Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
More Homemade Salad Dressings You’LL Love
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.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
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.
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
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.
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.