Don’t you just love the all-you-can-eat salads at Olive Garden? Especially with those warm breadsticks and yummy Zuppa Toscana! I could easily make a meal with just salad and breadsticks. The salad is simple: lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, olives, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. Oh, I almost forgot the little pickled pepperoncini. Well, guess what? You can easily duplicate this salad at home with your own homemade Italian dressing! I even have a recipe for croutons that are the best, a hundred times better than store bought. Why make your own dressing?
It’s more healthy. You won’t find artificial ingredients in this dressing. No “natural flavors,” or maltodextrin, or xanthan gum. Just good-for-you olive oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings. Homemade is fresher. You can whip it up in less than 5 minutes. It’s economical. You probably have the ingredients you need right in your pantry. And you know what? Homemade dressing tastes way better.
Looking for an easy recipe for pasta salad? Simply mix up a batch of this Italian dressing and stir it into your favorite pasta and veggie mix. It’s simple! If you’d like actual recipes, try this Caprese Pasta Salad or Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pepperoni.
About this Easy Vinaigrette
This Italian dressing is a basic vinaigrette: oil, vinegar, seasonings. You can whisk it together in a small bowl or shake it up in a jar. Make it ahead — it will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator. I like to use a good extra virgin olive oil because it tastes so good and is healthy, but other mild tasting oils are fine, too. Canola and grapeseed oil are good choices. Add white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. Both are great, white wine vinegar is a little less tangy. Sometimes I make this dressing with balsamic vinegar and that’s delicious, too. Dried herbs work great. If you have fresh herbs, those are fantastic, too. For authentic Italian flavor, I like oregano, basil, and parsley. Season your dressing with garlic powder, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or more than a pinch, if you like zesty Italian dressing. That’s it! Shake or stir until blended, and you’re ready to add the best Italian dressing to your salad. Don’t stop at salads, though! Besides leafy green salads and pasta salads, Italian dressing is great on sandwiches and wraps. Or marinate olives, veggies, or fresh mozzarella cheese for a delightful appetizer.
Make It Your Own
Try this recipe for creamy Italian dressing, made with Greek yogurt. If you prefer, use mayonnaise instead. Make it cheesy: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar, and add the zest of one lemon, for lemony Italian vinaigrette. Make an Italian marinade: Reduce oil by one half. Add to chicken, pork, or beef in a zip top bag and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Use fresh herbs instead of dried, and double the amount called for. Dressing made with fresh herbs won’t keep quite as long.
Storage Tips
Store leftover dressing in a small jar in the fridge for up to one week. Remember, you can make a new batch in less than five minutes!
Homemade salad dressings
Once you make homemade salad dressing, you’ll never go back to store bought. Here’s some of my favorites (and remember, they are easy to customize to your liking):
White Wine Vinaigrette Red Wine Vinaigrette Healthy Ranch Dressing Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Parmesan Pepper Dressing Raspberry Vinaigrette Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Honey Mustard Dressing
