Easy Homemade Italian Dressing

This bright and zesty homemade Italian dressing uses simple ingredients and ready in just minutes. Perfect for salads, sandwiches, or as a dipping oil for warm crusty bread!

Easy Homemade Salad Dressing

Italian Dressing may be easy to buy in a bottle or mix from a packet, but it can’t compare to this version.

Honestly, reading the list of ingredients in the store-bought dressing makes me cringe, and it’s just as easy to make homemade dressing.

In minutes, and with a few pantry staples, you will have a delicious dressing, that doubles as a marinade, and lasts a few weeks in the fridge. Try my Greek Vinaigrette too!

Not Just For Salads

Homemade Italian Dressing is wonderful on green salads. By salads, I don’t just mean a few leaves of romaine or iceberg on a plate.

My Italian Chopped Salad comes to mind. Think bean salads or a tortellini pasta salad.

Don’t forget it makes a great marinade for chicken, pork chops, beef, and lamb. (think kebabs!)

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

• Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil for best flavor. It is lighter and perfect for dressings.
• Vinegar – I used regular white vinegar but you can use red wine vinegar. Or sub your preferred vinegar!
• Mustard – Dijon mustard is my favorite because it has a more subtle flavor. Substitute yellow or whole grain.
• Honey – You can also substitute maple syrup or agave.
• Lemon – I prefer to use fresh lemon juice because the flavor is brighter.

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How to Make Italian Dressing from Scratch

First: Combine minced garlic, mustard, seasonings, vinegar, and honey in a bowl or dressing container. Whisk or shake to combine.

Second: Add the olive oil to the mixture. Shake in a mason jar with a tight lid or whisk to combine.

Third: Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!

The old saying is “oil and water” don’t mix. Truth be told, oil and vinegar don’t really mix either. However, shaken well enough, and with the seasonings to help, vinegar and oil will blend together well enough.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long does it last?

Since half the ingredients act as natural preservatives, you will be amazed how long it keeps in the fridge.

Store any leftover dressing in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks! But it will get eaten long before that!

Best Olive Oil for Dressings

The best oil for Italian dressing is definitely extra virgin olive oil. No one is going to report you to the salad dressing police if you go with something else like avocado oil, but olive oil really is the best. Especially the good stuff. 

Many commercial olive oils are not actually 100% olive oil, they are mix of oils. So it is important to look for truly 100% olive oil. 

Most importantly, you want it to be extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil retains the most flavor and the highest level of healthy fatty acids. So it is the best type of olive oil for Italian dressing by far.

Best Vinegar for Italian Dressing

The choice of vinegar used can change the flavor profile so this is where you can get more creative.

For a lighter dressing I like to use white wine vinegar. If I am serving a hearty salad with strong flavors like blue cheese, I prefer a red wine or balsamic vinegar.

I like to use this recipe for a bunch of other dishes so I use a white wine vinegar to keep it simple.

Tips for No Leftovers

• Use the best quality olive oil for the best flavor.
• For vinegars, use white, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar.
• ​Adding finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese makes a huge difference.
• ​Spices – Make your own blend of Italian herbs so you have it handy. You can add a little bit of red pepper flakes too if you want it to be a bit more zesty.
• ​The flavor gets better with age. The herbs and spices get more intense the longer they sit.
• ​The dressing keeps for weeks as long as you keep it in the fridge. Use a container with a tight fitting lid. If it separates then don’t worry because it hasn’t gone bad. Just give a good shake and you are back in business.
• Extra Virgin is the best! If you don’t have any you can use vegetable oil.
• Start light when adding the dressing. You don’t want to drown or overpower the flavors and textures of the salad. Serve it on the side so everyone can add the amount they prefer.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

Enjoy this quick and easy, bright and tangy homemade Italian dressing on a variety of dishes and it’s better than store bought!

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