This Italian dressing recipe is so easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought. Just throw a few fresh ingredients into a bottle and shake. This keto, paleo, and Whole30 salad dressing will become your go-to Italian dressing!
With a paleo salad dressing this easy, there's no excuse for using packaged dressings with ingredients like industrial vegetable oil, sugar, and thickeners. This quick homemade Italian dressing tastes so much better and is so much better for you. And it's naturally paleo, keto, Whole30, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, and vegan. In other words, this is just about the healthiest, clean eating Italian dressing you can make.
How to make Italian dressing
How do you make Italian dressing? It's a simple vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and herbs. Just add all the ingredients to a mason jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid and shake it up. Or you can add everything to a mixing bowl and whisk it together. This homemade Italian salad dressing recipe couldn't be easier and takes just a few minutes.
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The great thing about making your own dressing is that you can make it the way you like it. Add more garlic, use different herbs, or adjust the ratio of red wine vinegar to olive oil. I like a tangy Italian style dressing, so this 1:3 ratio is perfect for me. Of course, you can always adjust the vinaigrette ratio to your taste.
When the dressing is stored in the refrigerator, the olive oil may thicken a bit. Just take it out of the fridge before you start making the salad to let it come up to room temperature. By the time your ready for the salad dressing, a quick shake or whisk is all it needs.
Ways to use it
I love having paleo salad dressing ready to go in the refrigerator. I usually have some kind of salad greens every day and having a jar of this classic dressing already made up makes it so much easier. Just add veggies---tomato, cucumber, onion---and toss with Italian dressing for a simple side salad. It's also perfect for a low carb antipasto salad, an easy BLT salad.
Try this Italian dressing on grilled vegetables to add an extra kick of flavor. Or make a "pasta salad" with zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
You can also use it as a marinade for quick and easy Italian dressing chicken breasts. I remember my mom making this old-school chicken recipe with the bottled "zesty Italian dressing" when I was a kid. With your own jar of zesty homemade Italian dressing in the fridge, it's just as fast!
It's so easy to make your own homemade Italian salad dressing, there's no reason to ever go back to store-bought. And with real whole food ingredients, you can feel even better about eating salads every day.
More Easy Salads
Italian Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs - I used Italian flat leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic minced with a garlic press
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Shaking Method: Add all ingredients to a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until well combined.Whisking Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until the ingredients come together.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Nutrition
More salad dressing recipes
- Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing and Dip
- Easy Chipotle Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
- Cranberry Salad Dressing
Audry
What about storage? And how long does it last?
Sara @ Don't Feed After Midnight
Yeah, I'd also love to know how long it keeps in the fridge. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Lisa
Hi Sara, I've kept it in the fridge up to a week. Hope this helps! 🙂
creatively living
I love fresh, homemade dressings!
Thanks for sharing on Monday Funday!
– Holly @ Creatively Living
Lisa
Thanks Holly!
Rachel Lindsey
On the Italian dressing can it be stored room temperature in my counter & for how long is it good for?! Seems all the ingredients would be good for a while?! Thank You!!! Rachel Lindsey
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Lisa
Hi Rachel, I keep it in the fridge and let it come to room temp while I make the salad. It never lasts more than a week in our house. 🙂
Rach's Recipes
I think I finally found the perfect Italian dressing recipe! What do you think about adding dried mustard and celery seed?
Thanks for sharing - looking forward to trying this out.
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This is the best salad dressing that I've ever love. Thanks for your post as ever nice!
Katrina
what are some different herb combinations people use?
Lisa
Any soft herb would work well, I wouldn't use a woody herb like rosemary for this. My favorites are basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
Renee
Hi! I am new to the Paleo diet. Can I eat Kraft fat free Italian Dressing while being on the Paleo diet?
Lisa
Hi Renee, most bottled dressings have ingredients and processed food additives that are not paleo. You can see more about what to avoid on the paleo diet here.
B
I have struggled with homemade dressings because I *really* don’t like much vinegar unless it’s salt and vinegar chips! Lol
This was still too vinegary for me but I tasted my husbands favorite Wishbone Italian dressing, and to me I could taste Bell peppers, so I added this dressing and a whole bell pepper (chopped) to my blender and it was exactly what I needed to take the edge off the vinegar and add some sweetness!
Thank you for the first homemade dressing I can Eat! Lol
Lisa
Yay! I'm so glad it worked for you! The added bell pepper sounds like a great variation 🙂