Homemade Italian dressing is fresh, vibrant, zesty, and bursting with herby garlic flavor! So much better than dressing from a bottle, plus it’s made with real ingredients (no weird hard to pronounce things), and so easy!
This is one of my Pantry/Basics recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
If I had to pick a favorite salad dressing, it would probably be an Italian dressing. And the more garlicky, the better!
This version has all that great bright herby flavor, with a subtle sweetness from the roasted garlic.
It’s perfect for all your salads, and also as a marinade for chicken, shrimp, beef, or veggies!
I’ve been on a pretty significant weight loss journey, and am always looking for new delicious ways to enjoy a simple salad, and this homemade dressing definitely fits the bill.
I just know you’ll love it as much as I do!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
- Customize-able – if you are in charge of the quality and amounts of ingredients, then you can make this dressing exactly to your tastes!
- Versatile – great as a salad dressing, this also works super well as a marinade.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Red wine vinegar – I find that red wine vinegar gives this dressing a nice bright flavor, but white wine vinegar or even balsamic would be good options.
- Lemon juice – fresh tastes best, but bottled will also work for this recipe.
- Honey – this adds a subtle sweetness that balances all the tanginess, but if you’d rather not use honey, you could use an equal amount of maple syrup, or skip it entirely.
- Garlic – using roasted garlic adds a mellow slightly sweet flavor that works well with the herby flavors.
- Dijon mustard – the mustard acts as an emulsifier, which holds the dressing together.
- Dried oregano – if you’d rather use fresh herbs, use double the amount called for.
- Dried basil – same as above.
- Dried parsley – same as above.
- Red pepper flakes – this adds a bit of warmth, but can definitely be adjusted to your tastes.
- Salt/pepper – I use kosher salt or sea salt.
- Olive oil – since this is a dressing, you want to use extra virgin olive oil.
How to make roasted garlic italian dressing:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Roast garlic. If you happen to have some leftover from another recipe, you can skip this step. If not, you can find roasted garlic instructions in the recipe below.
- Add liquid ingredients. This is the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and mustard. The oil is added later. Add the roasted garlic and combine.
- Add herbs and seasonings. This is the oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Add oil. Pour in the olive oil, whisking as you pour, until the dressing is smooth and a little thickened. Alternately, you can build the salad dressing in a jar, add the oil, cover and shake vigorously until it’s smooth.
Helpful Tip!
In homemade salad dressings, I recommend using a good quality extra virgin olive oil, it can really make a difference. Cobram Estate and Graza are two of my favorites.
Variations of this recipe
- Garlic – if you don’t want to roast the garlic, you could use raw garlic cloves instead. You may want to use a little less, since raw garlic has a much more pungent flavor.
- Vinegar – feel free to play around with different types of vinegar. I like doing half red wine, and half white wine, or half red wine vinegar and half balsamic.
- Cheesy – for a little cheesiness, stir in some freshly grated Parmesan.
- Creamy – for a creamy Italian dressing, stir in 1-2 Tbsp of mayo or even greek yogurt.
- Herbs – feel free to use fresh herbs instead of dried, you’ll just want to use double, since dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
- Smoother – for a smoother dressing, you can blend everything in a blender or food processor. This will also fully emulsify the dressing, so it won’t separate as quickly.
FAQ’s
No I don’t think so, this is just my take on a classic American Italian salad dressing.
Making italian dressing ahead of time
As with most homemade dressings, this recipe tastes better after it’s sat for a little bit so the flavors can really meld together.
Storage
Leftover dressing should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within a week or up to 2 weeks.
You may want to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, since the oil will likely have solidified.
More Homemade Basic Recipes:
My Favorite Glass Jar!
I love storing my homemade dressings in a glass jar like this one. They’re easy to clean, look great, and also work if you like to shake the dressing to combine it!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Roast garlic
- Wrap 4 cloves garlic in some aluminum foil with a small drizzle of olive oil. Roast at 400°F for about 25-30 minutes, until golden. Let cool for a little bit, then mash into a paste (I use a fork or spoon for this).
Build the base of the dressing
- In a mixing bowl (or a jar), add 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp dijon mustard, and mashed garlic cloves.
Add herbs
- To the bowl (or jar), add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Give things a quick stir.
Emulsify
- Slowly pour in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, whisking as your pour (or close jar and shake vigorously), until dressing is smooth and a little thickened.
Taste and serve
- Give the dressing a quick taste and see if you'd prefer it a bit sweeter, tangy, or saltier. Set the dressing aside for about 10 minutes or so, so the flavors can meld a bit. Serve as desired!
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Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this dressing serves about 6, with the standard 2 Tbsp serving size. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup, which you’re free to divide into as many servings as you’d like.
- For tasting the dressing, I recommend dipping a piece of lettuce into it, rather than tasting it alone. This gives you a better sense of the flavor.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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