Italian Salad Dressing

Published: September 20, 2025
By Sam Pierce

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Make the Dressing

Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

You can use a bowl and a whisk, but a jar is less messy and mixes more effectively.

Shake the jar vigorously for about 30 seconds. You’ll see the oil and vinegar start to emulsify. The parmesan and herbs will be suspended throughout the dressing.

Let the dressing sit for at least an hour before you use it. This gives the dried herbs time to soften and release their flavor into the oil and vinegar.

The olive oil will solidify when it’s refrigerated.

Take the dressing out of the fridge ~15-20 minutes before you plan to use it, or run the jar under warm water for a minute to get it back to a liquid state. You will need to shake it again right before serving.

Italian Salad Dressing

This is a straightforward vinaigrette. It’s heavy on the dried herbs and uses red wine vinegar for a sharper flavor. Making it in a jar is the easiest way to get everything combined. The flavor gets better after it sits for a few hours.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, seasonings, and parmesan in a jar with tight-fitting lid.
  • Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.
  • Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Notes

Remove from fridge 15-20 minutes before serving and reshake. Can also warm jar under running water to reliquefy.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & let me know!