I have a bit of a love affair with salad dressings, and Italian dressing is no exception. Before my switch to healthier foods, ranch was about all that got me to eat raw broccoli. Thankfully my journey to real food brought me to love all kinds of salads even without a lot of dressing.
A green salad doesn’t need much dressing when it’s freshly homemade and full of dried herbs and spices. A simple homemade dressing takes an ordinary salad to a completely different level.
And it’s worth it from a health perspective too. Most store-bought dressings have dangerous vegetable oils (high in omega-6, which we already get too much of in the American diet), MSG, and preservatives.
Homemade Italian dressing only takes 2 or 3 minutes to mix up. Plus it has healthy, real ingredients like olive oil, fresh garlic, and dried or fresh herbs. I also love that it stores well for weeks at a time. It’s a win-win!
Italian Salad Dressing in the Kitchen
This homemade salad dressing is one of my favorite vinaigrettes. It not only makes a great addition to almost any salad, but it also serves as a simple marinade for most meats. And not just meat… marinate fresh vegetables for an hour or two and then grill them! The smoky flavors of the grill and the herbal flavors in the dressing combine perfectly for a complex flavor blend.
I love using leftover dressing on a big salad with some chicken for a quick lunch or as a condiment alternative for dipping raw veggies. The healthy oils give an energy boost and the flavor is amazing! You can also use it to make Italian pasta salad along with some black olives, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes for delicious Mediterranean flavors.
Not an Italian dressing fan? You can also check out more of my favorite DIY alternatives to bottled dressing in this post.
How to Make and Store Homemade Italian Dressing
This dressing will last about 2 weeks in the fridge, but I highly suggest making it in small amounts as needed as the flavor is definitely the best in the first few days. Sometimes I’ll double the batch if I’m making it for a crowd.
For a great shortcut, make a batch of homemade Italian seasoning mix to replace the thyme, basil, and oregano. Just use 1 ½ teaspoons of the Italian seasoning mix instead of the herbs listed in the recipe. Then it’s easy to make this recipe from memory. You may not even need to measure after a few practice runs!
They make shaker bottles for homemade dressing, but I prefer a glass mason jar. I love these tops to give any mason jar a pour spout.
Ingredient Substitutions
I use white wine vinegar here, but you could also use apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar. They all add some acidity to counterbalance the olive oil. I prefer the smoother flavor or white wine vinegar in this recipe.
This recipe calls for all dried herbs but you could use fresh if preferred. And I use fresh garlic, but a little garlic powder will work if it’s what you have. Check out below the recipe for some favorite salads with Italian dressing.
Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe
A better-for-you Italian salad dressing recipe without the highly processed vegetable oils! This also works well as a marinade.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Calories 127kcal
Author Katie Wells
Servings
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small mason jar, close the lid tightly, and shake vigorously. Serve immediately.
You can also use an immersion blender for easier mixing.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe
Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
Calories 127Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Sodium 306mg13%
Potassium 26mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 12IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notes
Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, the dressing may solidify slightly. This is perfectly okay. It happens when olive oil is chilled. Simply remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature about an hour before you need to use it
Salad Combinations to Try with Italian Dressing:
- Classic chopped salad – Toss with romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives (and a bit of feta if you’re in the mood!).
- Strawberry spring salad – TryItalian in place of honey mustard dressing on this favorite spring salad concoction with toasted pecans, fresh strawberries, and chicken.
- Simple summer salad – Splash a little Italian dressing overthinly sliced cucumbers and red onion with a few cherry tomatoes thrown in. Top with fresh basil leaves.
- Sweet pepper steak salad – Italian dressing isn’t only for chicken!
For other new recipes usingItalian dressing, try out my favoriteReal Plans meal planning tool!
What’s your favorite salad dressing? Have you tried makingyour own? I’d love to hear about your favorite dressings to shake up at home!
FAQs
Vinegar, Water, Blend of Vegetable Oils (Soybean Oil, Canola Oil), Sugar, Salt, Garlic*, Contains Less Than 2% of Red Bell Peppers*, Onions*, Xanthan Gum, Spice, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor).
What is Italian dressing a mixture of? ›
Italian dressing
| A dish of Italian dressing |
|---|
| Type | Salad dressing or marinade |
|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Main ingredients | Water, vinegar or lemon juice, vegetable oil, bell peppers, sugar or corn syrup, herbs and spices |
| Variations | Creamy Italian |
Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients
Lemon juice and white wine vinegar – They make the dressing zesty and bright. Dijon mustard – For extra tang. Garlic – It adds sharp, savory depth of flavor. Honey – Don't skip it!
How long does homemade Italian dressing last? ›
Homemade Italian Dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks, just give it a good stir or shake before using. If you use fresh garlic and fresh herbs (as opposed to powders), it is good for up to three days.
What is used to mix dressings marinate ingredients? ›
Answer. Explanation: MIXING BOWLS- used to mix dressings, marinate ingredients, hold separate elements of a salad before assembling and used to toss and mix all the ingredients together.
What is use for mixing dressings marinate and hold ingredients together? ›
Mixing bowls – used to mix dressings, marinate ingredients, hold separate elements if a salad before assembling and used to toss and mix all the ingredients together. Used bowls made of sturdy, heavy glass wares or ceramic, so as not to react with acidic ingredients.
Why don t vinegar and oil mix in Italian dressing? ›
Vinegar is a solution of an acid in water. Oil is less dense than water so it wants to float to the top of the mixture. If you want the mix to stay together you will need to add an emulsifier. This is a substance that the acid solution and the oil to stay together.
What are the three 3 kinds of dressing? ›
In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...
What can I substitute for Italian seasoning packet? ›
Honestly, if you have those two then you've got yourself a great substitute.
- 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning = ½ teaspoon of basil + ½ teaspoon of oregano. ...
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning = ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon of dried basil and thyme. ...
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning = ½ teaspoon dried basil.
Ingredients. Water, Soybean Oil, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Eggs, Romano Cheese (Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Dehydrated Garlic, Spice, Xanthan Gum, Dextrose, Annatto Color, Calcium Disodium EDTA Added to Protect Flavor, Natural Flavor.
Distilled Vinegar, Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/Or Canola), Water, Sugar, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Garlic,* Garlic, Red Bell Pepper,* Onion,* Onion, Spice, Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Natural Flavor, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor), Annatto Extract (Color).
Is homemade Italian dressing good for you? ›
Is Italian Dressing Healthy? Yes, this Italian dressing is healthy! It's made with extra-virgin olive oil, which has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs). MUFAs and herbs—including the herbs in this recipe—have been shown to calm chronic inflammation.
Why did my homemade Italian dressing solidify? ›
*Did your vinaigrette solidify in the fridge? If you use a high quality olive oil (has a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats), it will solidify in the fridge. This is completely normal. Let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using or place in a warm water bath to speed up the process.
Does oil and vinegar go bad? ›
A good long time. The oil doesn't spoil for a few years, and the vinegar is exactly what it claims to be, sour wine. Now, if you've blended in various herbs and spices, they can start to decay (although honey never will — we've found completely edible honey in Egyptian tombs from 3000 years ago).
Should homemade Italian dressing be refrigerated? ›
Salad Dressing
It may be obvious to store creamy ranch dressing on your refrigerator's shelf, but oily dressings such as Italian or a vinaigrette should be kept cold after opening too. That's because their key ingredients—think things such as shallots and citrus juice—will go rancid without refrigeration.
What are the ingredients in Kraft dressing? ›
Water, Soybean And Canola Oil, Vinegar, Sugar, Egg Yolks, Salt, Modified Cornstarch, Modified Milk Ingredients, Xanthan Gum (Thickener), Yeast Extract (Natural Flavour Enhancer), Dried Garlic, Sorbic Acid (Maintains Quality), Dried Onions, Natural Flavour, Phosphoric Acid (Enhances Tartness), Spices, Dried Parsley, ...
What are the ingredients in Kraft creamy Italian dressing? ›
Ingredients. Water, Soybean Oil, Vinegar, Sugar, Contains Less than 2% of Salt, Garlic (Dried), Xanthan Gum, Onions (Dried), Propylene Glycol Alginate, Spice, Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Disodium EDTA (to Protect Flavor), Polysorbate 60, Red Bell Peppers (Dried), Citric Acid, Natural Flavor.
What are the ingredients in Kraft Italian vinaigrette? ›
Ingredients. Vinegar, Water, Blend of Vegetable Oils (Soybean Oil, Canola Oil), Sugar, Salt, Garlic (Dried), Contains Less than 2% of Red Bell Peppers (Dried), Onions (Dried), Xanthan Gum, Spice, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Disodium EDTA (to Protect Flavor).
Why does Italian dressing tenderize meat? ›
The oil helps to tenderize the meat, while the vinegar and herbs add a zesty and aromatic dimension to the flavor profile. Additionally, the acidity in the dressing can help break down the proteins in the steak, resulting in a more tender and juicy end product.
