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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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.