Skip the bottle—this homemade Italian dressing is bright, zesty, and made with simple ingredients. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s perfect on salads, pasta, or as a quick marinade!

Jar of Italian dressing on counter.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Homemade Italian dressing is one of those staple recipes I always keep in the fridge. It adds fresh, zesty flavor to a classic Italian salad and also works beautifully as a light marinade for meat. I love tossing it into pasta salads like Italian tortellini pasta salad as well as my easy pasta salad—no heavy cream, just bold, tangy flavor.

Nothing beats the flavor of homemade dressing. It’s fresher, brighter, and made exactly the way you like it. Plus, you’ll know exactly what goes into it, no surprises or hard-to-pronounce ingredients.

Once you learn how easy it is to make Italian dressing from scratch, you’ll want to skip the bottle for good. Even the kids love it, and if a great dressing gets them to eat more salad, that’s a win in my book!

Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients

Pouring vinegar into jar of italian dressing.

This easy homemade Italian dressing is a pure and simple zesty vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and loads of herbs and spices, most of which can be found in an Italian seasoning blend for convenience.

What’s the Best Oil to Use?

Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for homemade Italian dressing—it adds a rich, full flavor. If you prefer something milder, regular olive oil, extra light olive oil, or even canola or vegetable oil work too. One of the best parts about making your own dressing is choosing the oil that fits your taste.

Should I Use Red or White Wine Vinegar?

Either works great! Red wine vinegar gives a slightly deeper flavor and a classic reddish tint (like store-bought), while white wine vinegar has a lighter color and taste. Use whichever you have on hand—they’re both delicious in this recipe.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Add 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan for extra flavor.
  • Throw in a scoop of Dijon mustard for a kick.
  • Use white wine vinegar for a slightly different taste.
  • Add both mayonnaise and parmesan cheese for a creamier texture, similar to this Olive Garden salad dressing.
  • Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or honey for added sweetness if you’re not a fan of tangy dressings as this will help balance the acidity.
Jar of Italian dressing.

Ways to Use Italian Dressing

Storage Tips

Add all of your ingredients to a cute little mason jar, shake, and store with a lid for up to 14 days. If you have added mayo or Parmesan, store dressing for up to 1 week.

Why Did My Dressing Solidify in the Fridge?

That’s totally normal! Store-bought dressings often include emulsifiers to keep them smooth, but homemade versions can firm up when chilled—especially if using olive oil. Just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then shake well before using.

Drizzling Italian dressing on salad with spoon.

Other favorite salad dressings we love to make include this Caesar salad dressing, ranch dressing and poppy seed dressing!

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

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Homemade Italian Dressing

5 from 26 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Skip the bottle—this homemade Italian dressing is bright, zesty, and made with simple ingredients. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s perfect on salads, pasta, or as a quick marinade!
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Ingredients 

  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar , or white vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt , more to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper , more to taste

Optional: 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

  • Combine 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a mason jar. Close the lid and shake until well combined. Taste and add sugar and parmesan cheese if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Store with a lid in the refrigerator. Shake just before serving. Enjoy over your favorite salad.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Storage: Store with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 7 days with cheese and 14 days without. 
Flavor: For more of a sweeter dressing, add in 1 to 3 teaspoons of sugar. For more tang, add an extra splash of vinegar. For a delicious taste, add in parmesan cheese (make sure it is finely grated).

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp, Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 220mg, Potassium: 18mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.