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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This is a refreshing addition to my multicolored lettuce salad to be served with an outdoor barbecue of salmon and salsa!
Fabulous taste. Thank you!
Easy and delicious. A winner.
Is there something I could substitute for the pure maple syrup? That isn’t something I keep on hand.
Hi Melissa, You can use pancake syrup, sugar or honey. Hope that helps!
I have an easy pasta salad that I make but have to buy zesty italian dressing. I am so glad to find this so now I can make as much as I need. It sounds delicious and as simple as my salad.
Thanks for sharing.
I know I’ve commented twice, but the third time’s the charm. My husband will use no other salad dressing since I made this. We love it!!!
I would love to win the cutting board!!!
YUMMMY…love a good salad dressing! This one looks and tastes FABULOUS!! Thanks for sharing
can I use red wine that has turned to vinegar for recipes like this? is that then considered best-quality red wine vinegar? Thanks!
Hi Deb, I have never made homemade red wine vinegar but if this is something you know how to do, I imagine it would be very good. I do know it’s more involved than just letting wine turn. You need to add a “vinegar mother” (a bacteria to facilitate the process) to the wine, and then it takes several months to turn into vinegar. Hope that helps.
This was the absolute best; was even better the next day.
Made the dressing this morning and had it on my salad for lunch. It’s a winner!!! yummm