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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.

Glass jar of zesty homemade Italian dressing.

This zesty Italian dressing is my go-to weeknight salad dressing. It’s a classic oil and vinegar salad 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. The recipe makes enough dressing for one large head or three hearts of romaine.

What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Italian Dressing

ingredients for homemade Italian dressing

How To Make Homemade Italian Dressing

combining all of the ingredients in a jar

Simply combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake to emulsify.

emulsified Italian dressing in jar

As always, when dressing salads, be sure greens are completely dry so the dressing doesn’t get watered down.

Glass jar of zesty homemade Italian dressing.

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Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing

Forget the bottled stuff: this zesty homemade Italian dressing is easy to make and packed with flavor.

Servings: Makes 1 ⅓ cups

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita or Lucini
  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet or Domaine des Vignes
  • 1½ tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 small garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

  1. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 155
  • Fat: 16 g
  • Saturated fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Sodium: 151 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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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Comments

  • I don’t like anything too sweet or worcestershire sauce but I love this dressing. The ingredients seemed weird to me and then I hesitated adding the amounts listed in the recipe. But I’ve learned to trust your recipes implicitly. (Serving this to guests even before I tried it which I don’t think is a good idea usually.) Thanks again for all your recipe development, testing etc. You’re making my life easer and my family and friends happy!

    • 🙂

  • Used a Tuscan Herb olive oil and about 2Tbs extra of vinegar (I like it tangy) and crushed my garlic. Delish! So easy and I see many ways to mix up the flavors for a little variety. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

  • My family loves this dressing!

  • Wow. This is my new go-to dressing. I love all your recipes but I was surprised how much I loved this dressing! Thank you!

  • Delicious!! This was a hit at our party last night. I substituted honey for the maple syrup and it tasted fantastic. Another winner recipe!!!

  • A vibrant blend that deliciously enhances the flavors of the salad. (Rather than romaine, I tossed it with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and red bell pepper.)

    I love this dressing!

  • I tweaked your recipe just a tad, added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and a 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice which gave it a little more tangy taste which I really liked. Thank you

  • It was a tad garlicky for me (then again my cloves may have been too large) as a salad dressing. However, I used it as a marinade for chicken breast and it was wonderful! I was happy to find an alternative use.

  • This dressing is perfection! I love it. So delicious. Thank you! I am a big fan of olive oil, but for a lower calorie version do you have any substitution suggestions? Would canola oil work?

    • — Joanne Faulkner
    • Reply
    • Sure, Joanne – canola or veg oil would both work.

  • Hi Jen,
    Do you think this dressing will make enough dressing to dress a salad for 12 people?

    Thank you,

    Debbie

    • Hi Debbie, that would allow for just over 2 tablespoons of dressing per salad. Everyone likes their salad dressed a bit differently, but I think it should be sufficient.

  • My favorite Italian dressing. 5 stars!!

  • Would this recipe be god for marinating chicken, then baking in the oven?

    Thanks,
    Hanna

    • Definitely!

  • We now have a new house dressing! Need I say more?

  • Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m not a salad lover, but this year I’m committed to eating healthier and making as many things as I can from scratch. I’ve made this and your balsamic vinegar dressing recipe multiple times since January. Quality oils and vinegar really do make a difference! The only modification I’ve made is I’ve grated the garlic instead of mincing because I don’t like biting into pieces of raw garlic, but this recipe is now a staple in my home.

  • What is the calorie count per serving?

    • — Vicki Fankhauser
    • Reply
    • Hi Vicki, Each serving is 2 tablespoons and is 155 calories. I just added the nutritional info to the recipe.

  • This Zesty Italian Dressing recipe is freaking amazing! I’m rarely compelled to write reviews for recipes because I usually have to tweak for my tastes, but this one is spot on!

    • — Gotta Have Cute
    • Reply
  • Amazing!

  • Very smooth with just the right amount of tartness. Perfect for any salad.

    • Would this make a good marinade for my chicken cutlets? Thankyou

      • — Kathleen Barrett
      • Reply
      • Hi Kathleen, because of the vinegar the dressing contains, I would not recommend it as a marinade for white meat (the vinegar will make the chicken tough). It would work fine for dark meat though. You may want to give this marinade a try instead.

  • Wow. This looks like an interesting recipe for me to try. I’m on a mission to eat more veggies. My favorite Italian dressing has herbs in it. Can you add dried or fresh herbs? If so, what and how much? I was thinking of adding dried Italian seasoning.

    • Yes, go ahead and add a tablespoon of fresh herbs or a 1/2 teaspoon dried.

      • Going forward, I am trying to be efficient with herbs, chipotle peppers and even tomato paste by pulsing and freezing the left overs in a silicone ice cube tray. Can I use the frozen herb and chipotle cubes for salad dressings? Or should I only use them for cooked dishes? What quantity would you advise me to freeze, such as tsp or Tsb? Thanks so much….

        • Hi Elizabeth, I think you could use them in salad dressings as well as cooked dishes. I would probably freeze tablespoon-size portions since recipes rarely call for less than that.

  • This Italian dressing is a home run! Just made tonight for a simple Romaine salad with grilled chicken. It was simply divine and I don’t even like Italian dressing!! This will be new go-to for sure!

  • LOVE this dressing! It’s all we use now!

  • Great recipe. Easy with ingredients always on hand. Made with mixed greens and added grated Parmesan. Excellent.

    • — Jennifer hamri
    • Reply
  • As an Italian, I am embarrassed to say that this is the best Italian dressing recipe I have found! It is the perfect balance of flavors. Now just don’t tell my family…….

  • Jennifer: Thank you again and again for all your wonderful recipes. You have taken the fear out of HOME Entertaining for me. Last night we had friends over to a special Valentine dinner. I served your Zucchini “Noodles” with Pesto and Pine Nuts and dressed the salad with your Zesty homemade Italian dressing. These additions brought my Steak dinner to new heights. When adopting any of your well instructed recipes I never Test Kitchen them first before serving them to my Family or Friends. They are so reliable and full of flavor. PS: Also 5 stars for the Zucchini Noodles

    • — Carol Marrazzo
    • Reply
    • That is so nice to read, Carol! Thanks for the wonderful feedback and so happy you are enjoying the recipes 🙂

  • Mercy me! I am in love with your food. So much zip, that I will just keep plugging through some more recipes.

    • — Jill Plamondon
    • Reply
    • Thank you, Jill!

  • I am out of real maple syrup at my house (and the grocery store is closed today for Christmas), can I substitute the maple syrup with agave nectar? We have the light-colored agave nectar. Or what about honey? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

    • Yes either is fine, or even brown sugar.

  • Super simple! This goes best with such simple salads as romaine and grape tomatoes. With a properly grilled medium rare rib-eye cut, this is golden.

    • Love this idea!

  • Delicious dressing that is fail-proof – love it! Friends have also liked it enough to ask for the recipe. A definite keeper!

  • Great all purpose dressing to always have on hand

  • Very midwest tasting. It’s definitely not bad, but it WAS on the sweet side. Authentic Italian should not be sweet at all. It also lacked a depth I can’t quite put my finger on. For someone not expecting a rockin’ real Italian style dressing in the line of Girard’s Italian Dressing, this recipe will be fine.

  • Oh wow. I wasn’t sure about this dressing, but all the reviews raved, so I took the plunge. My husband and I have made short work of this. We’re making a second batch this week. YUM YUM!!

  • I’ve been in the mood for a big fat salad all day. Bought the greens, tomatoes, even fresh mozzarella, but wanted a dressing that wasn’t too overpowering. Just found this recipe and made up a batch. It’s wonderful. For me, it’s the Worcestershire sauce, more than the maple syrup, that makes it unique. Thank you for this!

  • This recipe got me started to follow your blog. So many good recipes. This dressing I make all the time. I also use it as a marinade for chicken and drizzle some on veggies when I roast them

  • I am allergic to black pepper and gluten (found in Worcestershire Sauce). Any suggestions for substitutions?

    I have been trying to find a salad dressing to make for some time. My favorite dressing is French, but due to finding out I’m allergic to tomatoes I’m unable to have it anymore.

    I figured Italian would be the best dressing for me due to other allergies I have also.

    Thanks for your kindness in sharing your recipes and for your help.

    God Bless, Linda

    • Hi Linda, It’s hard to say without knowing all of your allergies but check out this recipe. It’s a bit more work since it’s made with fresh herbs but it’s quick in the food processor. It’s one of my absolute favorites. https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/big-italian-salad.html

    • There’s always a worcestershire vs. anchovy debate with caesar salad dressing. May be a good substitute for you. The paste is so convenient.

    • Hi 🙂 Sorry to chime in on an old post but I have a lot of food allergies too and am used to substituting.

      Most people I know sub in roasted bell peppers, beets, and carrots to replace tomato based sauces (like marinara) so maybe try a mix of those in recipes that call for tomatoes
      http://allrecipes.com/recipe/201097/no-tomato-pasta-sauce/

      I can’t have Worchester sauce either so I sub in a mix of fresh squeezed lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and soy sauce. Tastes exactly the same! Best of luck and hopes that helps

  • Thanks for the recipe! How long would you say this lasts in the refrigerator?

    • Hi Tina, It keeps well for about a week.

  • I made this last night and it’s GREAT! Thank you for an easy and delicious dressing recipe. Way fresher than store bought, super tasty and easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe of yours I’ve tried has been so great, thank you for sharing them!

  • Very good! Yay! I’m all about making the fresh stuff!

  • Very tasty! Mmmm, mmmm good!

  • Has anyone tried this as a marinade? I am trying to not use bottled stuff anymore…

  • This homemade Italian dressing sounds wonderful! With all the hype these days on healthly eating, can you provide the nutritional information on this dressing please?

    Thanks!

    • Wish I could, Teresa, but I’m just not set up to do that. Am looking into it though as I get a lot of requests.

  • Great as a marinade as well. I used it on flank steak and it is amazing! I added some chopped shallots.

  • This looks delicious…especially with the maple syrup! Can’t wait to try it!

  • @Laurie great idea!!! I make this dressing all the time. We love it.

    I had some leftover israeli couscous so I added some chopped red bell pepper, and red onion and use this dressing and mixed it all up. Yummm

  • Never would of thought about the maple syrup! It gives it a “what is that??” taste that’s so good.
    I also added some dried vegetable flakes to it. You can find them in the spice aisle. They re-hydrated overnight in the dressing and kicked it up another notch.
    This is a great go-to recipe!

  • Another winning recipe from Jenn! This will now become my go-to basic salad dressing recipe. I add just a pinch of granulated sugar in addition to the maple syrup because I like dressings that are on the sweeter side, but otherwise, this dressing is perfection. I never would’ve thought of adding Worcestershire sauce to salad dressing, but it does the trick! And another testament to how good this dressing is: my husband, who normally scarfs down his salad just so he can move on to the main course, went back and had another full bowl of salad, declaring, “This dressing is REALLY GOOD!”

    • Thanks Allie, so glad you guys enjoyed it!

  • just added this dressing to my tomato, cucumber and onion salad as suggested a few posts ago. Yummm

  • This is perfect and loved by all in my family – thank you!

  • I’ve been searching for a recipe just like this…simple and useful for a variety of salads. Thank you!

  • Tasted great on a simple salad of cucumber, onion, and tomato with some grilled sliced chicken. The maple syrup added great flavor, be sure to use the real thing.

  • Thanks so much for this recipe it is my new favorite salad dressing and was a hit at a recent family BBQ!! I have already made 3 batches in 2 weeks 🙂

    • I’ll be making this today! One question though. Does this have to be refrigerated or can I leave it on the shelf? I have not found a bad recipe on this site! You are my go to recipe finder!

      • Hi Joyce, I usually refrigerate it if I’m not using it immediately but it’d be fine for a day or two in the pantry.

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