Homemade Italian Dressing

Italian Dressing is a staple in most refrigerators, and now you don’t have to make a trip to the grocery store when you run out! This Homemade Italian Dressing recipe is so easy and so delicious. You’ll find excuses to include it in as many meals as possible. Ready in just 5-minutes this homemade salad dressing is made with my recipe for Italian Seasoning Blend mixed with a handful of basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator. 

Use this Italian vinaigrette to make a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or on simple green salads with cherry tomatoes. This dressing is also a great way to dress a cold pasta salad. 

For more easy homemade vegan salad dressing recipes, try this Maple Dijon Vinaigrette, Oil-Free Apple Cider Vinaigrette, or Vegan Ranch Dressing. 

For more Italian-Inspired vegan recipes, try this Easy Vegan Lasagna, Vegan Stuffed Shells with Spinach, or Homemade Italian Bread.

Why You’ll Love This Delicious Dressing

• Quick & Easy – You probably have all of the necessary ingredients in your fridge and pantry for this easy recipe. Never worry about forgetting to put dressing on your grocery list again, this recipe will make you want to ditch store-bought dressing for good!
• Amazing flavors – With all the classic flavors of store-bought Italian salad Dressing, this homemade dressing is bursting with fresh herbs and fresh garlic
• Customizable – You can increase or decrease herb quantity in this dressing to your liking. Or get creative and add a little heat with cayenne or red pepper flakes.

Ingredients

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A good quality extra-virgin olive oil is important for this recipe. If you don’t like olive oil, you can replace it with any neutral-tasting oil like avocado oil or canola oil.
• Red Wine Vinegar – If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can substitute balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. The tastes will be slightly different between the different vinegars, but still delicious!
• Dijon mustard – This helps round out the flavors as well as acting as a sort of preservative, allowing the dressing to keep longer in the fridge.
• Agave – A sweetener of some kind is needed to cut the harshness of the vinegar. Agave, maple syrup, or even honey (if you aren’t vegan) works for this recipe!
• Italian Herbs – I use my homemade Italian Herb Mix recipe, but you can use store-bought as well. This mix  of dried herbs usually includes parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme.
• Fresh garlic – Fresh garlic packs a powerful flavor. You can increase or decrease the amount to your liking. If you can’t find fresh garlic, sub for garlic powder. 
• Salt & black pepper – Just a touch of each helps the flavors to pop.
• Optional: Add finely diced red onion or onion powder for a stronger flavor closer to zesty Italian Dressing. 

How to Make Homemade Italian Dressing

​This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Add the Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper into a jar with an airtight lid.

I use a basic mason jar when I make this recipe so that I can mix and store the dressing in the same jar. If you don’t have an airtight container or are planning to use all of the dressing for a recipe and don’t need to store it, then you can mix the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

Add the Rest of the Ingredients

Add the oil, vinegar, mustard, agave, and minced garlic to the jar.

It is important to add the liquid ingredients on top of the dry ingredients so that everything will be more easily mixed and you aren’t left with clumps of herbs stuck together. 

Shake, shake, shake

Once all of the ingredients are in your jar of choice, place the lid on the jar and give it a good shake for 30-60 seconds.

If you are mixing in a bowl, you can mix vigorously with a whisk or fork instead.

That’s it! You can serve this dressing right away at room temperature, or if you prefer a colder dressing, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Make sure to shake the dressing before each use to evenly distribute the oils and herbs that may have settled.

Enjoy! 

How to Store

• Fridge: This dressing will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a shake before serving again to re-mix the ingredients.

More Tips

• Not Vegan? Add 1 tbsp finely shredded parmesan cheese. You can also use this dressing as a marinade for chicken or any other protein of choice.
• Gluten-free? This recipe is naturally gluten-free when made as-is! Just make sure the Dijon mustard you are using is certified gluten-free and you’re good to go.
• Want some spice? Add 1/2 tsp cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy twist.

FAQ