Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
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Forget the bottled stuff: this zesty homemade Italian dressing is easy to make and packed with flavor.
This zesty Italian dressing is my go-to weeknight salad dressing. It’s a classic oil and vinegar salad dressing with lots of garlic and a few surprise ingredients, like Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup. Sounds strange, I know, but it works. It’s a cinch to make, too: simply combine all of the ingredients in a jar, give it a shake, and you’re done. The recipe makes enough dressing for one large head or three hearts of romaine.
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Italian Dressing
How To Make Homemade Italian Dressing
Simply combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake to emulsify.
As always, when dressing salads, be sure greens are completely dry so the dressing doesn’t get watered down.
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Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
Forget the bottled stuff: this zesty homemade Italian dressing is easy to make and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita or Lucini
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet or Domaine des Vignes
- 1½ tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 small garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar. Seal tightly with lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. Toss gently with the romaine lettuce right before serving. Store extra dressing in refrigerator for up to a week. As the dressing sits, it will separate (and solidify in the fridge), so be sure to shake well before using.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 155
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 151 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I don’t like anything too sweet or worcestershire sauce but I love this dressing. The ingredients seemed weird to me and then I hesitated adding the amounts listed in the recipe. But I’ve learned to trust your recipes implicitly. (Serving this to guests even before I tried it which I don’t think is a good idea usually.) Thanks again for all your recipe development, testing etc. You’re making my life easer and my family and friends happy!
🙂
Used a Tuscan Herb olive oil and about 2Tbs extra of vinegar (I like it tangy) and crushed my garlic. Delish! So easy and I see many ways to mix up the flavors for a little variety. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
My family loves this dressing!
Wow. This is my new go-to dressing. I love all your recipes but I was surprised how much I loved this dressing! Thank you!
Delicious!! This was a hit at our party last night. I substituted honey for the maple syrup and it tasted fantastic. Another winner recipe!!!
A vibrant blend that deliciously enhances the flavors of the salad. (Rather than romaine, I tossed it with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and red bell pepper.)
I love this dressing!
I tweaked your recipe just a tad, added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and a 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice which gave it a little more tangy taste which I really liked. Thank you
It was a tad garlicky for me (then again my cloves may have been too large) as a salad dressing. However, I used it as a marinade for chicken breast and it was wonderful! I was happy to find an alternative use.
This dressing is perfection! I love it. So delicious. Thank you! I am a big fan of olive oil, but for a lower calorie version do you have any substitution suggestions? Would canola oil work?
Sure, Joanne – canola or veg oil would both work.
Hi Jen,
Do you think this dressing will make enough dressing to dress a salad for 12 people?
Thank you,
Debbie
Hi Debbie, that would allow for just over 2 tablespoons of dressing per salad. Everyone likes their salad dressed a bit differently, but I think it should be sufficient.