Greek dressing is a popular salad dressing that is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. It is a flavorful combination of olive oil, vinegar, and various herbs and spices that are commonly used in Greek cooking. However, many people who are vegan, lactose intolerant, or have a milk allergy wonder whether Greek dressing also has dairy.
Here you will learn about what is in Greek dressing and specifically if it has dairy. Let’s get into the information!
Is There Dairy In Greek Dressing?
Greek dressing may or may not contain dairy. It ultimately depends on the dressing you buy.
However, it is common for this dressing to have dairy. As you can see below, the majority of the dressings featured have Feta cheese. Romano cheese is another popular ingredient. Both Feta and Romano are derived from milk which means they are dairy products.
Newman’s Own Dairy-Free Greek is an example of a dressing without dairy that you may wish to try if you are avoiding dairy.
Be sure read the ingredients and allergen information on the label of any Greek dressing product if avoiding dairy is vital to you. Ingredients can change at any time and the product label will provide the most accurate information.
| Dressing | Dairy Ingredients (Yes or No)? | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Kraft – Greek Vinaigrette | Yes | Water, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Feta Cheese (Part-skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Garlic, Contains Less Than 2% Of Romano Cheese Made From Cow’s Milk (Part-skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Spice, Cucumber Juice, Dried Garlic, Black Olives, Dried Onions, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Phosphoric Acid, Oleoresin Paprika, Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor). |
| Ken’s Steak House – Greek | Yes | Water, Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/Or Canola), Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Feta Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Black Olives, Spice, Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate (Preservatives), Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion,* Garlic,* Lemon Juice Concentrate, Mustard Flour, Natural Flavor (Contains Celery), Basil, Anchovies, Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate, Corn Starch, Romano Cheese (Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Yeast Extract, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor). *Dried. |
| Wish-Bone – Greek Vinaigrete | Yes | Water, Soybean Oil, Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Feta Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Salt. Contains 2% Or Less Of: Sliced Black Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Maltodextrin (Corn), Garlic, Onion, Spice, Xanthan Gum, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Corn Oil, Natural Flavor, Lactic Acid, Ferrous Gluconate (To Stabilize Color), Annatto Extract (Color), Phosphoric Acid And Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate And Calcium Disodium Edta And Potassium Sorbate (To Protect Quality). *dried. |
| Cardini’s – Light Greek Vinaigrette | Yes | Water, Soybean Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Feta Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Sugar, Slat, Dehydrated Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Spices, Mustard Seed, Lactic Acid, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Cultured Whey, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate Added To Maintain Freshness, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Annatto Color. |
| Marzetti – Simply Dressed Greek Feta Dressing | Yes | Canola Oil, Water, Buttermilk, Feta Cheese (Part Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Distilled Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salted Egg Yolk, Sugar, Sea Salt, Spices Including Mustard Seed, Xanthan Gum, Cucumber Essence. |
| Newman’s Own -Dairy-Free Greek | No | Avocado Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Water, Spicy Brown Mustard (Distilled Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Sea Salt, Turmeric, Spice), Less than 2% of: Sea Salt, Distilled Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate (Adds a Negligible Amount of Sugar), Garlic, Onion, Oregano, Black Pepper, Basil (Dried), Dill (Dried), Xanthan Gum (as a Thickener). |
SEE ALSO>>>Does Thousand Island Dressing Have Dairy?
If you are looking for a homemade dairy-free version of Greek dressing, there are many recipes available online that you can consider. Several are made with simple ingredients such as olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, and salt & pepper with no added dairy. You may even have the ingredients available in your pantry to quickly whisk together a tasty Greek dressing.
Here are a few dairy-free recipes to consider:
- Love & Lemons – Greek Salad Dressing
- A Fork’s Tale – Greek Salad Dressing Recipe
- Five Heart Home – Greek Salad Dressing
Final Thoughts
You should be very careful about selecting a store-bought Greek dressing because many have dairy, particularly in the form of cheese. Read the ingredients carefully if you are avoiding dairy even for the dressings listed above.
Making your own Greek dressing is one of the best routes to take for dairy-free Greek dressing since you control the ingredients and can ensure unwanted ingredients stay out it. Best of all this dressing can be made in minutes with simple ingredients!
