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Sunday, February 1, 2026

Do-it-yourself Italian Dressing


Make restaurant-quality Italian dressing at house with this easy recipe! This zesty dressing is filled with taste and ideal for salads, pasta salads, and extra.

Italian Dressing in bowl with spoon, salad, and Parmesan cheese.

Considered one of my favourite salad dressing recipes of all time is that this this one: my do-it-yourself Italian dressing! Sure, this zingy Italian American French dressing is simple to search out on the retailer. However as a recipe developer who’s created actually hundreds of recipes in my profession, I’ve discovered the important thing to a fantastic salad is a do-it-yourself salad dressing.

I first developed this zesty Italian dressing for my fashionable chopped salad, and it’s turn out to be my high simple French dressing for salad recipes of all types. The flavour is zesty and vivid, stuffed with garlic, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. I do know you’ll find it irresistible as a lot as I do!

5 Star Reader Critiques

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Wow! This Italian dressing is fabulous and will probably be my new go-to dressing for greens and pasta salads. Sure…do comply with the directions for an ideal dressing. Thanks!” -Twinkle

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “That is the perfect dressing I’ve ever made. By no means earlier than have I had so many optimistic feedback or been requested for a dressing recipe!” -Maggie

Why You’ll Love This Dressing

This Italian dressing recipe all began with my well-known chopped salad, which is at all times successful with family and friends. Each time I serve it, folks ask me for the recipe! Right here’s what I really like about this recipe:

  • It’s scrumptious. Readers have left feedback like “IMO, This IS the perfect Italian dressing!” and “Wow this was so good! I made it for a Italian impressed combined inexperienced salad that I made for friends and everybody beloved it. I’ll undoubtedly be making it once more!”
  • It’s easy to whip up in 5 minutes. You want just a few substances, a bowl and a whisk.
  • It’s versatile. You should utilize it on many various salads: and at the same time as a marinade!
Italian Dressing recipe in bowl with spoon

Components You’ll Want

It won’t come as a shock that this salad dressing is definitely Italian American, not authentically Italian! It’s a French dressing sort dressing that’s utilized in American and Canadian delicacies.

In Italy, salads are dressed with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt on the desk. Italian dressing is an American creation that approximates the flavors and herbs in Italian meals, like olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano and thyme. The substances you’ll want are:

  • White wine vinegar: This pantry ingredient brings within the tangy taste (useful so that you don’t have to purchase a contemporary lemon). Ensure to make use of white wine vinegar, not white vinegar, which has a really sturdy, acidic taste.
  • Dijon mustard: Mustard provides tangy, savory taste and helps to make the proper emulsion.
  • Maple syrup or sugar: Including a touch of sugar balances the acidity on this dressing. Maple syrup provides sweetness and never a robust maple taste, so it’s my choice right here.
  • Garlic: All the things is healthier with just a little contemporary garlic, and it carries the flavour of this dressing.
  • Dried oregano, thyme, and basil: The mixture of those herbs make the proper taste. We’ve experimented with Italian seasoning, however this mix tastes higher.
  • Olive oil: This heart-healthy oil is the binder on this dressing, making it cling to salad greens and greens.

Ideas for The Excellent Italian Dressing

This do-it-yourself Italian dressing recipe is extremely easy. To make an emulsion for this do-it-yourself Italian salad dressing recipe, merely whisk it by hand. Listed below are just a few suggestions:

  • Use a medium-sized bowl. To get the oil and vinegar to include right into a creamy emulsion, use a medium-sized bowl to permit for sufficient motion of the whisk. (Belief us, we’ve tried it in small bowls earlier than and it’s laborious to get it to mix correctly.)
  • Add the olive oil little by little. Add it tablespoon by tablespoon and whisk in between every till the oil totally incorporates.
  • Use Dijon mustard. The mustard helps to type and lock within the emulsion. We’ve used this system with success in different salad dressing recipes like my Simple French dressing and Balsamic French dressing.
How to make Italian dressing: whisk in bowl.

Methods To Serve It

This do-it-yourself Italian dressing recipe is ideal on any sort of salad that you just throw collectively! We’ve made it for years and have numerous readers who use it as a go-to salad dressing. It really works effectively on many sorts of salad recipes, like a chopped salad, kale salad, or any inexperienced salad with flavors that may go along with an Italian-style French dressing. Listed below are just a few concepts of use it:

Grilled Chicken Salad with Italian dressing.

Storing Leftovers

This do-it-yourself Italian dressing lasts as much as 2 weeks refrigerated. The olive oil does solidify when chilly, so enable to face at room temperature for a couple of minutes earlier than serving.

Dietary Notes

This do-it-yourself Italian dressing recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

Often requested questions

What’s the distinction between Italian dressing and French dressing?

Italian dressing is a French dressing model dressing (primarily based on oil and vinegar) that makes use of herbs and spices like oregano, basil, and garlic.

What can I take advantage of Italian dressing for apart from salads?

Italian dressing is a flexible condiment! Listed below are some concepts:
Marinade: Marinate hen, fish, or tofu in Italian dressing for added taste earlier than grilling, baking, or pan-frying.
Sandwich unfold: Add a contact of Italian dressing to your sandwich bread for a bit of additional moisture and taste.
Pasta salad: Toss cooked pasta with Italian dressing, chopped greens, and cheese for a fast and straightforward pasta salad.

How lengthy does do-it-yourself Italian dressing final?

Retailer do-it-yourself Italian dressing in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.

What are some enjoyable variations on basic Italian dressing?

Get inventive! Listed below are some concepts:
Spicy Italian: Add a pinch of purple pepper flakes for a kick.
Lemon Herb Italian: Substitute lemon juice for a few of the vinegar and add contemporary dill or parsley.
Greek-inspired Italian: Incorporate crumbled feta cheese and a drizzle of purple wine vinegar.

Print

Italian Dressing Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 20 opinions

This zesty do-it-yourself Italian dressing recipe is filled with taste and straightforward to make at house! This one will turn out to be a go-to on first style.

Components

  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated (about ¼ teaspoon) or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon every dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Grate within the garlic clove, then whisk along with the oregano, thyme, basil, and kosher salt.
  2. Step by step whisk within the olive oil, including 1 tablespoon at a time and whisking till it incorporates, till an emulsion types. Serve instantly. Retailer refrigerated and convey to room temperature earlier than serving (retains no less than 2 weeks).

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