Italian Dressing Recipe

This Italian dressing recipe is a go-to in our kitchen. With just a few simple ingredients, it’s flavorful and versatile—perfect for drizzling on salads, bowls, and more! Whether you’re making a green salad or a pasta salad, it adds a delightful touch. It also works wonderfully as a marinade! Best of all, it’s made with all-natural ingredients and is super easy to prepare, making it the only Italian dressing recipe you’ll ever need!

Another homemade dressing you need to try is this Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. It’s thick and full of flavor, making it perfect for salads or dipping! Or give this Homemade Caesar Dressing a try for the best Caesar salad you have ever had!

Before You Get Started

Several factors distinguish a poorly emulsified, greasy dressing from a smooth, harmonious one. Here are the tips I depend on consistently:

Stream in the oil slowly. A gradual pour while whisking is what creates the emulsion. Dumping it in all at once leaves the dressing broken. Or you can put everything into a jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.

Use a good olive oil. With only a few ingredients, the oil’s flavor comes through. Pick an extra virgin you’d happily taste on its own.

Let it sit before serving. If time allows, ten minutes on the counter lets the garlic mellow and the flavors marry. I prefer to let this sit overnight in the fridge for even better flavor.

How To Make Homemade Italian Dressing

This is a super easy-to-make recipe, and everything comes together right in a bowl or jar.

Step 1: Whisk the base

In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, Italian seasoning, honey, Dijon, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and a little salt and pepper until the honey dissolves. 

You want the honey fully incorporated before the oil goes in; otherwise, it’ll pool at the bottom.

⇢ Tip: Use a microplane to grate the garlic instead of mincing. It helps distribute it throughout the dressing more evenly.

Step 2: Stream in the olive oil

While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. This is the step that emulsifies the dressing and gives it that slightly creamy texture. 

Prefer a jar? Add everything at once, seal tightly, and shake hard for about 30 seconds. The shake method works, but the whisk-and-stream method gives you a more stable emulsion.

Step 3: Taste and adjust

Dip a piece of lettuce or a spoon and taste. If it’s too sharp, add a small drizzle more olive oil or honey. If it’s too flat, try a pinch more salt.

Storage

Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for at least 1 week (often longer). The olive oil will solidify, and the dressing will separate when chilled, which is normal. Let the jar sit on the counter to bring it back to room temperature, then shake or whisk to bring it back together.

⇢ Tip: To bring it to room temperature quicker, place the sealed jar in a warm bowl of water.

Serving Suggestions

This goes great over any greens, grains, or even as a marinade. You can also drizzle this over roasted vegetables, use it in any pasta salad calling for Italian dressing, dip some crusty bread in it, or marinate chicken, pork, or turkey with it.

More Salads and Dressings To Enjoy

• Creamy Poppyseed Dressing
• Asian Dressing
• Antipasto Salad
• Mediterranean Tuna Salad
• Pasta Salad with Pepperoni

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