Swapping items I used to buy from the grocery store for home made has been quite the journey! But also, so liberating now that I’ve found a way to make the swaps simple, fast and easy! I’m excited to share with you one of those easy healthy swaps. It is our family’s best Italian dressing recipe that you can mix up in advance and store in the pantry for when you’re ready! Or make it now and store in the fridge. No need for more expensive grocery store, preservative laden dressings when we can make it more nutritious and economical for our family with minimal effort! It’s easy, let me show you!
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Ingredients you will need:
The base recipe:
- 1/2 cup EVOO
- 2 Tbsp plain white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Additional ingredients you can choose to add to perfect this recipe per your taste:
- 1 Tbsp honey or 1 tsp sugar for dry mix if you like a hint of sweet
- 1 Tbsp mayo for a creamy version
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning blend, just sub the following herbs:
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- use 1 clove garlic, finely minced in place of the garlic powder if you prefer a fresher garlic flavor
- add 1/4 tsp black pepper for a bit of a kick
- add 1/4 tsp or so of crushed red pepper flakes if you prefer a zesty version. (I am the only one who likes heat in my house so I usually just add them on my sandwich or pasta salad if I prefer at the time. However, if you want the heat blended into your dressing, use an immersion blender to get a good cohesive heat throughout).
How to make the best homemade Italian dressing:
- Simply combine all ingredients into a wide mouth pint or quart mason jar.
- Place lid on and shake or use immersion blender to blend contents together!
- Enjoy on pasta salad in place of your store-bought Italian dressing or on your sandwiches for the perfect Italian sub sandwich!
It’s that easy. Why would I complicate it? Taste it and adjust for your preferred taste. Experiment with it and make this recipe your own for your family’s taste buds!
Store in the fridge and use within 2-3 weeks. or use it up at once in a pasta salad or as an Italian sandwich spread on your family’s lunch sandwiches. You can also coat chicken or potatoes in it to bake for added flavor to dinner!
Make a dry mix to store in your pantry for quick dressing or give as a beautiful & thoughtful gift!
- Combine all dried herbs/spices: herbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (and sugar or pepper flakes if adding).
- Use free printable (see below) with the instructions to stick on a cute jar.
- Store in your pantry for a quick homemade staple or to give as a thoughtful homemade gift.
- Bulk up the gift by sticking it in a basket with a homemade loaf of bread, dried meats, and a wedge of parmesan. Add a card and voila, a beautiful homemade gift!
The BEST jars for keeping dressing AND for giving gifts. So beautiful!:
Weck Dressing jar for home keeping.
Or buy this 6 pack for only $29.97 and knock out several people on your Christmas list!
Insert your email below to receive a FREE printable with instructions to put on your jar straight to your inbox!
Best Italian Dressing Recipe Easy
Ingredients
Method
- Simply combine all ingredients into a wide mouth pint or quart mason jar.
- Place lid on and shake or use immersion blender to blend contents together!
- Enjoy on pasta salad in place of your store-bought Italian dressing or on your sandwiches for the perfect Italian sub sandwich!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp honey or 1 tsp sugar for dry mix if you like a hint of sweet
- 1 Tbsp mayo for a creamy version
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning blend, just sub the following herbs:
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- use 1 clove garlic, finely minced in place of the garlic powder if you prefer a fresher garlic flavor
- add 1/4 tsp black pepper for a bit of a kick
- add 1/4 tsp or so of crushed red pepper flakes if you prefer a zesty version. (I am the only one who likes heat in my house so I usually just add them on my sandwich or pasta salad if I prefer at the time. However, if you want the heat blended into your dressing, use an immersion blender to get a good cohesive heat throughout).