The BEST Italian Dressing (Easy + Homemade)

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil (May be replaced with neutral vegetable oil.)
• 0.25 cup white wine vinegar (May be replaced with red wine vinegar; the two may also be mixed.)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp honey (Use 1 to 2 teaspoons, to taste.)
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (Bottled lemon juice may be used if lemon juice is its only ingredient.)
• 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated; may be omitted, though it adds richness.)
• 0.75 tsp garlic salt (For a fresh-garlic variation, substitute 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus 1 small pressed or grated garlic clove.)
• 0.75 tsp dried parsley (If using fresh parsley instead, use three times the amount.)
• 0.75 tsp dried basil (If using fresh basil instead, use three times the amount.)
• 0.125 tsp dried oregano (If using fresh oregano instead, use three times the amount.)
• red pepper flakes (A pinch.)
• freshly ground black pepper (To taste; add more if necessary.)

Steps

1. 1

   Measure the olive oil or neutral vegetable oil, wine vinegar, water, honey, lemon juice, Parmesan, garlic salt, dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

2. 2

   Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is well-blended and emulsified.

3. 3

   Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate any leftovers in the sealed jar; if olive oil thickens when chilled, let the dressing return to room temperature and shake it again before serving.

Notes

The dressing makes approximately 1 cup total. It may alternatively be whisked together in a bowl or processed in a mini food processor or blender. Refrigerate leftovers because the dressing contains lemon juice and Parmesan. The author notes that fresh herbs can replace dried herbs at three times the stated amount.

Nutrition per serving

• dressing
• sauce
• Italian
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• no-cook
• salad
• marinade