This homemade Italian dressing is a fast and delicious way to dress up a salad or use as a marinade! It’s a classic dressing with fresh, zesty flavor that tastes so much better than store-bought.
Other favorite salad dressings we love to make include this Caesar salad dressing, ranch dressing and poppy seed dressing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
An easy homemade Italian dressing is something I love to keep on hand. It’s a zesty way to spruce up an Italian salad, but it is also one of my favorite marinades for grilled chicken. It’s nice and light so it works with Italian tortellini pasta salad as well as Antipasto salad without any heavy cream weighing it down.
Homemade dressing from scratch is almost always healthier than using store-bought. While it’s super convenient to grab a bottle already made, it often contains added sodium, preservatives, additives, and sugar! Make a dressing at home allows you to control what goes into the dressing and also the quality of the ingredients.
Knowing how to make an Italian dressing from scratch is something every home cook should know. Kids LOVE it and if a good dressing means eating more salads, then it’s definitely a win!
Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients
This easy homemade Italian dressing is a pure and simple zesty vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and loads of herbs and spices, most of which can be found in an Italian seasoning blend for convenience.
What Oil is Best to Use?
The best thing about a homemade dressing versus a store-bought dressing is that store-bought dressings often use cheap, low quality oils. I prefer extra virgin olive oil in this homemade Italian dressing as it adds another layer of rich flavor. If you prefer a lighter taste feel free to use regular olive oil, extra light olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil.
Should I Use Red or White Wine Vinegar?
Really the choice is yours! They both taste great so feel free to use what you have on hand. It really doesn’t change the taste but if you want a color more like what is in the stores go with red wine vinegar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan for extra flavor.
- Throw in a scoop of Dijon mustard for a kick.
- Use white wine vinegar for a slightly different taste.
- Add both mayonnaise and parmesan cheese for a creamier texture, similar to this Olive Garden salad dressing.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or honey for added sweetness if you’re not a fan of tangy dressings as this will help balance the acidity.
What Else Can I Use Italian Dressing For?
- As a dressing: For kale quinoa salad, caprese salad, Greek salad, and as an alternative to balsamic dressing in this steak salad.
- To marinade: Perfect for grilled chicken and grilled steak kabobs.
- For a creamy topping: When you add the parmesan and mayo combo, it’s a delicious topping for Italian burgers, a dip for grilled veggies, and a drizzle on top of burger in a bowl.
Storage Tips
Add all of your ingredients to a cute little mason jar, shake, and store with a lid for up to 14 days. If you have added mayo or Parmesan, store dressing for up to 1 week.
Why Did My Dressing Firm Up?
Store bought dressings add emulsifiers to prevent this from happening so your homemade dressing may solidify when chilled. This is normal. Bring it to room temperature and shake vigorously to remix it before serving.
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Homemade Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar , or white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt , more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper , more to taste
Optional: 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice garlic powder, dried basil, salt, oregano, onion powder and pepper in a mason jar. Close the lid and shake until well combined. Taste and add sugar and parmesan cheese if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Store with a lid in the refrigerator. Shake just before serving. Enjoy over your favorite salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Condiments, Dairy-Free, Dressings, Gluten-Free, Italian, Low Carb, Nut-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole 30
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can you freeze this to make it last longer than 14 days? I would like to prep some so that I have some on hand without having to make it constantly.
Yes you can freeze it, but it will be a little more watery when thawed.
I made this today to put on orzo pasta salad. Great flavor with good ingredients! I won’t be buying premade Italian dressing again.
I’m with you Whitney! Homemade italian dressing is my favorite! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Have not tried yet, but I will
Looking forward to your review!
This recipe is DELICIOUS! I will have to keep this on hand at all times. Thank you for sharing. 😊
So glad you enjoyed it!
I think it is better without the optional sugar. No need to buy soybean oil store dressing ever again.
We love it and even use it on our Greek salad
Way better than store bought Italian salad dressing! Very vibrant, fresh and no preservatives!!!!
Made this dressing last night for a simple green salad to go with pizzas. I loved it!!! Zesty indeed! I think it’s my new favorite. Looking forward to more salad today. Thank you so much for the recipe. It tastes like a salad from my past that I can’t quite put my finger on.
Yay! I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Laura :) It’s one of our favorites too!
What does a ‘little’ Mason jar mean? What size – pint/half pint, quart? Recipe sounds great!
Hi Debbie – this recipe makes about 1 cup of dressing, which is enough to fill a 8 ounce mason jar.
Great recipe for Italian dressing! Will be using often!
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing!