5 Minute Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe
This easy homemade Italian dressing is made with simple ingredients and takes just 5 minutes to throw together. It tastes wayyyyyy better than store-bought and pairs perfectly with my simple Italian pasta salad recipe or your favorite antipasto pasta salad!
You Will Love This
- It tastes so much better than store-bought! You know I’m a huge fan of making my own salad dressings because it’s just so quick and easy! Homemade dressing *always* tastes better than store-bought and this recipe is no exception! Fresh ingredients blended together are always going to pack more flavor than a bottle of dressing that’s been sitting on the grocery store shelf for months. Plus, you know exactly what’s in this dressing so you can feel good about feeding it to your family.
- It is easier than you might think! Homemade dressing can sound like a daunting task but it’s actually super easy. Just add a handful of simple ingredients to a mason jar and shake it up. It’s literally that easy!
- If you loved this easy dressing recipe, be sure to check out my:
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive Oil – Organic, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil has the best flavor for this dressing. Feel free to substitute with grapeseed oil or avocado oil.
- Red Wine Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar – Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar give Italian dressing a subtle tang. You could sub lemon juice and transform this into a tangy lemon herb vinaigrette!
- Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese – For this recipe, it’s best to finely grate fresh Parmesan or even put it in the food processor so it easily combines with the other ingredients.
- Italian Seasoning – Italian seasoning is the base of the Italian flavors for this dressing. If you don’t have Italian seasoning add dried oregano, dried thyme, dried sage, dried rosemary and dried basil instead. You could also sub with fresh herbs like parsley.
- Dijon Mustard – Dijon has a tangy flavor that definitely gives this Italian dressing a delicious depth. It also helps to emulsify the dressing and make it smooth and creamy. You can substitute with whole grain mustard which will add more texture.
- Garlic Powder – Garlic powder works best in dressings like this one. You can sub with half a clove of freshly grated garlic if you prefer. Feel free to add a pinch of onion powder for a little extra flavor too!
Instructions
Add ingredients to a measuring cup.
Whisk ingredients together until emulsified, smooth, and creamy!
Pour over your favorite green salad or my quick and easy Italian Pasta Salad!
Tips
- You can use a food processor to combine the dressing ingredients or blend everything in a blender to give it a super smooth consistency. I love the texture that each of the ingredients adds but if you’re looking for a more cohesive dressing, try blending everything together!
- Adjust the oil and vinegar levels to suit your taste! I prefer my homemade salad dressing to have a bit more tang so I’ll usually add an extra tablespoon of vinegar. If you prefer it a bit more mild add another glug of olive oil. You can also switch up the dried herbs and try fresh herbs instead. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick. Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own!
- If you want to make this dressing dairy-free, just skip the Parmesan or use a vegan Parmesan cheese.
- This dressing doubles as a delicious marinade for chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables as well! Just use it in place of store-bought Italian dressing in any recipe and transform your favorite protein into a tasty dinner your family will love!
FAQ
While oil and vinegar are the main ingredients of Italian dressing, oil and vinegar (which is a common sandwich condiment) typically just consists of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Some restaurants add herbs to their oil and vinegar mixture but most do not. Italian dressing adds more ingredients to the oil and vinegar including Dijon mustard, dried herbs, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese.
This super easy 5-minute homemade Italian dressing recipe is made with a mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, Italian herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
Oil and vinegar do not mix together easily which is where the emulsifier comes in! Mustard, mayonnaise and egg yolk are examples of ingredients that help to emulsify dressing. When they are vigorously mixed with oil and vinegar, they help to bind the ingredients together. You’ll know the dressing is emulsified when it becomes a bit cloudy and the ingredients are well combined together forming a smooth consistency.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make-Ahead: This homemade Italian dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks! I recommend seasoning to taste with salt and pepper before serving if it’s been in the fridge for a few days. Also remember, that the dressing will separate as it sits, so be sure to whisk or shake the ingredients together before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover Italian dressing in a wide-mouth mason jar or another airtight container in the refrigerator.
Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
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Italian Dressing Recipe
This easy homemade Italian dressing is made with simple ingredients and takes just 5 minutes to throw together. It tastes wayyyyyy better than store-bought and pairs perfectly with my simple Italian pasta salad recipe or your favorite antipasto pasta salad!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a large mason jar or measuring cup.
- Whisk or shake vigorously until all ingredients are well mixed and the dressing has emulsified.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite salad or my Easy Italian Pasta Salad.
Notes
- You can use a food processor to combine the dressing ingredients or blend everything in a blender to give it a super smooth consistency. I love the texture that each of the ingredients adds but if you’re looking for a more cohesive dressing, try blending everything together!
- Adjust the oil and vinegar levels to suit your taste! I prefer my homemade salad dressing to have a bit more tang so I’ll usually add an extra tablespoon of vinegar. If you prefer it a bit more mild add another glug of olive oil. You can also switch up the dried herbs and try fresh herbs instead. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick. Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own!
- If you want to make this dressing dairy-free, just skip the Parmesan or use a vegan Parmesan cheese.
- This dressing doubles as a delicious marinade for chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables as well! Just use it in place of store-bought Italian dressing in any recipe and transform your favorite protein into a tasty dinner your family will love!
How long does this salad dressing last and do I need to store it in the fridge?
Hi Jeanette! Feel free to check out the section of the post titled “Make-Ahead and Storage” which covers both of these topics. This dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I highly recommend reading the entire post so you can gather all my tips, tricks, and recommendations for making this dressing perfectly every single time. Hope that helps!