Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
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Forget the bottled stuff: this zesty homemade Italian dressing is easy to make and packed with flavor.
This Italian dressing is my go-to weeknight salad dressing. It’s a classic oil-and-vinegar homemade dressing with lots of garlic and a few surprise ingredients, like Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup. Sounds strange, I know, but it works. It’s a cinch to make, too: simply combine all of the ingredients in a jar, give it a shake, and you’re done. While it’s perfect for a crisp green salad, it also adds a bright, tangy element to a cold pasta salad or a medley of roasted vegetables. The recipe makes enough for one large head or three hearts of romaine.
“A big fat hit with my family!! This dressing was exactly as described- tangy, zesty and yummy.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Italian Dressing
To make homemade Italian dressing, you’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to emulsify. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.
As the dressing sits, it will separate, so give it a good shake before using. Be sure your greens are completely dry before dressing them—wet leaves cause the dressing to slide right off and dilute the flavor. Add the dressing gradually, tossing as you go, until the salad is coated to your liking. Store any leftover dressing in the fridge for up to a week.
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Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 small cloves garlic, minced (or 2 to 3 medium cloves)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar. Seal tightly with lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. Toss gently with the romaine lettuce right before serving. Store extra dressing in refrigerator for up to a week. As the dressing sits, it will separate (and solidify in the fridge), so be sure to shake well before using.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Superb! Wonderful to make your own dressing which tastes fantastic!
This applies to all Jenn’s dressings I’ve tried. Thank you!
I was looking for a homemade zesty vinaigrette for pasta salad that I make and this is it! This is delicious and perfect “as is”. I added a pinch of Italian seasoning and a dab of Dijon mustard too but that’s just an added extra, not at all necessary. I will make it again and again! 😀
It was good. A little different. But it didn’t “Wow,” me. Thought i would give it a try instead of the classic italian dressing recipe. I didnt really like the way it solidified in my fridge. I had to run the bottle under warm water to warm it up.
Sooo good! Did not change a thing
I use this recipe as a base for my salad dressings regularly. I adjust to my personal tastes. Great recipe.
This was horrible, and not even remotely close to the taste.
Fantastic dressing!!!!!! I used it to marinate tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and basil. It brought me back to me back to my mom’s summer kitchen. Thanks for the special memory. Keep the recipes coming.😀
Jenn, you’re absolutely on target with this salad dressing. I didn’t think these flavors would work together but they do, and it only improves with age. So easy to toss together when needed. Great on all salads, whether sweet or savory…even pasta salad! It’s a keeper.
There’s something about the combination of flavors in this dressing (maybe the Worcestershire sauce and the maple syrup?) that makes it exceptional. I’d suggest the addition of two ingredients that would help emulsification–a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1/4 tsp. gelatin, softened in a tablespoon of water and then microwaved for 10 seconds to dissolve. I’d also suggest using an immersion blender to mix instead of just shaking. If you use a jar that the head of the blender fits into, you don’t need to dirty up a bowl. Otherwise, poi-fect!
Just made this dressing and Wow! The savory flavor is bumped the perfect amount by the addition of the maple syrup. I didn’t think it would be a compliment, but it totally is. I wouldn’t describe it as a sweet Italian dressing though. The ratio is just perfect to enhance the zesty Italian flair. So, so good!! I haven’t had one of your recipes disappoint. I’m so glad my friend recommended you!