Easy Homemade Italian Dressing

A good homemade Italian dressing makes salads, pasta salads, and simple vegetables taste better in minutes. This easy Italian vinaigrette is bright, tangy, and full of flavor, made with simple pantry ingredients and no seasoning packets.

As a kid, my job before dinner was making the Italian dressing. I'd grab a Good Seasons packet, add oil and vinegar to the lines on the cruet, pour in the dry seasoning mix, and give it a good shake. It was my favorite dressing then, which is why I'm excited to share this homemade version with you now. Think of it as the old favorite made new, fresher, and healthier.

Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe Snapshot

• Easy recipe - Add everything to a jar and shake.
• Clean dressing - No preservatives, additives, or poor-quality oils; you control the ingredients.
• Simple pantry ingredients - Made with staples you probably already have..

Ingredients You'll Need

• Oil - Extra-virgin olive oil gives this dressing the best flavor. Avocado oil works too, but has a milder taste.
• Vinegar - Adds brightness and tang. Use champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
• Parmesan cheese - Adds savory, salty, umami flavor. Use good Parmigiano-Reggiano if possible.
• Mustard - Creamy Dijon mustard helps emulsify the dressing and adds subtle tang.
• Dried herbs - Italian seasoning blend works well, or use dried basil and oregano. Most blends include herbs such as thyme, marjoram, basil, oregano, sage, and rosemary.
• Garlic and onion powder - Add savory depth and classic Italian dressing flavor.
• A touch of sweetness - A small amount balances the vinegar. Use sugar, honey, maple syrup, monk fruit blend, keto simple syrup, or agave.st enough.

Please see the recipe card for all measurements and salt.

Substitutions and Variations

• Mustard - Swap in a little whole grain Dijon for extra texture and flavor.
• Flavored oil - Try a extra virgin lemon olive oil or a basil extra virgin olive oil.
• Fresh garlic - Use finely grated fresh garlic instead of garlic powder for a sharper garlic flavor.
• Zesty Italian dressing - Add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes.
• Low sodium - Skip the salt or use just a pinch, and go light on the Parmesan.
• Dairy-free or vegan - Skip the Parmesan and add a little nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, or vegan parm substitute.
• Too tangy - Balance the dressing with a small amount of agave, sugar, monk fruit, honey, or maple syrup.

Chef's Note: Many bottled dressings are made with inexpensive highly refined oils such as soybean, canola, or generic "vegetable oil," along with preservatives, sweeteners, gums, and flavorings. When you make dressing at home, you choose the oil, vinegar, herbs, and seasonings-and the flavor is fresher, brighter, and cleaner. I use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil is good too, just more of a neutral flavor.

How to Make Homemade Italian Dressing

Make the dressing about 30 minutes ahead of time for the best flavor. This allows the dried herbs to rehydrate and release their flavor.

Place all ingredients into a jar or bottle with a tight lid and shake well. For larger batches, use a blender.

Serving Suggestions

Use homemade Italian dressing for green salads, cold pasta salads, and more. It also works beautifully as a quick marinade for chicken breasts or shrimp before grilling. Try it tossed with cooked green beans, spooned over grilled vegetables, or drizzled onto simple grain bowls. It's a multipurpose dressing worth keeping in your recipe arsenal.

Storage

Store extra Italian dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

I have many delicious salad dressing and vinaigrettes recipe on this site. Some are separate and some are within salad recipes. Check out the salad category and you'll find strawberry vinaigrette, orange vinaigrette, and more.

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