This Italian style salad dressing provides the finishing touch to so many feel-good meals. Light and bright with herbs and a twist of lemon, my Italian dressing recipe is fuss-free and fabulous.
Italian dressing
Italian dressing is a more complex variation on the classic vinaigrette salad dressing, with herbs, lemon, sugar and chilli flakes added to the mix.
See also
- Italian salad – green leaves, your favourite Italian deli goodies and a drizzle of this dressing
- Dressed rice, with red and green veggies make this Italian rice salad
- Italian pasta salad – is another main meal salad using this dressing
Counterintuitively, this dressing has its origins in the United States rather than Italy, though it has found its way back across the Atlantic and around the world.
A delicious and flavour-filled addition to traditional salads, Italian dressing is also great on rice and pasta salads and even as a marinade.
Homemade versions are, as always, so much tastier and this recipe for Italian dressing is very easy to make. Whip it up whenever you need it and leave out all the additives on the commercial dressing bottle, leaving just the flavour.
Why make Italian dressing
- a bright and brilliant burst of flavour
- healthier made at home
- so easy to make
Italian dressing ingredients
- Olive oil – extra virgin is best for salad dressings, though you don’t need anything too fancy
- Red wine vinegar – for flavour and colour, though you can use a white wine or apple cider vinegar if you prefer
- Dijon mustard – helps to emulsify the dressing but without a real mustard flavour
- Sugar – to balance the flavours. I use golden caster sugar a little runny honey if you prefer.
- Lemon zest – unwaxed!
- Italian seasoning – I like to keep some ready mixed. If you don’t have it, you can use a mix of whatever you have to hand of dried oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary and a little garlic powder.
- Chilli flake – a little sweet heat and colour
- Pepper and salt
How to make Italian dressing – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this Italian dressing recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put all the ingredients into a jar. I grate the lemon zest directly into the jar with a fine microplane grater.
Step Two – Put the lid on tight. Shake well until the dressing is emulsified. Leave the dressing for about an hour to allow the flavours to infuse and blend.
The dressing is now ready to use, though you may want to transfer it to a jug or bottle using a funnel. This will make it easier to control quantities when you need to pour.
Store your Italian dressing in the fridge but bring it out to come up to room temperature before serving.
Serving suggestion
Shake your Italian style dressing well before serving and use at room temperature.
Use to dress salads, including green, rice and pasta salads. Use to fill the seed hole in an avocado or try it as a marinade.
Variations
- Add extra garlic powder.
- Add some grated grana (parmesan) cheese.
- Use fresh herbs instead of dried (especially basil). If you do this, use the dressing within two days rather than a week.
Storage
Fridge – Store your Italian dressing in the fridge for up to one week. (Beyond that, the lemon zest may deteriorate). Serve at room temperature, and shake before serving. The olive oil may solidify in the fridge.
Hints and tips
- The zested lemon will keep for up to a week in the fridge to use in other dishes. Alternatively, juice it and freeze the juice in an ice tray.
FAQs
It depends on what you mean by authentic. It is not an Italian recipe but a recipe developed in America by Italian immigrants, with Italian flavours.
I suppose you could use other oils but olive oil is so essential to Italian food that I don’t think it would be an Italian style dressing!
I am very much averse to heavily processed seed oils on health grounds. It’s olive oil every time for me.
I use just a little sugar to balance out the acidity. It’s not a sickly dressing.
More salad dressing recipes
- Salad cream – the original British dressing
- Honey mustard dressing – mellow and full of flavour
- Sweet chilli dressing – piquant and delicious
- Explore more dips, dressings and sauces
Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 120 ml (0.5 cups) olive oil
- 60 ml (0.25 cups) red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or mixed dried oregano, thyme and basil)
- 1 pinch chilli flake
- pepper and salt
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a jar.120 ml olive oil, 60 ml red wine vinegar, 1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard, 2 tsp sugar, zest of one lemon, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 pinch chilli flake, pepper and salt
- Put the lid on and shake well to emulsify. Stand for an hour before using. Then store in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
Storage
Fridge – Store your Italian dressing in the fridge for up to one week. (Beyond that, the lemon zest may deteriorate). Serve at room temperature, and shake before serving. The olive oil may solidify in the fridge.Hints and tips
- The zested lemon will keep for up to a week in the fridge to use in other dishes. Alternatively, juice it and freeze the juice in an ice tray.
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