BIG, Bold Greek-Inspired Flavor, Minimal Effort.
ICYMI, we’re kiiiinda obsessed with Mediterranean foods and flavors here at PWWB!
Greek-inspired recipes are some of my favorite to cook, as evidenced by Our Favorite Greek Farro Salad, these Lemony Greek Chicken Wings, these epic Lamb Meatballs, and, of course, this easy Greek Marinade recipe.
This simple marinade has been a community favorite ever since we shared it for the first time back in 2019 and thousands of PWWB readers have raved about it each month since, for good reason!
It’s a quick and easy marinade made with just 7 staple ingredients, combining Greek yogurt, fresh garlic, dried oregano, and red wine vinegar in a single bowl in 5 minutes or less.
The yogurt acts as a natural tenderizer and adds tangy richness, while generous amounts of lemon, garlic, and oregano create the big, bold, bright, delicious flavors that come to mind when you think of Greek food. It’s so simple and so good!
The best thing about it, though, is its versatility – feel free to consider it your go-to all-purpose Greek yogurt marinade. You can use it as a chicken marinade or for lamb, pork, veggie kabobs and more!
Want more marinades for grilling season? Got you covered! Check out PWWB’s 15 Go-To Grilling Marinades.
Key Ingredients
One of the best things about this easy marinade recipe is that it’s made with very simple ingredients that pack a major punch of flavor.
You need just 7 simple ingredients, and most of them are probably already in your pantry!
Here’s what you’ll need…
- Greek yogurt – Similar to buttermilk, Greek yogurt is filled with proteins that act as a natural tenderizer, helping keep whatever meat you marinate super tender. As a bonus, Greek yogurt transforms into the most insane crust once grilled – so good! I prefer using full-fat Greek yogurt, but you can definitely use skim or nonfat in this marinade.
- Aromatics – Namely, loads of garlic and dried oregano to create the bold Greek-inspired flavor we’re after here. If you like a kick of heat, add in some crushed red pepper flakes, too!
- Lemon – Use both the zest and juice for maximum flavor. Look for a lemon that has thin skin and feels heavy for its weight to ensure it’s juicy enough!
- Red wine vinegar – A generous splash to offset the natural sweetness of lemon with bold, punchy flavor.
- Honey – For sweetness that balances out the lemon and vinegar. As a bonus, honey helps your Greek chicken, lamb, or whatever you’re making take on crispy, caramelized edges that are so good!
- Olive oil – A little bit to hold the marinade together! Since this grill marinade has so many other big flavors, you don’t need to use an expensive oil. If you prefer grilling with high smoke point oils, that’s cool! You can use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or whatever neutral oil you love most as an alternative.
Dairy-Free or Vegan?
If you try to avoid dairy, or you’re looking for a vegan Greek marinade to use on veggies and plant-based proteins, try the oil-based Greek marinade used in this recipe that’s loaded with lemony flavor!
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DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!
How to Make Greek Marinade
Aside from packing a big punch of Greek-inspired flavor, the other thing you’ll love about this recipe is how quickly it comes together.
It’s a really simple one bowl, 5-minute operation!
To make this Greek marinade, simply add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl, whisk to combine, and add your protein or veggies of choice. So easy!
Suggested Marinating Time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you use. Having tested this recipe with a variety of different proteins and marinating times, here’s what I suggest:
- If using as a Greek chicken marinade, for Greek-style pork, or with other mild protein be sure to soak in this marinade for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
- Rich or gamey proteins like beef and Greek lamb should soak in this all-purpose marinade for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
- Veggies last even longer – you can marinate them for at least 20 minutes or up to 5 days.
- Delicate proteins (i.e. seafood – salmon, shrimp, flaky white fish) have a shorter marinade time – aim for at least 20 minutes and no more than 1 hour.
Meal Prep
Despite the suggested marinating times for this Greek marinade recipe, you can still get ahead on your dinner by prepping the marinade in advance. Prep the marinade and store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to start marinating, simply give the marinade a shake and pour it over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy!
Serving Suggestions
This Greek marinade is a weeknight dinner rockstar! It adds so much Mediterranean-inspired flavor to whatever you marinate!
A few favorite pairings to try…
- Chicken. It’s the BEST Greek chicken marinade! Its zesty, lemony notes add SO much flavor to chicken.
- Lamb. Another staple in Greek cooking! Use it as an easy Greek lamb marinade on lamb chops or leg of lamb. The yogurt tenderizes tough meat, while the brightness of the lemon and red wine vinegar helps neutralize any gamey flavor. So good!
- Pork. It works great with juicy grilled pork chops or pork tenderloin, too.
- Kebabs. Because this Greek marinade is so versatile you can easily mix and match your favorite protein with veggies to create the ultimate grilled Greek kebabs.
- Veggies. Perhaps my favorite of them all, this marinade isn’t just for meat! Try adding it to your favorite hearty veggies, like onions, potatoes, or even cauliflower!
No Grill? Use Your Stovetop or Oven!
If you do not have access to a grill, this greek marinade also works great with any other preparation – stovetop, skillet meals, sheet pan meals, etc. Just be sure to spritz the pan or skillet with a bit of cooking oil to prevent sticking. Tip! ⇢ You can create a similar caramelized, grilled effect by using a grill pan on the stove or baking in the oven and finishing under the broiler.
I can’t wait for you to try this Greek Marinade recipe! It is filled with flavor and pairs with just about anything. I know you’ll love it as much as we do!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations!
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5-Minute Greek Marinade (for Chicken, Pork, Lamb & More!)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments, Marinde
- Method: No-Cook, Grill
- Cuisine: Greek
Description
This Greek-inspired Marinade is perfect for giving any meal a little bit of Mediterranean flair! It’s an easy 5-minute marinade recipe that bursts with punchy and bright flavor from tons of garlic, lemon & oregano. Plus, its Greek yogurt base acts as a natural tenderizer to meat and keeps whatever you’re marinating completely tender & juicy.
Perfect as a grilled Greek chicken marinade, or for making Greek-style lamb, pork, veggies & more!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds meat or veggies of choice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 lemons, zested & juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Mix the Greek grilling marinade: Add the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, & oregano to a bowl or jar. Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper or crushed red pepper, as desired. Whisk or shake to combine. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Marinate: Pour the Greek grilling marinade over your meat or veggies of choice. Marinate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Grill as desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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- Tip ⇢ Greek marinade doubles as a really great salad dressing: Reserve some of your Greek marinade for drizzling over a Greek salad filled with cucumbers, bell peppers, feta & kalamata olives. You won’t regret it!
- Suggested marinade time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you’d like to use. Having tested this Greek Marinade recipe with a variety of different proteins & a variety of different marinating times, here’s what I suggest:
- Seafood – At least 20 minutes & no more than 1 hour.
- Chicken & pork – At least 6 hours & up to 3 days.
- Beef & lamb – At least 12 hours & up to 3 days.
- Veggies – At least 20 minutes or up to 5 days.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: If you’d like to marinate something beyond the suggested marinade times above but would like to do some meal prep, I suggest prepping the marinade in advance. Store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days – the flavors meld together even more as the marinade sits. When you’re ready to start marinating (refer to the suggested marinating times above), simply give it the marinade a shake & pour it over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy!
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Is there a way to make this without the red wine vinegar? I have an allergy to it.
You could try white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but the results will be slightly different.
I haven’t tried the recipe, but I am planning on it. I just need to know how many servings this recipe is for. I need to know, as I am planning on serving this for guests, but want to make sure I make enough.
Hi Pia, this marinade recipe makes 1 cup of marinade – enough to marinate about 2 pound of meat. Hope that helps! 🙂
In future iterations of this recipe, I intend to reduce the quantities of honey and red wine vinegar, as the resulting flavor profile was overly sweet and acidic for my palate. The chicken breast I utilized was tender and juicy, which was a positive aspect of the dish.
We definitely encourage you to make it your own, Isabel!
Definitely going in my regular rotation! Made this with chicken and my biggest complaint is that I didn’t make enough chicken (haha). So next time I will be making a much bigger “batch”, because it turned out so yummy that it disappeared way too quickly.
Also I only cooked this in a pan on stove-top- not a grill- and it still turned out so lovely, with a beautiful char on the outside!
Thanks so much for this gem 🙂
We’re so glad to hear you loved this marinade, Laura! It’s one of our favorites, too. And we definitely recommend making a big batch! 🙂