Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: If you love creamy Italian dressing, try making your own healthier version! Zesty and flavorful, it’s perfect on a garden salad topped with Parmesan cheese.
How long it takes: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes to chill (optional)
Equipment you’ll need: small bowl and whisk or small jar with tight-fitting lid
Servings: makes 8 oz.
Many of you love my Italian dressing, an easy to make vinaigrette, but some of you are asking if I have a recipe for a creamy Italian dressing, so here it is!
Creamy Italian dressing
Not just for salads.This Italian dressing has loads of flavor and really is perfect for a simple green salad, especially with tomatoes and pickled red onions. I love topping it with shaved Parmesan and homemade croutons. It’s a delicious dressing for pasta salads, too. Try creamy Italian dressing on a sandwich. Pile your favorite cold cuts, cheese, and veggies on a sub bun or between slices of bread and top it with creamy Italian dressing.
No mayo. Many creamy dressings use mayonnaise to achieve their creamy status. While I’m not against mayonnaise in any way, I like to keep things a bit more healthy by using Greek yogurt in place of the mayo. The dressing is nice and creamy without as many calories (and it’s egg-free!)
So easy to make. There’s no chopping or mincing. Just grab dried herbs from your pantry. How easy is that! You can throw it together in about ten minutes. And I’m sure you’ll agree that homemade is so much fresher tasting than store-bought dressing.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil – You could also use grapeseed or canola oil but I like a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Plain Greek Yogurt – Any type is fine: nonfat, lowfat, or regular, as long as it is plain/unflavored. This replaces the mayonnaise found in most creamy Italian dressing. However, if you prefer, feel free to use mayonnaise instead of the yogurt.
- White Wine Vinegar – White balsamic would work too but don’t use plain white vinegar because it’s too acidic.
- Honey or Sugar – Just a touch, to balance the tangy yogurt.
- Lots of Flavorful Seasonings – Garlic powder, dried basil, oregano, and parsley, and kosher salt. All stuff you probably have in your pantry!
- Like it zesty? Add a pinch (or more!) of red pepper flakes.
How to make Creamy Italian Dressing
Find a small bowl or a nice little jar (about 12 oz.). I like to use recycled jars that have a tight fitting lid. Mason jars are great, too.
Measure out all the ingredients and add them to your container. Cover the jar and shake it until the ingredients are blended. If you’re using a bowl, a small whisk will do the trick.
Recipe Tip
We found that the dressing tastes a little bit better if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or so. The dried herbs sort of come into their own, hydrating until they are full flavored. That’s just enough time to make your salad, right? Make the dressing first, put it in the fridge, prepare the salad, and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan. Simply use a vegan mayo product to replace the yogurt in this recipe.
- Experiment with the dried herbs. This is a classic Italian dressing but there are plenty of ways to change it. Make it more “zesty” by adding additional red pepper flakes.
- Use fresh herbs. Fresh herbs add tons of great flavor but keep in mind that your dressing will only keep a day or two.
- Make it cheesy. Add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the dressing for even more flavor.
Make Ahead Ideas
Since this dressing will keep in the fridge for up to a week, you can make it whenever you have five minutes or so and it will be ready when you are.
Storage Suggestions
Simply store the dressing in the fridge in the same jar you mixed it up in. It will keep for up to a week (depending on when your yogurt expires). Shake it well before serving.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
Creamy Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise)
- ¼ cup oil (olive, canola, or grapeseed oil)
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey or granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small jar or bowl; shake or whisk until combined. If desired, refrigerate for 30 minutes to hydrate dried herbs.
- Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container or jar for up to a week. Shake well before using.
Notes
- Double the recipe. Since this recipe can be stored for a week, make a double batch (2X) if you’re serving a lot of salads.
- Make it cheesy. Add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan to the dressing, if you like.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
NICE RECIPE!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING..
You’re so welcome!
Awesome! Why can it be stored for only a week? Some can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a month.
Hi Ann – Because of the yogurt in the dressing, we tend to make an estimate on the conservative side. If your yogurt is super fresh, it could probably be stored longer.
Awesome! Why can it be stored for only a week?
Because of the yogurt in the dressing, we tend to err on the conservative side. If your yogurt is new/fresh, you could likely store it longer.
Awesome recipe thanx for sharing this post …
You’re very welcome!
Great recipe. One thing though. I’ve always wondered why professional cooks recommend canola oil. It is almost always GMO and has no nutritional value or benefits.
I personally love to use grapeseed or olive oil in my dressings, but I know that not all people have a kitchen stocked with these more expensive ingredients, so I like to suggest alternatives that may also work. You’ll see all three options mentioned in the ingredient list, with no preference to one over the other. In the more in depth description of the ingredients, you’ll find I wrote, “Olive Oil – You could also use grapeseed or canola oil but I like a good quality extra virgin olive oil.”
AWESOME RECIPE!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING….
Glad you liked it!