Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Enjoy homemade zesty Italian dressing on lettuce salads, pasta salads, sandwiches and more. Make your own in five minutes, with no artificial ingredients.

How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small bowl and whisk, or small jar with tight-fitting lid
Servings: makes about 7 oz.

Small glass bottle of homemade italian dressing on wooden cutting board surrounded by colorful vegetables.
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Copycat Italian Dressing

Don’t you just love the all-you-can-eat salads at Olive Garden? Especially with those warm breadsticks and yummy Zuppa Toscana!

I could easily make a meal with just salad and breadsticks. The salad is simple: lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, olives, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. Oh, I almost forgot the little pickled pepperoncini. 

Well, guess what? You can easily duplicate this salad at home with your own homemade Italian dressing! I even have a recipe for croutons that are the best, a hundred times better than store bought.

Why make your own dressing?

It’s healthier. You won’t find artificial ingredients in this dressing. No “natural flavors,” or maltodextrin, or xanthan gum. Just good-for-you olive oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings.

Homemade is fresher. You can whip it up in less than 5 minutes.

It’s economical. You probably have the ingredients you need right in your pantry. And you know what?

Homemade dressing tastes way better!

Overhead view of Italian dressing in a small glass bottle, surrounded by fresh vegetables on a wooden cutting board.

About this Easy Italian Vinaigrette

This Italian dressing is a basic vinaigrette: oil, vinegar, seasonings. You can whisk it together in a small bowl or shake it up in a jar. Make it ahead — it will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator.

Ingredient Notes

  • Extra virgin olive oil: I like to use a good quality olive oil because it tastes so good and is heart-healthy. Other mild tasting oils are fine, too, like canola or grapeseed oil.
  • White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. Both are great; white wine vinegar is a little less tangy. Sometimes I make this dressing with balsamic vinegar and that’s delicious, too.
  • Dried herbs: So easy, and they taste great. If you have fresh herbs, those are fantastic, too. For authentic Italian flavor, I like oregano, basil, and parsley.
  • Seasonings: Add garlic powder, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes, or more than a pinch, if you like zesty Italian dressing.

How To Use Italian Dressing

Green salad: Use your Italian dressing to create a copycat Olive Garden-style salad or make your own fresh green salad with your favorite toppings.

Pasta salad: If you’re looking for an easy recipe for pasta salad, simply mix up a batch of this Italian dressing and stir it into your favorite pasta and veggie mix. It’s simple! If you’d like recipes, try this Caprese pasta salad or tortellini pasta salad with pepperoni.

Sandwiches/wraps: Besides leafy green salads and pasta salads, Italian dressing is great on sandwiches and wraps.

Marinade: Use it to marinate chicken or shrimp. Marinate olives, tomatoes, veggies, or fresh mozzarella cheese for a delightful appetizer.

Small glass bottle of homemade italian dressing on wooden cutting board surrounded by colorful vegetables.

Easy Recipe Variations

  • Creamy Italian dressing: Try this recipe for creamy Italian dressing, made with Greek yogurt. If you prefer, use mayonnaise instead.
  • Make it cheesy: Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Use lemon juice: Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar, and add the zest of one lemon, for lemony Italian vinaigrette.
  • Make an Italian marinade: Reduce oil by one half. Add to chicken, pork, or beef in a zip top bag and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Use fresh herbs instead of dried, and double the amount called for. Dressing made with fresh herbs won’t keep quite as long.
Small glass bottle of homemade italian dressing on wooden cutting board surrounded by colorful vegetables.

Storage Tips

Store leftover dressing in a small jar in the fridge for up to one week. Remember, you can make a new batch in less than five minutes!

Small glass bottle of homemade italian dressing on wooden cutting board surrounded by colorful vegetables.

More Salad Dressings

Recipe

Homemade Italian Dressing

5 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Enjoy homemade zesty Italian dressing on lettuce salads, pasta salads, sandwiches and more. Make your own in five minutes, with no artificial ingredients. 
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Ingredients 

  • ½ cup olive oil (canola or grapeseed oil is fine, too)
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 2 teaspoons honey (or granulated sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes, more to taste (or omit)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, if desired (see step 2)

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in a small jar or bowl; shake or whisk until combined.
  • If dressing doesn’t emulsify, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, shake or whisk again. (Sometimes the oil and vinegar stubbornly stay separated.)
  • Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container or jar for up to a week. Shake well before using. If dressing solidifies slightly, allow to come to room temperature.

Notes

  • Creamy Italian dressing: Whisk in ¼ cup mayonnaise.
  • Cheesy Italian dressing: Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Lemony Italian vinaigrette: Substitute freshly squeezed lemon juice for the vinegar, and add the zest of one lemon.
  • Use fresh herbs instead of dried, and double the amount called for.
  • Marinade for meat: Make recipe as directed, reducing oil to ¼ cup.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Sodium: 399mg, Potassium: 22mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 8IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. Ray says:

    5 stars
    A nice balanced Italian dressing. Very good.

    I will make again and try the option with parmesan cheese.

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

  2. VICKIE TIMBERLAKE says:

    5 stars
    Served this in bowtie pasta, with cherry tomatoes, black olives, frozen thawed peas and grated parmesan cheese. It was delicious.

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Yum! That’s making me hungry. Glad you liked it!

  3. Dolores says:

    I was wondering if you have a homemade Honey French dressing recipe? Thanks

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      I have a catalina dressing which is very similar. Hope that helps!