternative sweetener in order tow work for them.
just read your first recipe and followed up to here, haven’t tried anything yet, but just reading the lovely recipes and thinking of the flavors and lovely vegetables makes me so happy! thanks for sharing! Lynne
Thanks for another fabulous recipe. I have just made this dressing, Yum. Unfortunately, I could not find any unsweetened 0% fat Greek Yoghurt where I shopped this weekend. A tip – if you have to buy sweetened reduce the honey unless you like a sweeter dressing. It was too sweet for me. I added more lemon juice & vinegar to balance it out. I will make it again & next time shop at my usual store & try with unsweetened Greek 0% Yoghurt but I i would still add less honey for my taste. You can add but you can’t take it away….
I made this last night, and it’s fantastic. I have a lot of recipes that call for lemon zest, and I’m always looking for ways to use up the juice once the lemons have been zested. I’ve tried various dressings and never love them. This will be my go-to and, hopefully, will have me eating more salad!
Hello, Megan! I’m so glad you love the dressing. Thank you for your comment and review!
Fantastic! I used plain whole milk yogurt instead of Greek, and was delighted with the flavor and texture. I served it on a crunchy Romaine salad, and can’t wait to try it on everything else!
Thanks, Emily! I’m thrilled you loved it!
I really like your dressing recipe! It sounds delicious!
I actually have a university project that I’m working on that would include recipes like yours. This project is a platform for sharing recipes and getting groceries. You could benefit from gaining recipe views and feedback.
Would you be interested in having your recipes included through our platform? Let me know!
Thanks,
Meesam
Engineering Student
University of Ottawa
This recipe is delicious and does not give you that heavy feeling that HONEY MUSTARD dressing does.
Thanks, Dee! I’m glad you enjoy it. And thanks for the review!
I just make it was so easy and taste so good!!!! Yummy
I did was so good love it best dressing I ever made and so easy ThanksLibby
Hi, Libby! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the dressing. Thanks for the comment!
Good morning,
Are you a big meal planner? I do follow you and I am signed up for all of your recipes via email.
I try to plan my meals out inc. lunches to help me lose weight. I am a vegetarian and love your recipes.
Teresa
Thanks for your support! I try to plan my meals. They usually revolve around my recipe brainstorms and creation. :)
I just made your Sunshine Salad Dressing and it’s the first time I’ve ever been tempted to eat salad dressing by the spoonful. I will never buy creamy honey mustard dressing again. Thank you!
I know! This one is hard not to eat on its own. Glad I’m not alone, Margaret. Thank you for trying it and for your review!
mmmm! I’m enjoying this now on a kale salad I made myself for lunch with roasted veggies, your crispy baked tofu, some feta and sliced almonds! I made the dressing over the weekend but didn’t have any lemons (how is that possible) so I just used an extra Tbsp of ACV and it’s still fantastic! Nice and zippy! Thanks for another yummy recipe!
That sounds like a delicious combination, Autumn! I’ll take one, please. Thanks so much for your comment and review!
Your blog is truly stunning. I love reading it! You bring such a strong personality through your writing style and you have inspired me to start my own blog! Thank you :)
Well, thank you Lucy! I really appreciate it.
So easy, so quick and so yummy!
One is a winner.
Thanks, Kaz!
I had to make it as soon as i found it. It is amazing.
I agree with you Courtney! I’m still obsessed.
This dressing is fabulous! The flavors are perfectly balanced and it made my salad so happy. Definitely a keeper.
Yes, a keeper. Glad you agree, L.S. Thanks so much for your review.
This is a great recipe! The first time I made it, I followed the recipe as is, and it was fantastic. The second time, I used 5% plain yogurt so I tried reducing the oil to 2 Tbsp, and I couldn’t notice much of a difference. The only other substitution was to use white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, as I’d run out. It was still delicious and I ate salad every day for as long as the dressing lasted . I’m so pleased I found your site. I’ve already made your peanut butter cups (a big hit) and am looking forward to trying more recipes!
Sounds like a great way to put your own twist, Sarah! Thank you for sharing.
I would love to make this salad dressing, it looks delicious!! Unfortunately,my husband is a diabetic and I only make recipes with the nutritional value!!
Would you possibly know what they are ?
Hi Jeannette – It’s a great dressing! I am working on an issue with my nutritional information plug-in. Stay tuned. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Hi Jeannette, just wanted to let you know that the nutrition information is available on my recipes again! I’m sorry for the trouble.
This is a fantastic dressing….even the kids loved it! As with all your recipes this has become a staple in our house, keep up the amazing work!
I’m glad it’s a favorite in your house and that your kids like it too. Thanks for sharing, Terry!
New favorite. Always have some in the fridge.
Love it, Paul!
Can you use just olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil? Thanks!
Yes, you can! I recommend buying extra-virgin in the future since it’s the first pressing/highest quality.
nice
Thank you!
I made this for my family and it was a hit even with the picky eaters!! I added it to a bag of broccoli slaw and shredded cabbage. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Great combination, Erica! Thank you for your review.
Delicious, and so easy to make.
I’m glad you think so!
I just made this recipe for the second time…because I gobbled up the first batch! Seriously, it’s so good that I ate 2 big salads a day just because I wanted more dressing. I don’t buy bottled dressings because so many are loaded with sugar & oils, & I get bored with oil & vinegar & my usual recipes. I was looking for something different & this is it! I do think the first batch I made was better due to using whole milk Greek yogurt – it was more creamy than using nonfat. I can see this being a great vegan recipe subbing coconut milk yogurt for Greek yogurt & agave for the honey. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Tonya! I appreciate the review.
This dressing was phenomenal! I will be making it over and over again!
Yes! It’s still a go-to for me. Thanks, Tina!
I absolutely love this dressing. I use it with mixed baby spring greens topped with two fried eggs for a quick dinner or breakfast when I don’t feel like cooking.
Sounds like a simple, but great combination Ronda! Thanks for sharing.
This dressing is EXCELLENT. Really tangy, and delicious.
Glad to hear that, Keren! Thanks for sharing.
Made this today. Love it!
Great! Thanks for the review.
Can’t wait to try this dressing. I’ve been looking for yogurt based dressings that taste good and it sounds like this might just fit the bill. I have to mention, I have that same spoon!! Just a random purchase at an antique store. I love it.
Too funny! Thanks, Susan for the comment. Let me know what you think!
I made this because we’ve started doing salads daily (and sometimes twice-daily) and I was getting SO tired of the store-bought dressings we had on hand (which are also nearly $5/each!). The first time I dressed salad with it was right after I missed it and it was a bit strong, but I’ve loved it ever since, so I suspect it was just that the flavors hadn’t yet really blended. Today I had no greens, so I improvised a salad with red cabbage, grated carrot, cucumber, and pepita’s, and the sweetness of this really balanced out the slight bitterness of the cabbage. Definitely a keeper.
Ugh – cell phone autocorrect.
*Mixed it
*Pepitas
I agree! Homemade dressings are really the best and can add a little more to a dull salad. :) But, great combination!
I made this dressing today, it is so good! I’ve been looking for a good honey mustard dressing for awhile, but have not had much luck. I am also usually skeptical about using Greek yogurt in place of mayo, as it has not been successful in the past.This dressing has amazing flavor and is definitely my new favorite!
I’m glad you tried it out, Sharon! I appreciate the review.
Honey mustard was never my dressing of choice, but I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Thank you for including ways to make it dairy free :)
I’m glad this one changed your mind, Alexandra! Thank you, for your star review.
This was the first homemade salad dressing I’ve ever made. I don’t think I’ll ever buy store dressing ever again. It was delicious! My husband loved it too. Thank you for th recipe!
So happy to hear it! It’s a great dressing, and simple. :) You’re welcome, Brittany!
Really lovely dressing – even my super fussy husband enjoyed it!
Wonderful! I love when that happens. Thanks Nicky!
Just made this easy dressing and it is awesome. I added a bit too much garlic since I just plopped a spoonful of minced garlic from the jar in my fridge into my mix without measuring but it didn’t ruin it. I had about a half cup of plain homemade yogurt sitting in a pint jar in my fridge so I just put everything in there and shook it up. My yogurt is thinner than Greek yogurt but just as tart so my dressing came out on the thinner side as expected but it is still so creamy and will toss well in a salad. I usually keep the ingredients in this recipe on hand anyways so this is a definite keeper! Divine flavor and so pretty in a glass jar or bottle. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks for sharing, Hannah. I really appreciate it and the review!
Holy cow this is the best dressing on the planet! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Sandra!
I make this dressing vegan (vegan yogurt and Bee Free Honee) and it is fantastic. I have never found a dressing this good, and I’m always asked about it when I serve it to company.
Wonderful, Elaine! Thanks for sharing.
Too bad there weren’t 10 stars! My husband and I love this dressing. He won’t eat a salad without in and has started mixing it into all kinds of other foods. Yes, this is a recipe is a winner!
Well, thank you! I’m glad you love it. I appreciate the review.
Thanks for this salad dressing. I will definitely give this a try. Is there a brand of extra virgin olive oil you can recommend please? I have tried a few and they seem to have a weird taste. I would like to use olive oil(that has no taste) to make this dressing just as you’ve done but i’m not sure what type to buy. Thanks
Bea
You’re welcome, Bea! I use a lot of different brands and don’t seem to lean on one too heavily. Ensure it’s a good brand and pure extra virgin olive oil. Trader Joe’s has some good ones too!