Homemade Italian Dressing

This homemade Italian dressing recipe is a staple in our kitchen. It calls for a handful of basic ingredients, and it's delicious on salads, grains, and more!

italian dressing

Move over, bottled Italian dressing! This homemade Italian dressing recipe is super easy to make, and it tastes far better than any store bought kind. Trust me, I know. Growing up in the Midwest, I tried bottled Italian salad dressings left and right. They were a staple at the salad bar, the secret ingredient in everyone’s pasta salad, and the default marinade for any protein.

I get it. Reaching for a bottle of pre-made dressing is quick and easy. But once you try this homemade Italian dressing recipe, you’ll won’t look back. It’s a breeze to make, it uses simple, nourishing ingredients, and it’s zesty, fresh, and bright. It’s a staple in our house, and I think you’ll love it too.

Italian dressing recipe ingredients

Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients to make this easy homemade Italian dressing:

  • Lemon juice and white wine vinegar – They make the dressing zesty and bright.
  • Dijon mustard – For extra tang.
  • Garlic – It adds sharp, savory depth of flavor.
  • Honey – Don’t skip it! Instead of making the dressing sweet, it mellows the bold lemon juice, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. If you’re vegan, use maple syrup in its place.
  • Fresh parsley, dried oregano, and thyme – For fresh Italian flavor! This combination of fresh and dried herbs gives this dressing more nuance and depth than you’d find in any bottled dressing.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds richness and marries the flavors of the other ingredients.
  • And sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey, herbs, salt, and pepper to a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Alternatively, place the ingredients in a Mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake until the dressing is emulsified. Season to taste, and enjoy!

I like this recipe for Italian dressing as-is, but if you want to amp up the flavor even more, stir in a few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving. This homemade salad dressing is also delicious with a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Whisking Italian salad dressing

Homemade Italian Dressing Serving Suggestions

This homemade Italian dressing recipe is really versatile! Once you have it on hand, you won’t have any trouble putting it to use. Toss it with your favorite greens to make a simple side salad, use it in my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, or swap it in for the dressing in any of these salad recipes:

Not in the mood for salad? Not a problem! This zesty dressing has other uses, too. Here are a few of my favorites:

How do you like to use homemade Italian dressing? Let me know in the comments!

Homemade Italian dressing

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

If you love this Italian salad dressing recipe, try one of these homemade dressings next:

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Italian Dressing

rate this recipe:
5 from 95 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
This easy homemade Italian dressing recipe is SO much better than store bought! Toss it with salads, roasted veggies, whole grains, and more.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, honey, oregano, garlic, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • If desired, stir in the cheese.

Notes

Make this recipe vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey and omitting the optional cheese.

56 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Krusatyr
    01.24.2024

    5 stars
    Very good bones to this recipe which I used successfully on pasta salad. My alterations were not adulterations: I used the juice of one whole lemon, two garlic cloves, Romano cheese grated fine, chipotle chili flakes, otherwise the same. Thanks for the guidance.

  2. Malou from Love%20and%20Lemons
    01.21.2024

    Is this shelf stable? Or should I refrigerate?

  3. Alisa from Alisamaret.com
    10.17.2023

    Thank you for this recipe. This is now my go to salad dressing. Love it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.18.2023

      I’m so happy too hear that!

  4. Melanie
    06.30.2023

    How long does it last ?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      06.30.2023

      Hi Melanie, the dressing will keep for about a week in the fridge.

  5. Kitty
    05.28.2023

    5 stars
    I really liked this dressing. It’s not too strong but has a nice taste. Thanks for sharing it.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.30.2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  6. Chris
    05.10.2023

    5 stars
    Tastes great! I leave out the garlic due to allergy but my first batch just turned out quite acidic, not sure if I used the wrong quantity of something or not but didn’t think I did. Will try again!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      05.12.2023

      Hi Chris, glad you liked the dressing! If you want to mellow the acidity in the future, you can add more olive oil to taste.

      • Annie
        06.04.2023

        5 stars
        Lovely!! How long would this keep in the fridge?

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          06.06.2023

          Hi Annie, about 5 days.

        • Melanie
          06.30.2023

          Did u find out how long it lasts ? Pls share

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.