The BEST Italian Dressing (Easy + Homemade)
Homemade Italian Dressing is zesty, delicious on green salads or pasta salads, and excellent as a marinade…plus it's all-natural and easy to make! This is the only Italian dressing recipe you need!
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If you enjoy vinaigrette-type salad dressings, you'll also love Balsamic Vinaigrette, Greek Salad Dressing, and Champagne Vinaigrette!
Have you jumped on the make-your-own-salad-dressing bandwagon yet? Because if you haven't, there's no time like the present. And this Italian Dressing recipe needs to be at the top of your list!
Why Make Your Own Dressing?
Fresh, homemade Italian Dressing is so much tastier than store-bought.
It's also way less expensive.
And best of all, it's free of any icky ingredients or additives!
I have always loved Italian Dressing, both for its flavor and its versatility. Not only is it tasty on green salads, but it's also delicious on sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, or stirred into pasta salad. It's fabulous as marinade for chicken, pork, or beef.
And while I've enjoyed some yummy bottled Italian salad dressings over the years, nothing compares to making it yourself from scratch!
When I was growing up, my mom always bought the Italian Dressing seasoning packets that came with that special glass cruet marked with lines to indicate how much oil, how much water, and how much vinegar to add along with the seasonings. As a child, it was actually always my job to "make the dressing." So I'd do my measuring and then...shake, shake, shake! Salad was served.
But would you believe that making your own Italian Dressing recipe is just about as effortless?! Sure, there are a few additional ingredients involved beyond a packet of dry seasonings. But it still only takes a matter of minutes to whip up a fresh batch!
Ingredients
So what does it take to make homemade Italian Dressing? Well, I bet you already have the ingredients in your pantry!
- Extra-virgin olive oil. My preferred type of oil for most homemade salad dressings, but particularly when making Italian Dressing. The only caveat is that EVOO will thicken when chilled. So after you refrigerate any leftover dressing, you'll need to let it come to room temperature and give it a good shake to re-combine/re-emulsify before serving. Alternatively, you may use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil instead (such as sunflower, safflower, or avocado oil), if that's your preference.
- Wine vinegar. Here's the thing...you can make this Italian Dressing recipe with either white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar! I honestly can't decide which one I prefer. Both of them yield a delightful dressing, but the results do taste slightly different. Dressing made with white wine vinegar seems slightly more acidic to me and the flavor is probably more akin to store-bought dressing, whereas I feel like red wine vinegar adds an extra undertone of flavor. I love them both and, as a result, I typically alternate which one I use...or I often make a batch of Italian salad dressing using half white wine vinegar and half red wine vinegar!
- Water. Believe it or not, a little water helps mellow out the zippy flavors in a vinaigrette.
- Honey. To balance the acidity of this Italian Dressing, not to add sweetness.
- Lemon juice. For a punch of brightness! If you have fresh lemon juice, that's always best, but a good bottled brand (with lemon juice as the only ingredient) will work as well.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated. You can opt to omit this ingredient, but I really feel like its addition lends a delicious richness to the dressing.
- Garlic salt. For seasoning, and for a hint of garlic that's not too overpowering. If you'd like to incorporate the zing of fresh garlic instead, substitute ½ teaspoon sea salt plus one small clove of garlic, either pressed or grated.
- Dried herbs. Specifically, parsley, basil, and oregano. If you want to substitute fresh herbs, you'll need to multiply the amount X 3 (since fresh herbs are 3 X less potent than dried).
- Crushed red pepper flakes. Just a pinch, although you're free to increase the amount for some heat.
- Freshly ground black pepper. To taste.
As a bonus, you can customize this recipe to your own tastes, tweaking any of the ingredients as you see fit.
Just remember that the quality and freshness of your ingredients will affect the ultimate flavor of your dressing! Rancid oil or old, weak vinegar won't allow this Italian Dressing to live up to its potential.
How to Make Italian Dressing
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
You can make your very own batch of homemade Italian salad dressing in a matter of minutes!
- Measure the oil, vinegar, water, honey, and lemon juice into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add the grated Parmesan and the dried herbs and spices.
- Screw the lid onto the jar and shake, shake, shake!
And now you're ready to drizzle this Italian Dressing over your favorite green salad, splash it over garden-fresh veggies, stir it into a zesty pasta salad, or use it as a marinade!
Alternative Methods
I've typically always found it easiest to shake up my homemade vinaigrette-type dressings in a jar, as directed in this Italian Dressing recipe.
However, if you wish, there are other ways you can make this recipe.
Either vigorously whisk your Italian Dressing in a bowl...
...or blend it up in a mini food processor or blender!
Either way, the goal is to make sure the dressing is well-combined and emulsified.
Storage + Leftovers
Because of the lemon juice and the Parmesan, you'll need to store any leftover Italian Dressing in the refrigerator. And after shaking it up in a jar, all you have to do is screw on the lid!
Just be warned that, depending on what type of oil you used, it's likely your Italian Dressing will thicken when chilled. Some oils will even solidify!
So before you're ready to enjoy your salad dressing leftovers, you'll need to let them come to room temperature first and the vigorously shake before serving.
The easiest method for getting it to room temp is to set the jar on the counter about 30 minutes before you need it.
However, if you don't think to do this ahead of time, you can quickly bring your homemade Italian Dressing to room temperature by setting the jar in a bowl of very warm water for a few minutes.
Spring is just about here, so it's time to bid adieu to soup season and bring on the salads! And I really believe that once you try this homemade Italian Dressing, you won't be going back to store-bought!
It's better than what you can get at Olive Garden, yet it's made with real, straightforward ingredients.
Who can argue with that? 🙂
More Homemade Salad Dressings
- Creamy Italian Dressing
- The BEST Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Lightened-Up Honey Mustard Dressing
- Homemade French & Catalina Salad Dressings
- Asian Salad Dressing (Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette)
- Thousand Island Dressing
The BEST Italian Dressing (Easy + Homemade)
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil OR neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower, safflower, or avocado oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar OR red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well-blended and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
Equipment Needed
- Mini Food Processor I use this one!
Notes
-
- FRESH INGREDIENTS: The quality and freshness of your ingredients will affect the flavor of your dressing, so use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best tasting dressing.
- OIL: Use your favorite type of neutral-flavored oil, but keep in mind that some oils (such as olive oil) will thicken/solidify in the fridge.
- VINEGAR: I actually prefer making this Italian Dressing recipe with half white wine vinegar and half red wine vinegar (so 2 T. of each).
- HONEY: The honey mellows out the acidity of the dressing, but you may add more or less, to taste.
- LEMON JUICE: Bottled lemon juice will work if you don't have fresh, but try to use one where "lemon juice" is the only ingredient.
- GARLIC: If you'd like to incorporate fresh garlic for more zing, substitute ½ teaspoon sea salt plus one small clove of garlic, either pressed or grated, for the garlic salt.
- HERBS: If you'd like to substitute any/all of the dried herbs with fresh, you'll need to multiply the amount X 3 (since fresh herbs are 3 X less potent than dried).
- ALTERNATIVE METHODS: Instead of shaking this recipe in a jar, you may whisk ingredients together in a bowl OR process ingredients in a mini food processor/blend them in a blender instead.
- LEFTOVERS: Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature and shake well before using, particularly if your oil has thickened. If you need to bring your dressing to room temperature quickly, rest the dressing jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and then shake.
Nutrition
Post originally published on March 19, 2015, and updated on July 31, 2021, and March 12, 2025.
Excellent Italian dressing - went very well with Lasagne
I made this recipe exactly as it is printed! It was not good! very bland! If I were to make it again I would add garlic and Dijon Mustard and rice wine vinegar.
This has no flavor. Tasted like oil and vinegar. Quite the let down
I've made this twice. I did use red and white vinegar and a lot less oil, just because of my preference. Really good.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey as the sweetener? Thank you
Sure! It's just a small amount to balance the acidity of the dressing, so the maple flavor shouldn't be noticeable. 🙂
I like the refreshing quality of this, but I will omit the vinegar and just use lemon juice from now on. And maybe add some dijon. It was not the flavor I was expecting.
I've made this dressing for years now. Thanks so much for sharing it!
I followed this recipe to a T, flavor was lacking for me a bit. I think next time I’ll double the seasonings.
Hi Samantha,
Would you mind giving me suggestions for the brands of red and white wine vinegar you use? It seems these 2 can make a difference in the taste and I would like to have it taste like yours. Thanks for sharing your recipes. They are wonderful. I use the ranch all the time!
Hi Jilly! The brands of red and white wine vinegar that I typically buy and use are either Napa Valley Naturals or the in-store organic brands from Whole Foods (365) or HEB (Central Market). Hope that helps, and so glad you enjoy my recipes! 🙂
An absolutely delicious salad dressing. Will definitely be making this one often. Thanks so much!
Followed the recipe exactly and WOW! This is the first time I’ve made my own dressing and I will do so from now on. I always hated how most dressings only use a mixture of olive oil and then some crappy oil…now I can control my ingredients. I shook mine in a mason jar but will try the food processor next time per one of the reviews. Thank you for sharing this!!! 💕
This was by far the most delicious dressing I have ever made!! 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!!! I have made this several times now, it goes pretty quickly in my house. First time I made this was for my pasta salad and I didn't have any Italian dressing. Not wanting to drive to the store just for salad dressing, I decided to look up how to make my own and came across this recipe. So glad I did. I will no longer buy store bought Italian dressing. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
This dressing is incredibly delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Very yummy!! This will be my regular salad dressing
great dressing, to have again
Trying to avoid the soybean/canola oil industrial complex and the ONLY way to do that is to make your own. Not trying to emulate Olive Garden at all, as I feel that Italian food ideally should be a local thang, not served up by some soul-less bottom line corporation (probably using soybean/canola oil to maximize their bottom line). But I digress with my pet peeves! This is a good basic recipe, trying different vinegars, this time balsamic for its strong flavor. I have also made this with avocado oil because I ran out of EVOO, it's good made with that as well.
absolutely the best homemade Italian dressing! It is a must try!!
Made this recipe to the letter! YEP!! Perfection WOW there was a party in my mouth! Used it as a chicken marinade! It really is better than any other Italian dressing recipe I have tried before. And YES make sure to blend it, it seems to bring out the flavor of the herbs much better than simply mixing it! Here in the Philippines? A bottle of Wishbone Zesty Italian Dressing is a whopping $9.50-10 for a 16oz bottle!!! This cost me right under $3.50 doubling the recipe. And it taste much better!
This dressing was really delicious and it went well with my Italian salad with roasted red bell peppers, olives and cannellini beans. Definitely my go-to Italian dressing from now on.
I’ve tried so many Italian dressing recipes only to be disappointed. They’re either too sweet or too tart. I’ve been making this for several months now and never get tired of it. I make up a batch every week so it’s ready to go. Sometimes I add the Parmesan and sometimes I don’t. It’s delicious either way. A little goes a long way even without the water, which is how I make it.
Very good...Followed the recipe except when I mixed it with the oil and vinegar, I used honey to mellow out the vinegar instead of sugar
It calls for honey in the recipe