Forget the bottled Italian Salad Dressing! This Zesty Italian Dressing is insanely flavorful and incredibly easy to whip up with ingredients you likely have on hand. It’s perfect for salads, pasta salads, and even a quick marinade.
Why Homemade Italian Dressing?
Italian dressing has been a staple in my house for decades. From dressing salads to marinating veggies and meat to adding to a simple pasta salad, I turn to Italian dressing to add vibrant, fresh flavor to endless dishes.
But instead of using store-bought dressing, I prefer to make Italian dressing from scratch, just as I do balsamic vinaigrette, ranch dressing, and Caesar dressing.
Not only does homemade Italian dressing taste so much better than anything you’d find at the store, but it’s also budget-friendly, made without any questionable ingredients, and takes only minutes to make!
With just the right combination of dried herbs, fresh lemon juice, and crushed red pepper flakes this recipe for Italian dressing is tangy, bright, and perfectly zesty.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Italian Dressing Ingredients
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- Olive Oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil for its robust flavor from the fruity olives. If you are looking for a more subtle flavor, avocado oil makes a suitable replacement.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Look for a brand (like Pompeian) made without added sugar or preservatives for the best flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds a fresh, zesty finish to the Italian dressing and makes this recipe stand out above others.
- Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt are preferred over iodized salt (table salt), as they enhance flavor than making the dressing taste salty.
- Dried Herbs: Italian seasoning is an obvious addition, but to add additional depth of flavor and zest I like to add garlic powder and black pepper to my Italian dressing.
- Honey: A touch of sweetness balances out the acidity, while enhancing the flavor. I prefer honey over granulated sugar, as it combines easier with the other components of the dressing, while sugar may not fully dissolve. Feel free to use maple syrup to keep this recipe vegan-friendly.
Extra Zesty Italian Dressing
Add even more zest and a bit of kick to your Italian Dressing by adding up to 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix.
How to Make Italian Salad Dressing
Italian dressing is as easy as measure, whisk or shake, and serve. Insanely easy and so incredibly delicious.
Storage Instructions
Once prepared, store Italian dressing in an airtight container (like a glass jar), for up to 2 weeks. Keep in mind that as the dressing chills, the oils may solidify and that is okay! Simply let the dressing come to room temperature or place the jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Then shake, shake, shake, (or whisk, whisk, whisk) and serve.
Creative Ways to Use Italian Dressing
While Italian dressing is an obvious choice for dressing salads, don’t limit it to salads alone. Italian dressing adds incredible flavor to so many dishes!
- For Pasta Salad. Italian dressing is a star in classic pasta salads but also a great option for dressing Antipasto pasta salad or Caprese pasta salad.
- An Allergy-Friendly Swap. Use this Italian dressing in place of creamy Italian dressing to make a delicious (and dairy-free/egg-free) version of Olive Garden’s salad.
- To Dress Unexpected Salads. Think outside a tossed green salad. Italian dressing is perfect for adding flavor to Italian potato salad, Texas caviar, and Quinoa Spinach Salad.
- To Marinate Veggies. Perfect to drizzle over sliced tomatoes or cucumbers in the summer or to use to marinate vegetables to make vegetable kabobs.
- To Marinate Meat. Italian dressing add incredible flavor to beef or chicken. For every 1 pound of meat, use 1 recipe of homemade italian dressing. Let the meat sit in the dressing for 4-12 hours. Remove from the marinade, discard, and cook as desired.
- As a Sandwich Condiment. I always dressing sub sandwiches (and Italian beef sandwiches) with a bit of Italian dressing–it is like the red wine vinegar olive oil combo at chain sub stores but with more flavor.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
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In a small bowl, glass measuring cup, or jar that can be fitted with a lid, add all ingredients. Vigorously whisk or shake to combine and emulsify the dressing.
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Use immediately or store in an airtight container (like a glass jar fitted with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Shake well before use.
Honey: Feel free to use maple syrup to keep this recipe vegan-friendly.
Red Wine Vinegar: Look for a brand (like Pompeian) made without added sugar or preservatives for the best flavor.
Oil Solidified? This is normal after refrigeration. Let the dressing come to room temperature or place the jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and then shake well before using.
Calories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.04gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 74mgPotassium: 5mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
